10 AI Influencers You Need to Follow

There is a lot of artificial intelligence – hype and hyperbole – being dished out about AI. To stay grounded in what’s real and what’s not, and to get meaningful insights into innovations in the category, here are 10 influencers to follow. Many of these influencers also write extensively about the ethics of AI and its implications on culture and society.

Andrew Ng

@AndrewYNg, a computer scientist and entrepreneur, co-founded and led Google Brain and was a former VP & Chief Scientist at Baidu (he built the company’s Artificial Intelligence Group into several thousand people.) He’s an adjunct professor (and former Director of the AI Lab) at Stanford University. Ng is also an early pioneer in online learning – which led to the co-founding of Coursera.

Fei-Fei Li

@DrFeiFei, who works in the areas of computer vision and cognitive neuroscience, is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at Stanford University as well as director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab (SAIL)  and the Stanford Vision Lab. In 2017, she co-founded AI4ALL, a nonprofit working to increase diversity and inclusion in artificial intelligence.

Joanna Bryson

@j2bryson, who serves as associate professor in computing at the University of Bath, working on ethics and collaborative cognition and is acknowledged internationally as an expert on AI ethics. She is also exploring AI and understanding human intelligence and human cooperation and cultural change. You can frequently find her in US national media talking about robot relationships and the ethics of AI.

Spiros Margeris

@SpirosMargeris is a venture capitalist (founder of Margeris Ventures) who has the impressive “triple crown” distinction of being ranked the global number one infuencer in fintech, AI and blockchain by Onalytica. He is a speaker at international FinTech and InsurTech conferences, and he publishes articles on his innovation proposals and thought leadership. Mr. Margeris is also an advisor to numerous AI and related start ups including at wefox Group (wefox & ONE), SparkLabs Group, Arbidex, Lodex, BlockLoan, Datametrex AI, Yield Growth Corp., kapilendo, moneymeets and at F10 Fintech Incubator and Accelerator.

Gary Marcus

@GaryMarcus is a scientist, author, and entrepreneur. He is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at New York University whose research focuses on natural and artificial intelligence. He was Founder and CEO of Geometric Intelligence, a machine learning company later acquired by Uber. He is an author of books including Guitar Zero and Kluge: The Haphazard Construction of the Human Mind.

Kate Crawford

@katecrawford has been a leading researcher, academic and author for at least the last ten years, studying the social implications of data systems, machine learning and AI. She’s also a principal researcher at Microsoft Research New York, and a visiting professor at the MIT Media Lab. Kate also co-founded and is co-director of the AI Now Research Institute, an interdisciplinary research center studying the impact of AI on broader society.

Martin Ford

@MFordFuture is a significant voice in the world of AI – and the future of work. He is a renowned futurist and author who focuses on the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on society and the economy. You can frequently see Martin writing about future technology for outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Guardian. He’s also written three books on AI on the impact of AI robotics and how we will earn money and on the future of jobs.

Rodney Brooks

@rodneybrooks is a robotics entrepreneur and a former director of the computer science and artificial intelligence laboratory at MIT. He’s also co-founder of iRobot, the company that created the Roomba.

The CyberCode Twins

America and Penelope Lopez are known as the “The CyberCode Twins”. As Latina twin sisters born and raised in East Los Angeles, they have travelled to many cities and received various awards in tech competitions and hackathons such as the NASA International SpaceApps Challenge, AT&T Developer Summit, HackForLA, IBM Global Mobile Innovators Challenge and many more. Now, they are on a mission to make communities safer thru wearable tech and mobile apps.

Kathleen Walch

@kath0134 is a serial entrepreneur, savvy marketer and genuine tech industry connector, and an expert on AI and machine learning. Kathleen served as principal analyst, managing partner, and founder of Cognilytica, an AI research and advisory firm, and she also co-hosts the popular AI Today podcast. You can also see her in Forbes, where she is a frequent contributor on AI topics. Kathleen also spent many years as the content and innovation director for TechBreakfast, a monthly morning tech meet-up in the US, and serves as a SXSW Innovation Awards judge and AI and hardware meet-up organizer.

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