Author: Zhi Zhai

Johnny Ho, Co-Founder of Perplexity AI, Named Featured Speaker at 2026 AAEOY Conference

The organizing committee of the 2026 Asian American Executive of the Year (AAEOY) Award and Conference is pleased to announce that Johnny Ho, co-founder of Perplexity AI, will serve as a featured speaker at the 2026 AAEOY event. His session will be part of the conference’s Education and Innovation Track, highlighting the evolving role of artificial intelligence in knowledge access, learning, and decision-making.

Johnny Ho is recognized for his leadership in advancing AI-powered information discovery platforms and for helping shape next-generation search and answer systems used by millions worldwide. His work focuses on improving how people interact with complex information through large language models and real-time retrieval technologies.

At the 2026 AAEOY Conference, Ho will share insights on the future of AI-driven knowledge systems, the transformation of digital learning environments, and the practical impact of generative AI tools across education and industry. His talk will also explore how emerging AI platforms are redefining research workflows, productivity, and technical training.

The AAEOY Conference brings together leaders in engineering, technology, and entrepreneurship to recognize excellence, promote innovation, and foster cross-industry collaboration. Organizers say Ho’s participation reflects the conference’s commitment to featuring pioneers who are actively shaping the future of technology and education.

Bio:
Johnny Ho is the Cofounder and Chief Strategy Officer of Perplexity, where he leads product. Before founding Perplexity, he worked as a high-frequency trader at Tower Research Capital and as an engineer at Quora. A former competitive programmer, Johnny is a three-time gold medalist at the International Olympiad in Informatics (IOI). In 2012, he ranked first in the world at IOI, earning a perfect score. He holds a degree in math and computer science from Harvard University and is based in San Francisco.

General Qualifications:

• The nominator must be an employee of a corporation, company, government agency, or organization, or an individual that resides, or with a branch office residing, in the United States.
• The nominee must be an engineer, scientist, educator, or corporate/government leader who has made exemplary contributions or provided commendable support to the engineering and science community and/or the public welfare. The nominee must be a US citizen or a US permanent resident of Asian descent.
• Once selected, the awardee must be present at the ceremony to receive the award.

Nomination Process:

1. Please email the completed supporting documents to nomination@aaeoy.org and cc Dr. David Fong at david_fong@hotmail.com by March 16, 2026. Please follow the requirements outlined below when preparing the nomination package:
    The AAEOY Award Nomination Form needs to be completed. The nominator is responsible for ensuring the nominee accepts the nomination and attends the award ceremony.
    Include typed copies of all supporting documents based on the selection criteria and requirements, save as PDF and submit them electronically.
    Include a half-page nominee biographical profile to be published in the AAEOY award program.
    Include one 3”x 5” photograph (dressed professionally from head to shoulder) of each nominee in
   your nomination package. Photographs should be in PDF, TIF or JPG format with 600 dpi or better
   resolution.
    Include a Statement of Citation of Accomplishment.

2. Submit Your Company or Organization Information (Due by May 15, 2026)

For details, please refer to the Guidelines for 2026 AAEOY Award Nomination and Selection 

AAEOY Nomination Form

AAEOY Nomination Guidelines