Tom Gruber is a computer scientist, inventor and entrepreneur who is famed for being the co-founder, CTO, and the head of design of the team which created Siri Inc. Siri, the intelligent personal assistant, was acquired by the technology giant Apple Inc., and is used over 25 billion times per month by people all over the world. As a board member of the International Journal of Human-Computer Studies, Tom is able to encapsulate his audience with his second-to-none knowledge of computing which he has gained from his highly successful career, spanning over four decades. As a speaker, Tom is an advocate for Humanistic AI and is able to offer guiding principles and practical advice about making ethical choices when applying this technology.
Having always been passionate about computing, Tom studied his BSc in Psychology and Computer Science at Loyola University, Chicago, and then completed his MSc and PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in Computer Science and Information Science. It was evident Tom was destined for greatness from a young age – during his BSc, Tom built and deployed the University’s first computer-aided instruction system which is used in the Psychology department at Loyola. During his master’s he created an intelligent communication assistant which helped users with disabilities to communicate and then went on to conduct a critical research project on AI and computer assistants during his PhD.
Tom started his career as a Research Scientist for Stanford University and it was not long before he was founding his own company, Intraspect Software. Tom has had a rich career in the technology sector having held many senior positions throughout, including being the Technical Advisor for numerous companies, Advisory Board Member for Socialtext, and a Member of the Board of Advisors for Everquote. Tom’s most recent projects include being the Founder and CTO of LifeScore Music, Chief AI Strategy Officer for Sherpa.ai and Founder of Humanistic AI. Unrivalled in his knowledge on computer science and Human AI, Tom has also published several papers on the subject, with over 60,000 citations, there is no doubt Tom’s research has had an extensive impact on the current literature. Throughout his career there has been one question which has inspired his actions: how can technology help us live better lives?
An established and sought-after speaker, Tom’s main stage TED talk ‘How AI Can Enhance Our Memory, Work and Social Lives’ has been viewed over 2 million times. He has a unique ability to break down complex concepts in such a way so that everyone can understand. Audiences leave his talks inspired and their minds expanded; if you are looking for a world-leading expert on computer science, an experienced designer and product strategist, look no further than Tom Gruber.
In April 2023 we sat down virtually with Tom Gruber and discussed how AI will shape our lives in the future. Watch our exclusive interview with Tom Gruber.
Tom Gruber is regularly booked to engage audiences at events, read their latest feedback below:
“Tom Gruber is the rare practitioner who can lucidly explain how things work – and what they mean for us. His understanding of the social impacts of digital innovation is built from the ground up and he brings to the stage an unusual insight into AI and a strong sense of how designers and engineers can change digital systems to better confront the ethical challenges that this new age poses. A passionate and profound observer of digital life, Tom is the first rank of public speakers on emerging technologies and how humans can manage them for the maximum benefit”
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