Igor Jablokov '00

Distinguished Alumni Award

Igor Jablokov is a visionary innovator and global leader in artificial intelligence whose work has fundamentally shaped how people interact with technology. As the chairman and founder of Pryon, he has dedicated his career to advancing augmented intelligence and transforming the way organizations access and use knowledge. Jablokov previously founded Yap, the world’s first high‑accuracy, fully automated cloud platform for voice recognition. Earlier in his career at IBM, he led teams that created the precursor to Watson and developed the world’s first multimodal web browser.

Jablokov’s impact extends beyond his companies. A recipient of Eisenhower and Truman National Security fellowships, he explored how entrepreneurship and venture capital can address global challenges. Jablokov is committed to developing the next generation of STEM leaders, serving as a mentor in the TechStars Alexa Accelerator, a Blackstone NC Entrepreneur‑in‑Residence and founder of a Global Shapers chapter within the World Economic Forum. He earned a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering from Penn State and a MBA from Belk College of Business.