Rana el Kaliouby
Emotion AI pioneer, co-founder of Affectiva, and deep-tech venture capitalist
Watch Rana Speak
This App Knows How You Feel, from the look on your face (TED)
Gender and AI: Promise and Perils (Keynote)
Why AI Needs Emotion
Speaking Topics
Rana's signature keynote, drawn from her memoir. She traces the birth of Emotion AI and uses her own path from Cairo to MIT to show leaders how to build and adopt AI that keeps people at the center.
For executive audiences deciding how far and how fast to move on AI. Rana lays out a practical framework for responsible adoption from someone who built the technology and lived with its consequences.
A forward-looking keynote on where AI is heading and how the relationship between people and machines will reshape work, products, and daily life.
About Rana
Rana el Kaliouby is a scientist and entrepreneur who helped create an entire category of artificial intelligence. She co-founded Affectiva, the company that pioneered Emotion AI out of the MIT Media Lab, and led it as CEO until its acquisition by Smart Eye, where she went on to serve as Deputy CEO. She now invests in early-stage deep technology as a General Partner at Blue Tulip Ventures.
Rana earned her PhD at the University of Cambridge and completed her postdoctoral research at the MIT Media Lab, where her work focused on teaching machines to read human emotion. Her memoir, Girl Decoded, traces her path from Cairo to the front lines of AI and has made her one of the most recognized voices on the human side of the technology.
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Session Formats
Delivery
Roles
- Co-founder and former CEO, Affectiva (Emotion AI, MIT Media Lab spinout)
- Former Deputy CEO, Smart Eye
- General Partner, Blue Tulip Ventures
- PhD, University of Cambridge; postdoctoral research at the MIT Media Lab
- Author, Girl Decoded
- World Economic Forum Young Global Leader
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Rana el Kaliouby speak about?
Rana speaks on artificial intelligence and its human impact: Emotion AI, responsible and human-centered AI, the future of human-machine interaction, and what leaders owe their customers and teams as the technology advances. She draws on building Affectiva and her memoir, Girl Decoded.
What makes Rana different from other AI speakers?
She built the technology she talks about. As co-founder and former CEO of Affectiva, she helped create the Emotion AI category, so her keynotes carry the credibility of a founder and scientist rather than a commentator.
What audiences is she best for?
Leadership summits, customer conferences, innovation events, and any audience weighing how far and how fast to move on AI. She is comfortable in both executive and technical rooms.
What formats does she offer?
Keynote, fireside chat, and panel, in person or virtual. She tailors the talk to the decisions your audience is facing after a discovery conversation with the host team.
Where is she based and does she travel?
Rana is based in the Boston area and speaks at events worldwide.
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