Best AI & ML Consultants in San Francisco

San Francisco Area AI & ML Consulting Services

Few places on Earth embody innovation like the San Francisco Bay Area. Between the fog rolling over the Golden Gate Bridge and the fast-paced hum of Silicon Valley startups, the region has long been a magnet for some of the most ambitious minds in artificial intelligence and machine learning. From the labs of UC Berkeley to the boardrooms of Salesforce, AI is reshaping how the Bay Area engineers, creates, and builds the future.

Methodology - Finding Standout SF-based AI Consultants

At Digital Reference, we understand how critical it is to find the right consultant — not just someone who knows AI in theory, but a professional who can translate complex algorithms into practical, business-ready applications. Our selection process for this list is deliberate, data-driven, and comprehensive. We reviewed hundreds of professionals, evaluated client impact, project outcomes, technical portfolios, and community engagement. The following experts stood out for their proven excellence in AI strategy, ML model development, data science, and engineering innovation across San Francisco, Oakland, and Berkeley.

If you’re curious about how we evaluate consultants across cities, you can explore our recent feature on how to choose the right AI consultant — it’s a great companion to this article and explains our curation approach in detail.

🌟 Meet the Professionals Shaping the Bay Area’s AI Frontier

🟠 Hisham Riaz

Technical Recruiter | Specializing in AI/ML Talent Acquisition
LinkedIn | Website

While most AI experts build algorithms, Hisham Riaz builds the teams that make those algorithms come alive. As a technical recruiter specializing in AI and ML talent acquisition, he plays a critical role in shaping the workforce behind San Francisco’s AI revolution.

Hisham has developed a deep network of machine learning engineers, data scientists, and AI researchers, connecting them with startups and established innovators alike.

🔹 Focus areas: AI & ML Recruitment, Technical Talent Strategy, Organizational Growth for High-Tech Companies
🔹 Signature approach: Hisham treats recruitment like a data problem — analyzing skill trends, career patterns, and performance outcomes to predict team success.
🔹 Impact: His placements have supported the success of several Bay Area tech innovators driving applied AI in engineering and automation.

In a city where people and ideas move fast, Hisham ensures that the right minds meet the right challenges.

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🟠 Raj Datta

AI/ML | Web3 | Blockchain Consultant
LinkedIn

Raj Datta brings an investor’s mindset and a technologist’s toolkit to the world of AI and ML consulting. His cross-disciplinary experience includes AI systems design, blockchain infrastructure, and data knowledge management.

🔹 Expertise: AI strategy, decentralized data systems, product & program management
🔹 Notable contributions: Raj has helped several emerging tech startups integrate machine learning insights into Web3 and blockchain ecosystems, a rare and highly technical niche.
🔹 Consulting philosophy: “Data is only as valuable as the story it tells.”

Raj’s holistic perspective — spanning investment, engineering, and customer experience — reflects the unique convergence of technology and entrepreneurship that defines San Francisco.

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🟠 Manoj Mishra

Software Professional, Consultant, and Coach in AI/ML,
LinkedIn | Infosys

A veteran of Infosys, Manoj Mishra has spent over two decades helping enterprises embrace digital transformation through AI, machine learning, and intelligent automation.

🔹 Specialties: AI for manufacturing, IoT systems, supply chain optimization, and digital utilities
🔹 Leadership: Known for mentoring teams across continents, he blends coaching and consulting to deliver long-term technology impact.
🔹 Engineering angle: Manoj integrates AI with existing enterprise architectures, ensuring innovation coexists with operational stability.

In the Bay Area’s diverse business ecosystem, Manoj’s consulting expertise serves as a bridge between engineering precision and executive vision.

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🟠 Ramesh Sampath

Machine Learning Engineer at LandingAI
LinkedIn

Ramesh S. is a Machine Learning Engineer focused on developing scalable AI models for real-time data environments. His consulting work showcases hands-on engineering, from model prototyping to production deployment.

🔹 Focus: Algorithm optimization, real-time inference systems, and MLOps integration
🔹 Technical insight: Known for his precision in coding and model evaluation, Ramesh’s work helps teams make their AI pipelines faster and more efficient.
🔹 Bay Area footprint: Contributes to several open-source AI projects supporting local startups.

