Professor Ajay Agrawal is a researcher on the economics of AI, who has in the last decade helped more than 1,000 start-ups to scale. He has been a Professor at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management since 2003 and is the Founder and Academic Director of Creative Destruction Lab. Ajay brings valuable insight as a keynote speaker, shaping his talks around how to prepare for and enhance the impact of AI.
In 2000, Ajay graduated with a PhD in Doctor of Philosophy from The University of British Colombia, before becoming Assistant Professor at Smith School of Business at Queen’s University in 2001. Two years later, he progressed into his teaching role at Rotman School of Management. In 2008, he became a Research Associate at National Bureau of Economic Research, and in 2010, co-founded NEXT Canada.
Ajay founded Creative Destruction Lab in 2012, a non-profit that has mentored more than 200 machine-learning-based start-ups. In 2014, he became Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at Rotman School of Management. Further positions he has held include Faculty Affiliate at Vector Institute, Advisory Board Member at Carnegie Mellon University Block Center for Technology and Society, and Research Fellow at Stanford Digital Economy Lab. He also co-founded Intrepid Growth Partners in 2023. He has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles and co-authored two books on Harvard Business Press: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence (2018) and Power & Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence (2022). Additionally, he co-edited the scholarly volume, The Economics of Artificial Intelligence: An Agenda on the University of Chicago Press (2019).
Ajay has received several awards and honours for his work, named Professor of the Year seven times by MBA classes at the Rotman School of Management, alongside achieving the Martin-Lang Award for Excellence in Teaching, Distinguished Scholarly Contribution Award (2017), and Outstanding Research Impact Award (2021). In 2022, he was appointed to the Order of Canada, received the President's Impact Award at the University of Toronto in 2023, and was recognised with a Doctor of Laws by the University of Calgary, the highest honour by the university.
Professor Ajay Agrawal is available to speak at conferences and run bespoke workshops for corporate boards, senior leadership teams, and management teams. Possessing an unparalleled knowledge of how AI can transform businesses and the economy, you don’t want to miss having him as part of your event.
Books
Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence
Power & Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence
How to hire Prof. Ajay Agrawal
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Prof. Ajay Agrawal for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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Professor Ajay Agrawal's official speaking topics are listed below:
- Power & Prediction – How Leaders Can Leverage Their Greatest Opportunity Right Now
- The New World of AI – Strategising for a Future of Artificial Intelligence
“Ajay was so incredibly personable, friendly, and considerate. His content helped the group reframe how they think about AI and the implications to our business. I can wholeheartedly say his session was thought-provoking and has a lasting impact; rarely does a speaker get referenced for a couple of weeks after a presentation, let alone actively come up in conversations a people talk about how to navigate their business in the coming years.” – ATB Financial
“Attendees were raving about his presentation – really thought-provoking and well-delivered. He’s a very impressive speaker and the content is top-notch.” – CFA Society
- 2024 – Research Fellow at Stanford Digital Economy Lab
- 2023 – Recognised with the President’s Impact Award by the University of Toronto
- 2023 – Co-Founded Intrepid Growth Partners
- 2022 – Co-Authored Power & Prediction: The Disruptive Economics of Artificial Intelligence
- 2022 – Appointed a Member of the Order of Canada
- 2022 – Recognised by the University of Calgary’s Highest Honour – The Honorary Degree, Doctor of Laws
- 2022 – Center on Regulation & Markets – Academic Advisory Council Member at The Brookings Institution
- 2021 – Achieved the Outstanding Research Impact Award
- 2019 – Co-Edited the Scholarly Volume, The Economics of Artificial Intelligence: An Agenda on the University of Chicago Press
- 2018 – Co-Authored Harvard Business Press: Prediction Machines: The Simple Economics of Artificial Intelligence
- 2018 – Advisory Board Member at Carnegie Mellon University Block Center for Technology & Society
- 2018 – Faculty Affiliate at Vector Institute
- 2017 – Achieved the Distinguished Scholarly Contribution Award
- 2014 – Co-Founded Kindred AI
- 2014 – Geoffrey Taber Chair in Entrepreneurship & Innovation at University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management
- 2006-2013 – Awarded Professor of the Year Seven Times by MBA Classes at the Rotman School of Management
- 2012 – Founded Creative Destruction Lab
- 2010 – Recognised by Rotman School of Management for Excellence in Teaching
- 2010 – Co-Founded NEXT Canada
- 2008 – Research Associate at National Bureau of Economic Research
- 2003 – Professor at Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
- 2001 – Assistant Professor at Smith School of Business at Queen’s University
- 2000 – Graduated with Doctor of Philosophy PhD from The University of British Colombia
