Our Speakers

Technology

Ramez Naam

Renowned Computer Scientist, Futurist and Award-Winning Author; Expert on Search Engines, Information Retrieval, Web Browsing, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Lecturer on Energy, the Environment and Innovation, Singularity University

Kevin Werbach

Leading Expert on the Business, Legal and Public Policy Implications of Emerging Technologies; Authority on the Future of Blockchain and its Implications for Trust in Business and Society; Professor of Legal Studies and Business Ethics, The Wharton School

Hannu Rajaniemi

Acclaimed Sci-Fi Author, Entrepreneur and Scientist; Co-Founder, Helix Nanotechnologies

Katharine Wilkinson

Renowned Expert on Climate Change; Senior Writer, New York Times Best-Seller “Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming;” Author, “Between God & Green”

Neri Oxman

Award-winning Architect, Designer and Inventor; Pioneer of the Field of Material Ecology; Leading Authority on “Hacking” Nature for the Purposes of Speculative and Practical Design; Founder, Mediated Matter Research Group; Professor, MIT Media Lab

Courtney D. Cogburn

Pioneer in Using Virtual Reality to Expose the Devastating Impact of Racism on Individuals, Organizations and Society; Expert on Understanding How Racism in the Media Affects Human Health; Transdisciplinary Scholar; Assistant Professor of Social Work, Columbia University

Dan Barasch

Leading Expert on Design and Innovation for the Future of Cities; Pioneer of Urban Futurism; Authority on Carrying Out Large-Scale Urban Development Projects; Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Lowline; Author, “Ruin and Redemption in Architecture” (2019)

Ben Waber

Leading Authority on the Revolution of Big Data in the Workplace; Expert on Using Analytics to Inform Strategy and Decision Making; Specialist in Creating and Sustaining Innovative, Data-Driven Corporate Cultures; President and CEO of Humanyze; Visiting Scientist, MIT Media Lab

M. Ehsan Hoque

Renowned Computer Scientist and Leading Authority on AI-driven Skills Training, Accessibility and Health; Expert in Human-machine Symbiosis, Ethics and Future of Work; Specialist on Improving Health Care Communication Through Better Training and New Technologies; Professor, University of Rochester

Joi Ito

Foremost Authority on Designing Innovative Technologies to Transform Business and Society; Advocate of Emergent Democracy, Privacy and Internet Freedom; Co-Author, “Whiplash;” Director and Professor, MIT Media Lab

David Blake

World’s Foremost Expert on the Future of Credentials, Skills, and the Workforce; Leading Authority on Future-Proofing Companies and Their Employees; Co-Founder & Executive Director, Degreed; Co-Founder, Vice.Run; Co-Author, “The Expertise Economy” (2018)

Kelly Palmer

Cutting-Edge Thought Leader on the Future of Learning, Career Development and Competitiveness in the New Economy; Chief Learning Officer, Degreed; Co-Author, “The Expertise Economy” (2018)

Iyad Rahwan

Renowned Computer Scientist and Developer of AI Technology; Expert on the Ethics and Impact of AI and Social Media on Society, Government and Future of Work; Director of the Max Planck Institute for Human Development; Professor, MIT Media Lab

Gil Weinberg

Leading Pioneer in Creative AI; Authority on Robotics and Music Technology; Bionics Expert Focused on Improving Human Capabilities and Creativity; Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology

Ayanna Howard

Renowned Educator, Researcher and Innovator in the Cutting-Edge Fields of Robotics and Artificial Intelligence; Pioneering Developer of Robotic Technology for Pediatric Health Care; Founder and CTO, Zyrobotics; Professor, Georgia Institute of Technology

Mary Lou Jepsen

Acclaimed Futurist, Inventor, Entrepreneur & Technology Thought Leader; Pioneer in Medical Imaging and Telepathic Technology; Former Professor, MIT Media Lab; Founder, Openwater

Isha Datar

Cellular Agriculture Pioneer; Executive Director, New Harvest; Co-Founder, Perfect Day (fka Muufri) and Clara Foods

Andrew Hessel

Futurist and Trailblazer in Biological Technologies; Co-founder, Genome Project-write; Founder, Humane Genomics Inc.

