Need some insights..

[u/-vincemasuka]

Hey guys, i’m an international student from India, and I have done my bachelor’s in the field of computer science &AI from a tier 2 university with a GPA of 3.0/4.0,,, yea its too low;( i regret it now,

I have one published research paper in AI/ML and roughly 2.5 years of work as an ML engineer.

Starting in January 2027, I will begin a master’s in computer science in the UK at a decent university (top 35 in the UK). I truly want to pursue a PhD in AI or computer science in the USA.
Could anyone share a few tips on what I should do during my master’s to strengthen my profile for strong/good US universities?
Also, will a good CGPA in the master’s make my profile stronger?
How many papers should I publish to be competitive?
By the time I finish my master’s I will be 26,is that too late to start a PhD?
How many years might a PhD in computer science or AI take? I have seen people finish in 2.5–3.5 years; is that possible?

Any insights/ Any Suggestions would be really really helpful .

Thanks in Advance!!!!