Rivio Talent: Pedro Orii, AI engineer

A mechatronics engineer who graduated from the Polytechnic School of the University of São Paulo (USP), in his hometown, Pedro Orii Antonacio has built a fast and solid career in data science and artificial intelligence, with a calling for high-impact projects. While still in high school, he won numerous medals in Math and Robotics olympiads, early signs of his affinity for highly complex analytical problems, a skill he brought to Rivio, where he works as an AI engineer.

At 26, Pedro already holds a position of great responsibility in one of the most critical issues in hospital management in Brazil: revenue cycle efficiency. Today he works on developing the artificial intelligence agents that automate and scale the auditing and billing of hospitals’ medical claims, allowing the company to offer an unprecedented, disruptive service.

In his free time, among other activities, Pedro enjoys playing tennis, a sport that helps him unwind, stay healthy and focus on things other than work. He draws inspiration from the discipline and determination of the sport’s great athletes.

The Rivio Blog talked with Pedro about his academic and professional path, his day-to-day work and his aspirations and inspirations in life.

Where did you start your professional career?

Pedro Orii – I started my career as a Data Scientist at QuantumBlack, McKinsey’s AI arm, building Machine Learning solutions across different industries, from dynamic pricing in retail to credit risk in banking. About a year ago, I joined GenAI Labs, QuantumBlack’s global team that applies LLMs to build McKinsey’s AI Agents platform.

And when did you bring AI into your work routine?

Pedro Orii – I moved into AI engineering for good when I joined GenAI Labs, QuantumBlack’s global team dedicated to applying LLMs (Large Language Models) to build McKinsey’s artificial intelligence agents platform.

You haven’t been at Rivio long, but you’ve already lived through some big tech moments. Which one had the greatest impact?

Pedro Orii –The day we put our first AI agent into production was a very special moment. In September last year, we had to develop a price auditor in just two weeks, an extremely tight timeline.

So we set up a task force that brought together people more specialized in AI and Engineering. With agility and team spirit, we quickly defined the scope of the mission, started unblocking the most critical integrations and, in the end, managed to validate everything with real data.

On the last day of the task force, right at the product delivery deadline, we deployed in the early hours of the morning and saw the first audits running in production, already identifying price inconsistencies.

Can we say this episode symbolizes Rivio’s culture?

Pedro Orii – Yes, exactly. That is when I realized I was at the right company and in the right place. It was an effort with great technical rigor, total focus on the client, joint end-to-end execution and a team capable of solving big, complex problems in a collective, coordinated way.

At Poli, during your undergraduate studies, you took part in a project recognized as innovative. What was it?

Pedro Orii – I am very proud to have received the Conde Armando Álvares Penteado Inventor Award, given by Poli to the students behind the inventions considered most useful and with a patent registered with INPI (Brazil’s National Institute of Industrial Property). A few classmates and I developed an electric wheelchair to be used on airplanes by people with reduced mobility.

The chair had a special maneuvering mechanism that meant wheelchair users did not need to change seats or be carried inside the plane, a process that often causes injuries and discomfort for passengers with limited mobility. We were recognized for this invention at a ceremony held in October 2019.

Design and result of the electric airplane wheelchair developed by Pedro and his classmates

Pedro (center, next to the woman in blue): recognition at the Polytechnic School

How and why did you decide to come work here?

Pedro Orii – It was a combination of the purpose behind the company’s creation, set on solving problems in healthcare, and the people who had already joined when I was invited. It excites me to know that I am working at a company born to tackle a huge pain point in healthcare: a fragmented, inefficient revenue cycle that is hard to monitor.

I see enormous transformative potential at Rivio in automating these processes and making them intelligent. Rivio exists so that hospitals can devote their energy to patient care instead of being tied up in bureaucratic tasks.

Beyond the company’s purpose, did the tech team weigh on your decision?

Pedro Orii –Totally! I have great admiration and respect for the high-caliber team being assembled at Rivio, with professionals of real technical depth and a track record of solving complex problems at scale. All this technical richness makes the environment especially stimulating and inspiring.

I have been learning a lot since I got here and, even though I am a more reserved person, I like that small and big wins are always celebrated. Just as stumbles are shared by everyone, with responsibilities divided. I like working this way; I feel comfortable and confident.

Pedro Orii (left) with Rivio’s Tech and AI team: always a relaxed atmosphere

For those on the outside, tell us something that inspires you about Rivio’s technology team.

Pedro Orii –Day to day, I see a technology culture driven by impact you can see and measure. There is no “tech for tech’s sake” here. Technique is a means, not an end. The priority is always to solve real pain points in hospital management.

Being close to the Product team is also a differentiator. We work side by side to define the roadmap and priorities, gathering data, client learnings and technical feasibility for joint decision‑making.

This collective work is energizing. It may seem like a detail, or even something silly, but every day we want to go out together for lunch, coffee or, when possible, a happy hour. I mention this to show that there is a lot of affinity among us, and without it I would not know how to work.

What traits do you consider essential for a technical person like you to join the company?

Pedro Orii –Not just a technical person: every professional who wants to work at Rivio needs a bias to action and ownership. In other words, they have to like, know how and want to take on responsibility, act fast and not depend on perfect instructions. Otherwise, it doesn’t work. Our founders are like that and it scales to the teams.

Can we say the day-to-day demands at least these two traits?

Pedro Orii – At least. Many problems do not arrive fully defined. You need to know how to structure them, align scope and prioritize together with the Product and Business teams. Technical rigor must always be at the service of the client.

The tech team’s goal is to write robust, production-ready code, prioritizing the solution of real problems before any technical optimization. There is no routine, but plenty of excitement.

Playing tennis helps Pedro unwind and stay healthy, focused and disciplined

_______________________________________________

Come live great moments at Rivio

We are bringing together people who dream big, who want to do what has never been done and intend to leave a legacy. We value execution with speed and excellence, and continuous learning.

Talent and courage, together, tend to change the course of humanity. By making hospital management smoother and more efficient, we help save lives. That is changing humanity too.

Working at Rivio means being surrounded by people with a sense of purpose in their careers and professional ambition, people eager to grow and make history.

Our offices are in São Paulo, near Avenida Paulista, and in Blumenau (Santa Catarina), one of Brazil’s leading technology hubs.

If you want a mission in the form of a job, join us.

See open positions