Neha Narula

Foremost Expert on Digital Currencies and Blockchains; Financial Democratization Enthusiast; Director of the Digital Currency Initiative at the MIT Media Lab

Erik Brynjolfsson

Foremost Authority on Technology’s Effect on Business Strategy, Productivity and Performance; Best-selling Co-Author, “The Second Machine Age” and “Machine, Platform, Crowd”; Director, MIT Initiative on the Digital Economy

Pattie Maes

Pioneering Authority on Human-Computer Interaction, AI and Human Augmentation; Entrepreneur; Director, MIT Program in Media Arts and Sciences; Professor, MIT

Hugh Herr

Leader of the Bionic Age; Champion for Creating Technology to Improve the Human Body and Redefine Human Potential; Professor & Leader, MIT Center for Extreme Bionics

Rana El Kaliouby

Pioneer of Artificial Emotional Intelligence; Technology Evangelist, Inventor and Research Scientist; Co-Founder and CEO, Affectiva

Jeff Hancock

Authority on Social Media Behavior & Psychology of Online Interaction; Expert on Technology’s Role in Deception and Trust; Founder, Stanford University Social Media Lab

Marco Bertini

Foremost Authority on Converting Business Strategy into Sustainable Revenue; Leading Expert on Creating and Capturing Value; Named to Thinkers50 Radar (2017); Professor of Marketing, ESADE

Rosalind W. Picard

Affective Computing Authority and Expert on Emotional Machines Impact on Marketing and Medicine; MIT Media Lab’s Affective Computing Research Group Director; Co-Founder, Affectiva and Empatica

Amy Webb

Leading Authority on Forecasting and Strategy for Business and Society; Founder, Future Today Institute; NYU Stern Professor, Strategic Foresight; Futures Forecasting; Best-selling Author, “The Signals Are Talking” and “The Big Nine” (2019)

Mark Roberge

Foremost Authority on Modern Revenue Generation, Sales and Marketing Strategy in the Digital Era; Founding CRO at HubSpot; Best Selling Author of “The Sales Acceleration Formula”; Professor at Harvard Business School; Venture Capitalist and Startup Board Member; Senior Advisor at Boston Consulting Group

Guy Hoffman

Renowned Robotics and AI Expert, Focused on Human-Robot Interaction; Leading AI Researcher & Innovator; Mechanical Engineering Professor, Cornell University; Former Co-Director, IDC Media Innovation Lab

Julia Freeland Fisher

Expert on the Future of Education, Focused on Building Students’ Social Capital, Competency-Based Education and Blending Learning; Director, Education at Clayton Christensen Institute; Co-Author, “Who You Know” (2018)

Jonathan Zittrain

Leading Expert on the Governance of Future Technology, Including Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity; Healthy Blockchain Skeptic; Master Moderator; Professor of Law and Professor of Computer Science, Harvard University

Sherry Turkle

New York Times Best-Selling Author of “Reclaiming Conversation”; Expert on Technology and Its Role in Transforming Relationships in a Digital Society; Sociologist and MIT Professor

Michelle R. Weise

Leading Authority on the Future of the Workforce and Innovative Employment Pathways; Expert on How Disruptive Innovation is Transforming Higher Education; Senior VP, Strada Education Network; Chief Innovation Officer, Strada Institute for the Future of Work; Co-Author with Clayton Christensen, “Hire Education: Mastery, Modularization, and the Workforce Revolution”

Peter Schwartz

Global Futurist and Business Strategist; Salesforce.com Executive Focused on Strategic Planning; Scenario Planning Expert

Nicholas Negroponte

Visionary on Technology and its Impact on Business and Society; Founding Chairman, MIT Media Lab; Founder, One Laptop per Child

Jason Pontin

Leading Expert on the Future of Technology and Innovation; Senior Partner, Flagship Pioneering; Renowned Journalist, Speaker and Moderator

Jeremy Bailenson

Virtual Reality Pioneer and Authority on its Impact on Business and Society; Cognitive Psychologist; Founding Director, Virtual Human Interaction Lab, Stanford University; Author, “Experience on Demand” (Norton, 2018)

Howard Gardner

Renowned Developmental and Cognitive Psychologist; Father of Multiple Intelligences Theory; Professor, Harvard Graduate School of Education

Rory McDonald

Expert on Disruptive Innovation and Technological Change; Authority on Developing Proactive Investment Strategies for Long-Term Growth; Professor, Harvard Business School

Michael B. Horn

Leading Authority on the Future of K-12 and Higher Education; Expert in Transforming Education Through Digital Learning; Co-Founder, Clayton Christensen Institute for Disruptive Innovation; Chief Strategy Officer, Entangled Group; Senior Partner, Entangled Solutions; Award-Winning Author of Five Books on the Future of Learning, including “Choosing College” (2019)

David Bell

Expert on Digital Transformation and its Impact on Consumer Behavior; Architect of Actionable Frameworks for Adapting to the Digital Revolution; Best-Selling Author, “Location Is (Still) Everything”; Former Wharton Professor & Online Education Innovator (Coursera.org, EdX.org); Co-Founder, Idea Farm Ventures