A computer scientist, technologist, entrepreneur and business leader, Rana el Kaliouby is the former deputy CEO and current AI Advisor at Smart Eye. Also co-founder and former CEO of Affectiva, the category-defining MIT spinoff and pioneer of Emotion AI, el Kaliouby invented the company’s award-winning emotion recognition technology. Using large,... Read more
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A computer scientist, technologist, entrepreneur and business leader, Rana el Kaliouby is the former deputy CEO and current AI Advisor at Smart Eye. Also co-founder and former CEO of Affectiva, the category-defining MIT spinoff and pioneer of Emotion AI, el Kaliouby invented the company’s award-winning emotion recognition technology. Using large, diverse datasets – comprised of 12+ million faces analyzed in 90 countries – to detect complex and nuanced emotions and cognitive states, the Emotion AI platform combines facial expression and tone of voice to infer how a person is feeling. Among other applications, the company’s technology is used by leading companies in the automotive industry to improve road safety and deliver better, more personalized transportation experiences. In addition, 25% of the Fortune Global 500 companies use Affectiva’s technology to test consumer engagements with ads, videos and TV programming. It is also used in healthcare, education, social robotics, conversational interfaces and more. El Kaliouby and co-founder Rosalind Picard realized a successful exit for Affectiva in June 2021 when the company was acquired by Smart Eye.
A passionate advocate for innovation, ethics in AI and diversity, Rana el Kaliouby was appointed an Executive Fellow at Harvard Business School where she co-teaches AI-related courses. Her credentials as a popular spokesperson for science led to her co-hosting the PBS Nova Series “Nova Wonders,” which premiered in April 2018. An accomplished inventor and one of few women to have successfully transitioned from academia to business, el Kaliouby – and her work – earn considerable recognition. This journey to new frontiers for AI technology are the subject of her bestselling book, “Girl Decoded” (Penguin Random House, April 2020).
El Kaliouby has been named to the 2018 Thinkers50 Radar list of management thinkers most likely to shape the future of how organizations are managed and led; BBC’s Top 100 Women of 2019; Fortune’s 2018 40 Under 40 of the most influential young people in business; Forbes America’s Top 50 Women in Tech; Inc.’s Female Founders 100; Bostinno’s 50 on Fire; Newsweek’s America’s Greatest Disruptors and WIRED’s 25 Geniuses Who Are Creating the Future of Business. El Kaliouby is also a World Economic Forum (WEF) Young Global Leader and a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization, where she serves on the New England Board. She is also often cited in and interviewed by top business and mainstream outlets, including The New Yorker, Wired, Forbes, Fast Company, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, TIME Magazine, Fortune, CNN, CBS and Reddit.
Prior to founding Affectiva, el Kaliouby was a research scientist at the MIT Media Lab where she spearheaded applications for facial coding to benefit mental health, autism and other research areas. Born and raised in Cairo, she received Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees in computer science from the American University in Cairo and a Ph.D. from the Computer Laboratory, University of Cambridge.
A unique voice in the AI space, el Kaliouby’s exceptional story as a Muslim woman tech founder is unforgettable. Bestselling author of “Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity By Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology” (Penguin Random House, 2020), she shares how discrimination and cultural barriers led her to become the industry’s leader in designing solutions to ensure AI is ethical, non-biased and essentially human in its values.
A seasoned leader, el Kaliouby’s keynotes and executive education sessions use examples from her successful companies as proof points to ignite curiosity about the benefits brought by machine learning and other tools, demonstrating in real-time how to overcome an organization’s cultural AI resistance to unleash the power of their data in the most ethical way. She maps a scalable framework that supports organizations in using diverse AI applications to create a competitive advantage in existing and new markets. Talented at translating complex science for any audience – as seen in her popular TED Talk that has nearly 2 million views – her “how to” guide sheds light on practical matters like the right way to de-silo organizational data and where to invest to fully capitalize on the data’s insights. Lifting the hood on AI-first organizations, el Kaliouby points to the nuts and bolts that hold them together, showing stakeholders how to deploy the latest AI tools that unlock new sources of strategic and operating value.
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You can book Rana el Kaliouby through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Rana's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Rana el Kaliouby's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Rana tailored to your event.
Rana el Kaliouby speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Digital Trends, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Future of Work. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Rana to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Rana el Kaliouby for events worldwide, subject to Rana's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Rana el Kaliouby is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Rana can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Rana el Kaliouby on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Rana can offer.
Rana el Kaliouby delivers keynotes in English. This profile may not list every language available; ask London Speaker Bureau to confirm. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Rana el Kaliouby's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Digital Trends, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Future of Work. To get a clear sense of Rana's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Rana el Kaliouby can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Digital Trends, Entrepreneurs, Future & Technology, Future of Work is relevant. Details of Rana's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Rana el Kaliouby is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Rana el Kaliouby, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Rana's current availability for your dates.