Team Spotlight: Kalila Ingco, AI Engineer

For AI Engineer Kalila Ingco, a career in artificial intelligence started with a college roommate, an introduction to ChatGPT, and a Connect Four bot nobody could beat.

Today, she’s helping build AI-powered products at Get Covered, taking on projects from idea to execution while continuing to explore what’s possible with rapidly evolving AI technology.

We sat down with Kalila to learn more about what sparked her interest in AI, how she’s grown at Get Covered, and the project that helped redefine what she believed she was capable of as an engineer.

What originally sparked your interest in AI and machine learning?

Kalila remembers exactly where she was when she first heard about ChatGPT.

“My roommate in college was like, ‘You have to try this!’ I was in the middle of my computer science degree at the time, so it really piqued my interest. It absolutely blew my mind.”

That curiosity quickly turned into a deeper interest through her undergraduate AI and machine learning courses.

One project in particular still stands out: a Connect Four bot she built that none of her classmates could beat.

“That project is really where I fell in love with building things that make people say, ‘Wait, how did you do that?’”

Even as AI has advanced dramatically since then, that sense of possibility hasn’t changed. Kalila says today’s tools allow her to tackle ambitious projects faster than ever, while her work at Get Covered gives her the opportunity to experiment with frontier models and continue learning every day.

She recently took that learning one step further by beginning her master’s program, where she hopes to pursue research in AI, particularly around large language models and distributed systems.

What brought you to Get Covered?

Kalila joined Get Covered immediately after college, drawn to the opportunity to work at an early-stage, fast-moving startup.

At the time, the team consisted of just three people.

“Nothing was set in stone yet. Every problem was a chance to figure things out from scratch.”

That environment gave her significant ownership early in her career. Rather than following predetermined processes, she was trusted to evaluate tools, make technical decisions, and determine the right approach for each problem.

“Being trusted with that kind of freedom so early in my career was extremely motivating, and I feel like I was able to grow exponentially because of it.”

Just as important has been the team surrounding her.

“I sincerely believe in the notion that you are who you surround yourself with, and my team at Get Covered pours back into me just as much as I pour into the work.”

Kalila credits her teammates and mentors with challenging her to grow while creating an environment where people genuinely want to see one another succeed.

Building Get Reviews From the Ground Up

Of everything she’s built at Get Covered, the project Kalila is most proud of is Get Reviews.

The idea began with a simple insight: residents frequently talk about problems before those problems become insurance claims.

A leak. Mold. A broken gate. An unresolved maintenance issue.

Those concerns may appear in online reviews weeks or months before they escalate into larger problems — but reading and analyzing thousands of individual reviews across an entire portfolio isn’t realistic for a property management team.

Kalila saw an opportunity to use AI to close that gap.

She built a system capable of analyzing resident reviews across an entire portfolio and comparing those signals with real claims data, helping identify properties and issues that could warrant closer attention.

But for Kalila, the biggest accomplishment wasn’t only what the product could do. It was learning that she could take ownership of something from beginning to end.

“I wasn’t just implementing someone else’s spec. I had to figure out the architecture myself, make the calls on how the pieces should fit together, and sit with the discomfort of not having anyone to hand the hard decisions to.”

There were moments of uncertainty and plenty of second-guessing. But when the team tested the system on a real portfolio, it surfaced the same properties that ultimately proved to be problematic — using public resident reviews alone and without someone manually reading each one.

“That whole experience, from the uncertainty of building something from scratch to seeing it actually work, is something I’m incredibly proud of.”

The project gave Kalila a new level of confidence: not simply contributing to complex products, but owning them.

Staying Curious in a Fast-Moving Industry

With AI changing seemingly every week, staying current is part of the job.

Kalila regularly tests new models and tools, follows developments across LinkedIn, Instagram, and other technology communities, and looks for opportunities to experiment with what’s new.

Just as valuable is learning from the people around her.

“I’m always chatting with my colleagues about new technologies and seeing how they utilize them. I get inspiration from them too.”

That culture of experimentation makes working in AI even more exciting — and ensures learning is never limited to an individual project.

Outside the Office

When she isn’t experimenting with new models or building AI systems, Kalila likes to recharge by taking walks with her fiancé, trying new matcha shops, and going to Pilates.

She’s also a big fan of concerts and travel, with upcoming plans to visit Japan and Vietnam.

Whether she’s discovering a new technology or a new matcha spot, curiosity seems to be a recurring theme.

And as Kalila continues her master’s program and takes on new challenges at Get Covered, that curiosity will continue to shape what she builds next.