India, Aug. 5 -- Shyam Sankar, the son of Indian immigrants who once ran a souvenir shop in Orlando, is now a billionaire at the helm of one of the most influential AI companies in the world.

As Palantir Technologies Inc. continues its meteoric rise, with its stock up more than 500% in the past year, Sankar, the company's Chief Technology Officer, has emerged as a key architect behind its success. On July 25, the data analytics giant's shares hit an all-time high of $158.80, lifting Sankar's net worth to $1.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.c and defence innovation but has become one of its most important public voices.

Born in Mumbai and raised in Orlando, Florida, Sankar's life mirrors the quintessential America...