Ramesh brings a quiet mastery to his craft — engineering AI systems that simply work.

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🟠 Luis Smith

AI Engineer and Senior Software Engineer at Cleric
LinkedIn | Cleric AI

Luis Smith, an AI Engineer educated at Stanford University and UT Austin, represents the perfect blend of academic depth and startup agility.

🔹 Focus areas: LLM fine-tuning, reinforcement learning, and AI system integration
🔹 Venture highlight: At Cleric AI, Luis contributes to designing AI assistants that streamline communication and business operations.
🔹 Innovation ethos: “Great engineering happens when AI understands people.”

Luis’s dual background in elite academia and hands-on product building positions him as a rising leader in human-centric AI engineering.

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🟠 Jason Mayes

Hybrid Web Developer and Programmer / Creative / Consultant
LinkedIn | Personal Site

Jason Mayes is a name synonymous with Web AI innovation. As Google’s Web AI Lead, he has spent over 14 years advancing the field of on-device machine learning using TensorFlow.js and MediaPipe.

🔹 Specialization: Browser-based AI, On-Device ML, LLM deployment via web frameworks
🔹 Community presence: Jason’s public tutorials, talks, and open-source contributions have inspired thousands of developers worldwide.
🔹 Unique angle: He champions AI accessibility — enabling everyday engineers to harness ML directly in the browser.

Few professionals embody San Francisco’s spirit of open innovation as powerfully as Jason does.

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🟠 Ronel Solomon

Machine Learning Engineer / AI Video Solutions
LinkedIn | Website

Ronel S. specializes in AI for video and media solutions, with a focus on computer vision and real-time analytics.

🔹 Expertise: Video classification, facial recognition, and multimodal AI
🔹 Impact: His work at MyEdMaster integrates ML algorithms into educational and multimedia platforms, making AI a tool for engagement and learning.
🔹 Engineering mindset: He approaches AI like an artist — each model fine-tuned to capture nuance and context.

Ronel exemplifies AI’s creative potential in digital media, a growing field within the Bay Area’s tech landscape.

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🟠 Cristina Prieto

ML Project Manager at SAAS Berkeley
LinkedIn

Cristina Prieto sits at the intersection of biological research and machine learning. At Berkeley Lab, she applies ML techniques to molecular and cell biology data, transforming experimental research into predictive models.

🔹 Expertise: Bioinformatics, Data Science, and Machine Learning for Scientific Research
🔹 Academic connections: Active across UC Berkeley’s SaaS and iGEM communities, Cristina is advancing open science through data.
🔹 Contribution: Her work demonstrates how AI can accelerate scientific discovery — bringing engineering precision to the life sciences.

Cristina’s impact embodies what makes the Bay Area truly unique: a place where AI fuels innovation across disciplines.

How We Selected These Professionals

Our Digital Reference team evaluated consultants using a four-pillar framework:

1. Technical excellence – verified expertise across AI/ML disciplines
   
2. Real-world impact – tangible client outcomes or innovation records
   
3. Professional credibility – education, certifications, or affiliations
   
4. Community contribution – thought leadership, open-source work, or mentorship
   

We highlight individuals who don’t just build AI — they engineer the systems that shape the next era of technology.

For further insight into our evaluation standards, you might explore our guide on how AI is transforming engineering consulting.

The Future of AI & ML in the Bay Area

San Francisco’s ecosystem continues to lead in AI ethics, data governance, and applied research. Between the academic rigor of Berkeley, the venture intensity of Silicon Valley, and the creative dynamism of Oakland’s startups, the Bay Area remains the world’s leading incubator of intelligent engineering.

The professionals featured here represent not just individual excellence — but the collaborative, experimental, and ethical future of AI in one of the world’s most forward-thinking regions.

👉 Dive deeper on our website with:

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• Best Software Engineering Services in the USA

To learn how your company can engage top consultants or position your services more effectively, visit Digital Reference. As a platform dedicated to highlighting outstanding digital professionals, we bridge businesses and experts who turn ideas into impact.

Because in San Francisco, innovation isn’t a trend — it’s the foundation of how we engineer tomorrow.‍