Liam Malone swaps the track for technology
Retired blade-running paralympian Liam Malone officially traded in the track for a career in technology on Monday.
Malone, 24, began his business development internship role at Auckland-based artificial intelligence firm Soul Machines where he will report directly to former Microsoft New Zealand managing director and Power by Proxi cofounder Greg Cross.
‘‘When I saw that running might not be a long-term viable option, I started exploring career paths, went and talked to Greg and went and made things happen.’’
Cross said Malone blew him away and he was excited to give him his first break in the technology industry, as his mentors did for him when he started out.
Soul Machines builds life-like digital humans for companies to employ as customer service representatives. Its aim is to humanise online self-service.
Air New Zealand trialled using a Soul Machines digital human to speak to tourists last year.
Malone said he believed digital humans could improve millions of people’s lives.
‘‘I think they [Soul Machines] are changing the world for the better by humanising computing.’’
Malone graduated from Wellington’s Victoria University with a Bachelor’s in Marketing and International Business.
Technology had always been of interest to him, and not just because he relied on it to walk.
‘‘I have become more aware that the value of my life is really dependent on my relationship with technology. My artificial legs, that is how I get to A and B, but at a wider level, how I communicate with the world, how I survive with modern medicine, every thing comes down to our ability to invent new things.’’
The technology industry grew to become New Zealands third largest exporter last year, although companies here still scream of staff shortages.
Malone said the technology industry needed more diversity and his perceived disability could help to fill that gap.
‘‘It is really important that we have a diverse range of people building technology so that the stereotypes that currently exist in society are not built into our technology.
‘‘I do not like to say that I have a disability … But, bringing people with disabilities, all types of people from the community to be represented in technology. That is how you build better technology in the future.’’