About Kalyani Khona | AI Researcher & Strategic Advisor

The Translator Between AI and Business

I'm an independent AI researcher and strategic advisor who helps professionals and organizations navigate AI adoption with clarity. My work sits at the intersection of rigorous research on AI-human interaction; translating complex AI systems into actionable business strategy.

Every recommendation I make is grounded in understanding how AI systems actually work. I've published research on AI behavior patterns, conducted daily LLM behaviour experiments and maintained systematic testing of AI systems to understand their limitations and capabilities.

Through Third Frontier Lab, I focus on AI-human interaction patterns, LLM behavior analysis and AI adoption strategies. My research examines how people actually use AI (the messey, sketchy explorations), not just how we think they should use it.

I bring this research-backed perspective to everything I do; from strategic advisory sessions to corporate training to content partnerships. It's about building mental models of how AI works, developing healthy skepticism and making informed decisions that can augment human capabilities, not replace it.

I chose to pursue independent research because the most valuable work in AI right now isn't just building systems; it's helping people understand these systems well enough to make good decisions about them. AI is a promised land but there are massive knowledge gaps that we need to fix to unlock the actual outcomes that AI can drive for us.

Building Products at Scale

Third Frontier Lab

Independent AI Researcher • 2025 - 2026

Third Frontier is a lab focused on understanding AI-human interaction through research and analysis of on-ground insights, real-world implementation of AI and adoption patterns across personal and professional use. We do this through multiple formats: long-form essays, research papers (like the recently published Behind India's ChatGPT Conversations), active engagement with LinkedIn News India with an audience of 8M+ readers where we share our findings and Third Frontier Lab Notes with 3,000 highly engaged readers online. We have recently launched the video conversation series as an extension of this project.

Jupiter Money

Founding Member, Product Strategy • 2019 - 2020

Joined as early team member and led product strategy during hypergrowth phase. Scaled to 1M+ users and ~$150M raised.

• Product strategy and behavioral economics for fintech products
• Built trust-sensitive products for financial decision-making
• Deep understanding of user behavior and product-market fit

Inclov

Co-founder • 2014 - 2019

Founded matchmaking platform for people with personal circumstances. Scaled to 50K+ users and became UN Top 50 Global Innovation. Social impact venture building trust-sensitive products.

• UN Zero Project Winner (Top 50 Global Innovation)
• Reached 50,000+ users across India
• Featured on BBC, Forbes, The Guardian, Business Today
• TED.com speaker on building inclusive products

11+ Years of Product Strategy

Throughout my career, I've focused on understanding human behavior and building products that require deep trust. From social impact ventures to high-growth fintech to AI research - the common thread is translating complex systems into experiences people can navigate confidently.

Published Research & Recognition

Behind India's ChatGPT Conversations

First Comprehensive Study of ChatGPT Usage in India

Behavioral analysis of 238 authentic ChatGPT prompts from 40 urban professionals across 15+ Indian cities.

ArXiv Preprint (September 2025) • Read Paper

Key Findings:

✓ 85% daily usage rate indicating mature adoption beyond experimental use
✓ Evidence of cross-domain integration spanning professional, personal, health and creative contexts
✓ 42.5% primarily use ChatGPT for professional workflows with real-time problem solving integration
✓ Cultural context navigation strategies with users incorporating Indian cultural specifications

Methodology:

Retrospective survey methodology using authentic prompt collection via anonymous social media to minimize real-time observer effects.

Impact:

Contributes novel methodology for capturing authentic AI usage patterns and provides evidence-based insights into cultural adaptation strategies in AI adoption.

Research Insights Mentioned in:

Accel

Inside a Builder's Mind: The opportunity for consumer AI in India

Read Article →

Antler

India's ChatGPT conversations

Read Article →

LinkedIn India

20 Big Ideas that will define India in 2026

Read Article →

Daily LLM Experiments

Beyond published research, I conduct systematic daily experiments on LLM behavior, prompt patterns, and AI-human interaction dynamics. Every piece of content and training is grounded in actual research and testing, not trend-chasing or surface-level commentary.