From Dentist To Apple AI Expert: How One Indian Man Made The Ultimate Career Switch

In India, most students typically choose between medicine or engineering, but what if someone masters both and succeeds? Anshul Gandhi began his career in a dental clinic after graduating from dental college. Over a decade later, he's now a machine learning engineer at Apple, proving that an unconventional path can still lead to Silicon Valley, according to Business Insider.

His journey, marked by a bold career pivot, strategic skill-building, and persistence, shows how someone from a non-traditional background can break into the highly competitive world of artificial intelligence.

From Dentistry to Data

In 2013, Gandhi graduated from dental college in India. But during his final years, while performing root canals and fitting dentures, he had a realisation.

"Deep down, I knew it wasn't something I wanted to do for the rest of my life," he told Business Insider.

While studying dentistry, Gandhi rekindled his interest in tech from high school by learning C++ and Java, sparking a passion for software development.

"By the time I graduated, I knew I wanted to start my career in this field," he added.

Building a New Path

After dental studies, Gandhi took a data analysis job in India, where he gained programming skills and exposure to early AI projects.

"At that time, nobody was talking about AI," he told Business Insider.

To expand his knowledge, Gandhi moved to Houston in 2016 to pursue a master's in biomedical informatics, blending AI with healthcare.

"It gave me the technical depth I was looking for, while still feeling connected to my previous experience," he said.

After graduating in 2018, he worked as a data scientist and later joined Dell as a machine learning engineer in 2021. Still, Gandhi had bigger ambitions.

"I wanted to work on designing large-scale machine learning systems that serve tens of millions of users globally," he told Business Insider. "And that kind of scale, you only get from working for a company like Meta, Amazon, Google, Netflix, or Apple."

Cracking Big Tech

In August 2024, Gandhi re-entered the job market. But it wasn't the same as before. The focus had shifted from traditional machine learning to generative AI, and the technical bar was significantly higher.

"This round of hiring was totally different," he said.

To stand out, Gandhi revamped his approach. He became more active on LinkedIn, increasing his connections from around 200 to over 500 a key credibility metric on the platform.

"A recruiter told me that having under 500 connections made my profile seem less authentic," he said

He also started sharing content about AI and machine learning to establish himself as a thought leader. When it came to referrals, he took a strategic approach: instead of cold-messaging people for favours, he built rapport by engaging with their content first.

"When you connect, you don't just say, 'Hey, can you refer me?' because nobody has the time," he said. "You have to keep engaging with their content and let them know that you not only exist but are also a thought leader in your field."

Gandhi landed interviews via cold applications and referrals, eventually joining Apple as a machine learning engineer in January 2025.

Advice for Career Changers

Now an AI engineer at Apple, Gandhi urges mastering interviews, staying updated on AI trends, and believing in second chances. He advises aspiring AI professionals to master technical interviews through platforms like LeetCode, mock interviews, and system design practice.

"I didn't have a linear path," he said. "I don't think a lot of people have a very pre-planned career path. So you can start over, even if it feels impossible."