Meet the trailblazers shaping the A.I. landscape
The future of digital technology holds immense power that could reshape the world in unforeseen ways. In 2021 alone a massive $1.5 trillion was spent on digital transformation globally and is expected to reach $6.8 trillion by the end of 2023. With the rapid advancements in emerging areas like artificial intelligence (A.I.), machine learning (ML), virtual reality and more – it's clear that we’re entering a new era of the digital age.
A.I. is at the forefront of digital innovation, seemingly more capable of solving complex problems every day. A.I. has captured the attention of every industry and the A.I. market is very promising, with an expected $407 billion in revenue by 2027. While it is still early and little is known about the future impacts of A.I. technology, many worry about the implications it could have on society as we know it.
With so much still ahead, coupled with the legitimate concerns being raised regarding the impact of A.I. in businesses and society, organizations need to build trust on how the technology is being developed, its capabilities and overall approach.
Therefore, when it comes to tackling the A.I. landscape, leveraging influencers is even more relevant. Despite its growth in popularity, 43% of businesses are concerned about dependence on A.I. technology and 75% of consumers are concerned about A.I. misinformation. Leveraging experts in A.I. and other disruptive technologies could be what holds the key to gaining trust from an already worrisome audience.
Influencer Marketing is a valuable strategy for increasing brand awareness and credibility. Already, 1 in 4 marketers are leveraging influencers and 94% of marketers consider influencer marketing an effective strategy for raising awareness and building consumer trust for B2B businesses. Whether for B2B or B2C, influencer strategies can help organizations gain more trust from potential customers. We’ve listed out five of the best A.I. and digital technology influencers below and why we think you should incorporate them into your comms strategy. Read on to meet them.
Top influencers to watch in technology & A.I.
Focus Areas: A.I. research & development, generative A.I., machine learning
Andrew Ng is a computer scientist, technology entrepreneur and one of the most influential machine learning scholars focusing on ML and A.I. He’s the Founder & CEO of DeepLearning A.I., Founder & CEO of Landing A.I., General Partner at A.I. Fund, Chairman and Co-Founder of Coursera and an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University’s Computer Science Department.
Influencer Creds
With over 1 Million followers on LinkedIn, Andrew is a valuable contributor to the A.I. technology space. Andrew Ng has authored or co-authored over 200 research papers in machine learning, robotics and other related fields. He’s a trusted source by many, having been named to the Time 100 list of the most influential persons in the world in 2013. For brands looking to partner with Andrew, collaborate on content that focuses on A.I. fundamentals, explaining complex concepts in a simple and accessible manner. This can include video tutorials or blog posts where he shares his expertise, provides insights into A.I. applications and offers guidance on how to benefit from A.I. technologies offered by the partner company.
Focus Areas: emerging technologies, mobile computing, digital transformation
Benedict has spent 20 years analyzing mobile, media and technology, and has worked in equity research, strategy, consulting and venture capital. He's now an independent analyst, sharing valuable insights and thought-provoking analysis on the latest trends in technology and their impact on industries.
In his own words, "I write essays about things I’m trying to understand, and a weekly newsletter with 175,000 subscribers, and give presentations pulling together these ideas.” The popular subscription-based newsletter outlines what happened that week in technology, why it matters, and what it means for businesses, consumers, and more.
Influencer Creds
Journalists have praised Evans for sharing “relevant technology news with context”. Evans is a great influencer to leverage on Twitter, with over 300K followers he shares information and opinions on recent developments in technology such as ChatGPT, the metaverse, new products and more. Collaborate with Benedict to create industry-specific content that focuses on technology's influence and disruptive innovation within specific sectors. This can involve in-depth analyses of technology adoption and its effects on industries such as retail, healthcare, finance or transportation.
Focus Areas: business & technology, A.I. strategy, generative A.I.
Bernard Marr is a world-renowned futurist, influencer and thought leader in the fields of business and technology, with a passion for using technology for the good of humanity. He has over 2 million social media followers, over 1.2 million newsletter subscribers.
Influencer Creds
Ranked by LinkedIn as one of the top 5 business influencers in the world and the top business influencer in the UK – Bernard Marr is one of the best Business Technology influencers you can leverage on social media. He’s worked with and advised many of the world’s best-known organizations including Amazon, Google, Microsoft, AstraZeneca, The Ministry of Defence, NATO and many others. Bernard is ideal for developing 3-5 min videos focused on thought leadership, sharing industry-specific insights, trends analysis, and best practices — connecting it all back to the partner brand and its offerings.
Focus Areas: A.I. education, A.I. research, machine learning
Hilary Mason is the Data Scientist in Residence at Accel Partners and Co-Founder of Hidden Door Co, an online gaming platform for kids to discover, play, and create stories with A.I.. She also holds sessions worldwide where she speaks on data, machine learning and artificial intelligence. Previously, she served as the Chief Scientist at Bitly.
Influencer Creds
Hillary is committed to sharing expertise on all things generative A.I.. In addition to her impressive background, she’s received many honors and has been featured in various publications including Glamour, WSJ, Fast Company and many more. She’s a top consideration to work with for businesses aiming to leverage A.I. technology for their products or services. Given her expertise, partner with Hilary to create content that explores the future of A.I., automation, and the role of human-machine collaboration — this can involve questions around job displacement, ethical considerations and the potential for A.I. to augment human capabilities.
Focus Areas: A.I. research, A.I. education (specifically younger generation), Sustainability
Sinead Bovell is a tech entrepreneur and commentator on the often discomfiting topics of A.I., such as ethics and copyright implications. Bovell focuses specifically on how young people engage with technology, which she has spoken about on many major platforms, including CNN. She also founded WAYE, an organization that prepares young people to succeed in a professional world with advanced technologies like A.I..
Influencer Creds
As a Tik Tok influencer, Bovell is reaching thousands of people daily with videos discussing a variety of technology-related topics. Her perspective is especially important given her attention on the younger generation, who will decide the next consumer trends. Understanding their interests and hangups around A.I. can help marketers create more relevant, and less harmful, experiences. For companies looking to reach the Gen-Z audience, Bovell could be a great addition to an influencer marketing strategy. A partnership with Sinead could be centered around her giving product reviews, speaking to diversity and inclusion in tech, or the future of A.I. in business and how the partner company fits into it.
