From student to collaborator: Pakistani entrepreneur brings former mentor to Outonomus

In a milestone moment for Pakistan’s growing presence in global technology, renowned AI researcher and Toyota Motor Corporation Professor of AI & Robotics, Professor Jason Corso, has officially joined Outonomous, a startup founded by a Pakistani entrepreneur focused on the future of Physical AI and autonomous mobility.

Known internationally for his work in Visual AI and robotics, Prof Corso is also the co-founder and Chief Scientist of Voxel51, a leading visual and multi-modal AI platform used by major global companies including Google, Microsoft, Porsche, Walmart, Hyundai, and Medtronic. His addition to Outonomous marks a significant boost for the company’s mission to build scalable autonomy solutions for everyday vehicles.

For the startup’s founder, the partnership is more than a professional achievement, it is deeply personal. Nearly two decades ago, Prof Corso taught him Visual AI during the early stages of his journey into artificial intelligence. Over the years, the mentorship evolved into collaboration, with Corso quietly advising the company as it developed its vision and technology.

The founder said many of the lessons from those early AI classes still shape the philosophy behind Outonomous today: creating technology that serves people in the real world. Instead of focusing only on limited robotaxi systems, the company aims to bring autonomous technology to the billions of vehicles already on roads globally using real-world data, Visual AI, and LiDAR systems.

The shared vision between the two also extends beyond transportation. Both believe AI should improve accessibility, healthcare, and quality of life for communities often left behind by technological progress. Prof Corso is currently leading a major ARPA-H initiative aimed at developing AI-powered mobile clinics to expand healthcare access in rural areas, a mission the Outonomous founder says strongly aligns with the company’s values.

The appointment is being seen as another encouraging sign of Pakistani entrepreneurs building meaningful connections at the highest levels of global innovation, while using technology to solve real human problems.