10 Trending AI Influencers to Follow in 2026
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AI is no longer optional hype but essential knowledge. According to 76% of employees, gaining AI skills is now key to staying competitive, while two-thirds of British hiring managers say they would bypass candidates who lack them. Early adopters are already seeing tangible pay-offs, with customer-satisfaction scores climbing by nearly a fifth and every pound invested in AI returning around £3.50 in value (Source: IDC Study). Yet, only 52% of companies already using AI are giving their staff formal AI training – effectively only half of SMEs. Bringing in an expert AI speaker turns these statistics into an actionable roadmap, empowering your audience to adopt AI responsibly, stay ahead of trends and drive measurable growth.
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Who Are the Top 10 AI Influencers to Follow in 2026?
This official selection of the 10 Trending AI Influencers to Follow in 2026 Speakers is built on vetted data from 362 AI-themed events, exclusive speaker evaluations and comprehensive audience polls.
- Ray Eitel-Porter – Global authority on AI governance & ethics (ex-Accenture)
- Andrea Isoni – Founder of AI Technologies, NLP & deep-learning pioneer
- Orlando Machado – World AI Top 50 Innovator; first Chief Data Officer at LEGO
- Ilya Feige – Global Head of AI at Cerberus; ex-Faculty Director of AI
- Katie King – CEO of AI in Business; bestselling author & BBC commentator
- John C. Havens – Executive Director, IEEE AI Ethics Initiative
- Gary Marcus – NYU Professor Emeritus; leading voice for AI regulation
- Kate Crawford – Microsoft Research principal; co-founder, AI Now Institute
- Luc Julia – Siri co-creator; Samsung IoT innovation leader
- Pattie Maes – MIT Media Lab professor; pioneer of wearable & AR tech
Ray Eitel-Porter
Ray Eitel-Porter is one of the world’s foremost voices on responsible artificial intelligence. As Accenture’s former Global Head of Responsible AI, he created a compliance framework spanning 750,000 employees in 120 countries – experience that gives boards absolute clarity on risk, regulation and competitive advantage. An Oxford linguistics graduate with an INSEAD MBA, Ray blends humanities insight and business acumen to make complex policy accessible. He has advised Fortune 100 firms, chaired the UK Data Skills Taskforce and led Accenture’s partnership with The Alan Turing Institute. Now founder of Lumyz Advisory and a Senior Research Associate at Cambridge’s Intellectual Forum, Ray remains the go-to expert for organisations that must balance innovation with trust.
Ray’s Speaker Topics
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- AI Ethics in Action
- Designing Global AI Compliance Programmes
- The AI Trust Gap & How to Bridge It
- Managing AI Risk at Board Level
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Ray’s Testimonials
“Ray’s perspective on responsible AI was compelling and sparked a lively discussion that lasted well beyond the session.” – Oxford University, Faculty of Philosophy
Andrea Isoni
Dr Andrea Isoni is the physicist-turned-entrepreneur who founded AI Technologies, a company bringing deep-learning breakthroughs – such as brain–computer interfaces – into everyday products. Armed with a PhD from Imperial College and experience at Leonardo, Intros.at and SpecialGuest.io, he bridges hardcore research and real-world deployment. Andrea’s bestselling book ‘Machine Learning for the Web’ (translated into Chinese and Korean) cements his authority for would-be data scientists, while his advisory roles at ISO AI Certification and Tech London Advocates show his commitment to safe standards. Having electrified audiences from Social Media Week New York to IDC CIO Summit Dubai, he excels at translating technical futures into profitable strategies – earning him a place among 2026’s most influential AI voices.
Andrea’s Speaker Topics
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- The Rise of Synthetic Data
- Scaling AI from Pilot to Production
- Brain–Computer Interfaces & Human Augmentation
- AI Governance for a Safe Society
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Andrea’s Testimonials
“Andrea made synthetic data crystal-clear for a non-technical audience. Brilliant session.” – IDC, CIO, Summit Dubai
Orlando Machado
Dr Orlando Machado has spent 30 years turning data into growth for brands you know and love. As LEGO’s first Chief Data Officer he embedded machine-learning models that both delight children and safeguard their privacy. A Warwick PhD in Statistics, Lifetime Achievement winner at the DataIQ Awards and “World AI Top 50 Innovator”, Orlando previously led analytics at the BBC, WPP, Aviva and MoneySuperMarket. Board-level posts at Cambridge University and fast-growth start-ups prove his influence beyond corporate walls. With trademark humour, he shows leaders how data ethics, diversity and cutting-edge AI combine to boost market share – cementing his spot in any “top influencers” list for 2026.
Orlando’s Speaker Topics
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- Data Ethics & Privacy by Design
- AI-Driven Business Transformation
- Diversity in Data Leadership
- The Future of Generative AI
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Orlando’s Testimonials
“Engaging, humorous and wonderfully digestible on a complex topic.” – Cheetah Digital
Ilya Feige
Dr Ilya Feige is Global Head of AI & Machine Learning at Cerberus Technology Solutions and former Director of AI at Faculty. Armed with a Harvard PhD in Particle Physics, he built Faculty’s research lab, scaled revenue six-fold and deployed life-saving NHS resource models during COVID-19. Ilya’s career bridges CERN research, McKinsey strategy and hands-on product development – giving him rare insight into both scientific rigour and commercial impact. A clutch of academic prizes underscores his intellectual credentials, while his pragmatic workshops help executives turn AI ambition into operational reality. For organisations wanting safe, high-performance AI, Ilya is an essential influencer to watch in 2026.
