SAN DIEGO, CA – Andrew Cardno, Co-Founder and CTO of Quick Custom Intelligence (QCI), has been named to the San Diego Business Journal’s San Diego 500: The Most Influential People in San Diego for 2025. Cardno was honored in the technology category for his pioneering leadership in generative AI, advanced analytics, and enterprise data activation.
The San Diego 500 recognizes the region’s most impactful leaders – those shaping industries, driving innovation, and advancing the community. Cardno’s inclusion reflects more than two decades of contributions to technology, science, and the future of gaming and hospitality intelligence.
As CTO of QCI, Cardno leads one of the industry’s most advanced AI engineering teams, powering QCI’s enterprise platform – a system now deployed in over 300 casinos and 1,000 sites across 17 countries. His work enables operators worldwide to unify data, optimize business performance, and create personalized guest experiences at scale.
Cardno has spent more than 20 years building and leading private Ph.D.-level research teams focused on data activation, pattern discovery, and geospatial intelligence. His groundbreaking contributions have earned two Smithsonian Laureate awards, more than 40 industry innovation awards, and over 150 patent applications. His visualization techniques – including the deep zoom image technology foundational to modern mapping tools – have influenced how global industries understand and act on complex data.
In 2025, Cardno and QCI celebrated a major milestone with the re-acquisition of VizExplorer, a company Cardno originally co-founded with Dr. Ralph Thomas. The move reunited two of the most influential technology brands in gaming analytics, strengthening QCI’s position as the global leader in generative AI-powered enterprise intelligence.
QCI’s breakthroughs in AGI56 and the expanding Chatalytics™ ecosystem – including Jarvis, QCI’s generative AI COO – continue to set new standards for operational efficiency, player engagement, and real-time data decisioning.
Beyond his technical achievements, Cardno is committed to education and community development. He has served for years as a competitive coach for the Science Olympiad, inspiring middle and high school students to pursue careers in STEM fields. His mentorship has helped shape the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.
Cardno, together with Dr. Ralph Thomas, has also co-authored 14 books exploring analytics, gaming mathematics, and the evolution of the Fun Economy – including the highly regarded The Math That Gaming Made series.
“Andrew’s recognition in the San Diego 500 is a testament to his unparalleled creativity, his lifelong commitment to scientific excellence, and the global impact of his work,” said Dr. Ralph Thomas, Co-Founder and CEO of QCI. “He is transforming not just the gaming industry, but the very way companies use AI to turn hospitality into human connection.”