Cassie Kozyrkov, CEO of Kozyr, is a renowned leader in artificial intelligence. She is best known for founding the field of Decision Intelligence and serving as Google’s first Chief Decision Scientist, where she spearheaded Google’s transformation into an AI-first company. Today, Cassie is a sought-after AI advisor and speaker who has transformed how organisations like Gucci, NASA, Spotify, Meta, and GSK approach AI strategy. Passionate about elevating human potential through the responsible adoption of complex technology, she also serves on the Innovation Advisory Council of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and is an investor in emerging product companies.
Her influence on Google’s culture is legendary; no matter how big the auditorium, Google had to use lotteries to manage the demand to participate in one of her live workshops. Her work, which included personally training over 20,000 Googlers in AI and data-driven decision-making, impacted more than 500 company initiatives. Combining deep technical knowledge with theatre-trained charisma, Cassie is a captivating keynote speaker with the rare ability to make complex concepts accessible, engaging, and actionable for executive and general audiences alike. Her humour, wit, and vivid analogies ensure that people of all stripes leave her talks inspired and equipped to drive innovation.
Cassie has delighted live audiences in more than 40 countries and on all seven continents, including stages at the United Nations, World Economic Forum, Web Summit, and SXSW. She has appeared on the cover of Forbes AI and been featured in Harvard Business Review, Fortune, Fast Company, WIRED, Success, and Entrepreneur, as well as in a recent documentary on the AI revolution. Her online courses and more than 200+ published articles have reached millions and cemented her position as a LinkedIn Top Voice and the #1 Writer in AI on Medium for many years. She is followed by more than 24,000 CxOs.
Hailing from South Africa, Cassie began her undergraduate studies at the age of 15 at Nelson Mandela University and earned degrees in economics, mathematical statistics, psychology, and neuroscience from the University of Chicago, NCSU, and Duke University, which honoured her as a Few-Glasson Distinguished Alumna for her significant contributions to the fields of AI and Decision Intelligence. Passionate about advancing human potential, Cassie's impressive career is marked by her ability to blend her extensive technical expertise with a commitment to responsible technology adoption, setting her apart as a pioneering voice in artificial intelligence.
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Books
Strategic Analytics: The Insights You Need from Harvard Business Review
97 Things About Ethics Everyone in Data Science Should Know: Collective Wisdom from the Experts
How to hire Cassie Kozyrkov
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Cassie Kozyrkov 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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Cassie Kozyrkov's official speaker topics are listed below:
The Future is AI-First: Are You Ready to Lead?:
Leading a business through the AI revolution demands vision and bold action. Cassie Kozyrkov, the architect of Google's AI-first transformation, challenges leaders to rethink what it means to lead in the AI era. She shares innovative strategies for embedding AI into the fabric of your company, transforming not just how you work but what you can achieve. Attendees will walk away with a clear roadmap to becoming leaders in AI-driven innovation, equipped to outpace the competition and thrive in a rapidly changing technological landscape.
AI Won't Steal Your Job, But It Will Steal Your Excuses:
Contrary to popular fears, AI won’t be the doom of humanity—but once AI starts handling repetitive tasks, you’ll have to face something even scarier: the chance to do truly impactful work. This session challenges you to drop the excuses, step up your game, and seize the creative freedom AI offers by taking drudgery off your plate. The best defense against job automation isn’t hiding from AI—it’s taking charge of it. Find out how embracing and leading AI initiatives can secure your role, build your influence, and allow you to thrive in the rapidly evolving future of work.
Why Businesses Fail at AI Adoption: From Buzzwords to Business Strategy:
Artificial intelligence is no longer science fiction, yet many businesses fail to harness its potential at scale. In this insightful talk, Cassie Kozyrkov strips away the jargon to explore what's easy, what's hard, and how to spot genuine opportunities to improve your business with AI. She delves into why organizations struggle, uncovers the two biggest threats in the field, and discusses what this means for the future of work. Discover the secrets to successful AI innovation and learn how to avoid common pitfalls, unlocking AI's true potential for your organization. Get ready to turn today’s hype into tomorrow’s growth.
Mind The Gap: Digital Trust Habits For The AI Era:
As AI advances rapidly, a trust gap emerges between its capabilities and our understanding. In this compelling keynote, Cassie Kozyrkov explores how you can navigate this gap. By sharing the story of one of history's most ironic hoaxes, she illustrates why even the savviest among us can be misled and how to prevent it. Drawing from historical and modern examples, she reveals how understanding AI's strengths and limitations empowers you to navigate tomorrow’s world. You will gain actionable strategies to build tech fluency, foster skepticism, and ensure AI empowers rather than misleads, building new digital trust habits to guide you confidently into the future.
