Immigrants of Tech - Felipe Perez

Meet Felipe Perez: a mathematician turned AI innovator, whose passion for solving complex problems led him from academia to leading transformative AI initiatives in healthcare at Signal 1.

What’s your story?

What’s my story? I like to think my story starts with a math problem. Back in seventh or eighth grade, I stumbled upon this seemingly simple—though not so simple—math question. When I finally cracked it, I felt this incredible joy. It wasn’t just about solving the problem; it was about seeing the beauty and structure within it. That moment hooked me on math, and it became the beginning of a long journey.

That passion led me to years of study, culminating in a PhD at the University of Michigan. Luck smiled at me on the very first day of my PhD program—I met the woman who would become my wife. We both pursued our PhDs together, but as we approached the end, we faced academia’s infamous “two-body problem.” Pursuing academic careers often means ending up in different places around the world, and that wasn’t a trade-off we were willing to make.

At the same time, I grew disenchanted with the politics and economics of academia and started contemplating a transition to industry. A friend, Luis Serrano—whom you’ve interviewed before—encouraged me to dive into programming and machine learning. While finishing my postdoc, I spent half my time preparing for this career shift.

That path brought me to Canada, where my wife was already doing her postdoc at the University of Toronto. I landed my first job at Zero Gravity Labs, an innovation hub that allowed me to experiment with cutting-edge technology. A year and a half later, I was recruited by Layer 6—a place I consider the best AI shop in Canada.

At Layer 6, I had the chance to work with extraordinary talent, our CEO Tomi had created an environment blending rigorous research with practical applications. Leading a team there, I was able to advance research as well as to deploy AI to production. We published several papers, and we achieved what I still consider one of my proudest moments: taking an AI solution from ideation to production in less than three months—a record at TD Bank.

When Tomi started a new company, Signal 1, he invited me to join and drive the AI endeavours. For nearly three years now, I’ve been leading efforts there, applying everything I’ve learned from my journey. It’s been wonderfully challenging and deeply fulfilling.

That’s such an inspiring journey! AI has clearly been central to your career. Over the past decade, as AI has evolved from niche research to a household term, what changes have stood out to you?

It's been fascinating to witness the evolution of AI firsthand. Early in my career, I was immersed in the world of big data, leveraging tools like Spark. The rise of deep learning truly bridged the gap between analytical tools and AI research. We've moved beyond simple classification tasks to systems that can predict distributions and generate creative content. For example, AI text generation, while seemingly magical to end-users, is rooted in probabilistic mathematics. This shift towards creation has transformed how we interact with AI.

Companies like OpenAI exemplify this shift. They’ve shown both successes and failures in moving from gimmicky demonstrations to truly useful tools. The challenge now is turning these capabilities into products that integrate seamlessly into daily life.

What excites you most about AI’s future?

What excites me most is AI’s untapped potential in fields like healthcare. Imagine translating research breakthroughs into real-world applications for hospitals. While there are AI models today that can diagnose or predict as well as doctors in some cases, very few are actually in use. Why? Because deploying AI in healthcare isn’t just about technical readiness—it’s about safety.

The good news is that healthcare institutions are catching up. We’re starting to see regulatory bodies and tech innovators collaborate to bring AI into hospitals safely and effectively. With healthcare in crisis, these advancements could alleviate some of the most pressing challenges. That’s what gives me hope: seeing the pathway to impactful change becoming clearer.

Your optimism is inspiring! For younger people or newcomers looking to enter the AI industry, what advice would you give them?

First, get out of your own head. Many people—especially immigrants, academics, or minorities—underestimate their skills. They don’t realize how valuable their expertise is in industry. Recognizing your worth is the first step.

Second, learn by doing. Platforms like Kaggle or HackerRank are great places to challenge yourself while building real-world skills. Focus on what excites you and dive into hands-on projects instead of just reading theory.

Third, critical thinking is key. AI tools are powerful, but using them effectively requires creativity and problem-solving. And finally, develop strong programming skills—not just algorithms, but also software engineering principles like modularity and scalability. Bridging the gap between AI research and production-ready systems is a rare and highly sought-after skill.

That’s fantastic advice. Shifting gears—what’s a quintessentially Canadian experience you’ve had?

There are so many! One of my favourites was hiking in winter for the first time. Even though I lived in the U.S. for a while, winter hiking felt uniquely Canadian. Another memorable moment was trying curling with my in-laws during a family trip to Montebello. None of us had ever played before, and it was such a fun, uniquely Canadian bonding experience.

Oh, and I recently read "Moon of the Crusted Snow" by Waubgeshig Rice. It’s a hauntingly beautiful novel set in a First Nations community in northern Canada, grappling with survival during an apocalyptic event. The storytelling deeply resonated with me, and it felt like a window into a Canadian experience I might not have otherwise encountered.

That’s beautiful. Before we wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share?

Just that I remain hopeful for the world, despite its challenges. The level of talent and heart I’ve encountered—especially here in Canada—convinces me that we’re in a unique position to make a meaningful impact. Combining cutting-edge technology with compassion, I believe we can address some of humanity’s biggest challenges. And I’m excited to be part of that journey.