SoundHound AI CFO Nitesh Sharan on life after IPO and AI’s impact on finance

Core Insights - The company, SoundHound AI, went public during a challenging market environment characterized by rising interest rates and a tough liquidity situation, yet remains committed to its mission of creating voice AI for natural interaction with technology [1][5][6] - The CFO, Nitesh Sharan, emphasizes that the IPO is just a milestone in a longer journey of growth and disruption, focusing on building a sustainable business rather than viewing the IPO as an endpoint [2][7][8] Company Overview - SoundHound AI has a long history in AI, with its foundations dating back to the early 2000s, and has been involved in deep learning and large language models since the 2010s [9][10] - The company prioritizes growth and profitability, with Sharan stating that the top five priorities are growth, growth, growth, growth, and profitability [12][16] Market Position - The voice AI market is highly competitive, with many companies adopting ".ai" in their names to signal relevance, but SoundHound AI has been a pioneer in the field long before it became a trend [9][11] - The company aims to maintain hypergrowth while moving towards break-even, indicating a strategic focus on balancing growth with financial sustainability [16] Strategic Focus - The CFO's role has evolved to encompass finance, HR, and legal, reflecting a broader strategic partnership across the business rather than a narrow focus on traditional finance functions [14][16] - The company seeks to embed financial acumen across all departments, ensuring that every decision is evaluated for its cost and return, thereby enhancing overall decision-making [18][20] Future Direction - The future vision includes equipping all employees with tools to make better financial decisions in real time, such as using chatbots for evaluating investment opportunities [21]