Ilya’s Speaker Topics
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- Building Safe, High-Impact AI Systems
- Machine Learning for Healthcare & Finance
- AI Strategy for Scale-Ups
- Emerging Tech & Society
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Katie King
Katie King is the CEO of AI in Business, BBC commentator and author whose books ‘Using AI in Marketing’ and ‘AI Strategy for Sales & Marketing’ have become boardroom staples worldwide. Over three decades she has advised O2, Harrods, Accenture and even Sir Richard Branson, translating fast-moving tech into revenue and customer loyalty. A TEDx speaker and World Economic Forum contributor, Katie champions ethical AI and women in STEM. Her warm, straight-talking style leaves audiences with actionable playbooks—one reason she is firmly among the top trending AI influencers.
Katie’s Speaker Topics
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- AI for Marketing, Sales & CX
- Future-Proofing Careers with AI
- Ethical Growth through AI
- Women in Tech & STEM
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Katie’s Testimonials
“Katie delivered actionable strategies the audience could implement immediately – superb.” – University of Saskatchewan Business School
John C. Havens
John C. Havens is Executive Director of the IEEE Global Initiative on Ethics of Autonomous and Intelligent Systems, where 700 volunteers crafted standards now adopted by the UN, OECD and IBM. Formerly a Broadway actor and early social-media strategist, he blends storytelling with policy expertise. Author of ‘Heartificial Intelligence’ and ‘Hacking Happiness’, John serves on the World Economic Forum’s council on Human Rights & Technology and leads IEEE’s ‘Planet Positive 2030’ sustainable-tech drive. His talks turn abstract ethics into practical frameworks, making him a pivotal voice among 2026’s leading AI influencers.
John’s Speaker Topics
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- Ethics of Autonomous Systems
- IoT & Sustainable Technology
- Human-Centred AI Policy
- AR, VR & Emerging Media
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Gary Marcus
Professor Gary Marcus is the NYU cognitive scientist who co-founded Geometric Intelligence (acquired by Uber) and Robust AI. A bestselling author (‘Rebooting AI’, ‘Guitar Zero’) and TED speaker, he is the most prominent critic urging robust oversight of advanced AI. With a PhD from MIT under Steven Pinker, Gary combines deep neuroscience with entrepreneur pragmatism, contributing op-eds to ‘The New York Times’ and briefing lawmakers on AI safety. Audiences value his clear-eyed analysis of hype versus reality, ensuring he remains a must-follow AI influencer for 2026.
Gary’s Speaker Topics
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- AI Regulation & Policy
- Bias, Misinformation & Risk
- Human vs Artificial Intelligence
- Rebooting AI Research
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Kate Crawford
Dr Kate Crawford is Senior Principal Researcher at Microsoft and co-founder of NYU’s AI Now Institute. Her award-winning book ‘Atlas of AI’ reveals the hidden ecological, labour and social costs of modern AI, earning a place in the Financial Times’ best tech books and Time 100’s most influential in AI. Kate advises world leaders – from the UN to the European Parliament – on ethical governance, and her art – science projects sit in the V&A and MoMA. With a rare blend of scholarship and activism, she challenges audiences to build responsible, sustainable AI.
Kate’s Speaker Topics
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- Social & Political Implications of AI
- Environmental Cost of AI
- AI Policy & Governance
- Tech, Labour & Inequality
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Kate’s Testimonials
“Kate Crawford exposes the hidden costs of AI with rare eloquence.” – The New York Review of Books
Luc Julia
Dr Luc Julia is the French-American engineer who co-created Apple’s Siri and now drives Internet-of-Things innovation at Samsung. Having founded Stanford’s CHIC lab and built the world’s first smart fridge and car, he has a two-decade record of turning sci-fi into everyday tech. His provocative bestseller ‘L’Intelligence Artificielle N’Existe Pas’ argues most AI “magic” is rigorous engineering rather than sentient machines – myth-busting that delights audiences. Awards from the French-American Business Association and inclusion in the global Top 100 Developers testify to his influence, making him an indispensable AI thought-leader for 2026.
Luc’s Speaker Topics
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- Siri & Voice Interfaces
- Internet of Things Innovation
- AI Myths Debunked
- Future of Human–Machine Interaction
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Pattie Maes
Professor Pattie Maes has spent three decades at MIT Media Lab inventing technology that augments human cognition – from the “Sixth Sense” wearable (one of TED’s most-watched demos) to breakthroughs in AR, sleep tech and brain–computer interfaces. She founded the Software Agents and Fluid Interfaces groups, launched start-ups sold to Microsoft and Dun & Bradstreet, and was named a World Economic Forum Global Leader for Tomorrow. Pattie shows organisations how to harness AI and immersive tech to boost wellbeing, decision-making and productivity, securing her status as one of the 10 Trending AI Influencers to Follow in 2026.
Pattie’s Speaker Topics
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- Augmented Reality Strategy
- Cognitive Enhancement Technologies
- Cyborgs & the Future of Work
- Wearables & Brain–Computer Interfaces
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Book a 10 Trending AI Influencers to Follow in 2026 Speaker Today
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- 10 November, 2025
