Rackspace Technology (NASDAQ: RXT) announced the appointment of Chetan Gupta, Ph.D., as Chief AI Officer, according to a press release issued Aug. 13, 2026.

Gupta will lead the company's Office of AI, overseeing AI strategy, research, innovation, governance, and adoption across Rackspace and its customers. The role focuses on regulated industries, sovereign jurisdictions, and mission-critical operations.

Gupta joins Rackspace after nearly a decade at Hitachi, where he held roles including General Manager of the Advanced AI Center in Japan, Vice President of the Industrial AI Lab in North America, and head of Hitachi's Global AI Center of Excellence. His work at Hitachi included building AI systems for railways, energy grids, factories, and buildings. Before Hitachi, he spent seven years at HP Labs applying AI research to logistics, manufacturing, energy, and mobility. He has authored nearly 300 papers and patents.

"Chetan has spent his career building AI for the institutions the world depends on," said Gajen Kandiah, CEO of Rackspace Technology. "That is precisely the discipline our customers need as they move AI into production inside regulated and sovereign environments."

Gupta holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and master's degrees in mathematical computer science and chemical engineering from the University of Illinois Chicago.