How to Upgrade Your Decision-Making... Instantly:
Your life outcomes boil down to two things: luck and the quality of your decisions, making decision-making crucial. Yet society often neglects it as a skill to develop. In this empowering talk, Cassie Kozyrkov reveals how outcome bias and confirmation bias prevent us from learning the right lessons and making better choices. She demonstrates how tolerating these biases institutionalizes complacency and hinders progress. The good news? You can overcome them instantly by asking the most powerful question: "What would it take to change your mind?" Walk away with practical strategies to eliminate excuses, confront your biases, and elevate your decision-making immediately.
Winning with AI: Embrace Change and Leapfrog the Competition:
Entering the AI arena can be daunting, but with the right strategy, it can propel your organization ahead of the competition. In this keynote, Cassie Kozyrkov reveals how to build a winning AI approach by identifying key opportunities, scaling solutions, and fostering a culture that embraces change. Learn to assess your organization's readiness, prioritize high-impact projects, and overcome technical and cultural challenges that derail initiatives. Through practical insights and actionable steps, you'll be empowered to lead your team confidently through AI transformations—leveraging AI to innovate, optimize operations, and gain a competitive edge in a rapidly evolving market.
The Cognitive Advantage: Why Great Leaders Will Thrive in the AI Era:
As AI becomes more powerful, the real competitive advantage isn't in the technology—it's in the human mind. Cassie Kozyrkov, who spearheaded Google's AI-first transformation, inspires you to embrace the one thing AI can't replace: human judgment. In this engaging keynote, she challenges leaders to rethink their role in a world where AI delivers perfect answers in seconds. Cassie equips you with mental agility and decision-making frameworks needed to stay ahead, focusing on how to harness AI's potential without falling into the trap of thoughtless automation. Get ready to think faster and lead smarter.
Ethics and AI Bias: How One-Track Thinking Could Derail Our Future:
AI and data science are shaping the future of technology and society, yet these fields struggle with a lack of diversity that threatens to limit their potential and fairness. In this compelling talk, Cassie Kozyrkov explores how our choice of language influences culture in data professions and why many tackle AI bias the wrong way. She examines the risks of homogeneous teams in AI development, arguing that diversity isn't just a "nice to have"—it's essential for building AI that serves everyone. Discover why you should be both worried and excited about humanity's AI future and learn how you can help ensure it’s bright for all.
Decision Intelligence Unleashed: Optimize Decisions at Scale:
In a world overflowing with data, decision-making becomes increasingly complex. Cassie Kozyrkov, the pioneer behind the field of Decision Intelligence, reveals how businesses can transform overwhelming information into strategic action. Decision Intelligence bridges the gap between data and effective decisions, turning insights into clear action plans at any scale. Cassie provides practical guidance on leveraging technology, processes, and people to optimize decisions, transform data into impact, and foster a data-driven culture. Elevate your organization's decision-making capabilities and unleash untapped business potential.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"We were thrilled to have Cassie Kozyrkov as our keynote speaker at the Applied AI Nordics conference. Her ability to blend humor, charm, and deep insights into the world of AI not only captivated the audience but also sparked meaningful conversations about our collective future during the breaks. Her talk was definitely the highlight of the conference based on audience feedback." - Dan, CEO & Founder, Todai
“Recently, Cassie Kozykrov spoke to the CFO Leadership Council with a captivating discussion on Generative AI, engaging over 200 finance chiefs. Right now, there's no denying that this topic is at the epicenter of challenges and opportunities CFOs and their teams face, and Cassie's delivery was eye-opening. What struck us wasn't just her undeniable prowess as a top-tier data scientist. It was her knack for distilling complex, often intimidating AI concepts into practical, digestible insights tailored for a financial audience that doesn't live in the tech weeds. Her eloquence in demystifying AI and framing it as a game-changer for competitive edge was a revelation. Seeking a speaker who can not only navigate but also illuminate the AI labyrinth for your team, turning what feels like science fiction into a business strategy? Look no further. Cassie is your person. Her session isn't just a presentation; it's a lightbulb moment waiting to happen.” - Jack, Founder & President, CFO Leadership Council
“Loved the presentation today at Franklin Templeton and so grateful to have you here. All our folks were inspired. I had about 100 more questions! Sincere thanks for being here.“ - Barry, VP, Franklin Templeton Investments
“Cassie was very professional and great to work with on all details of her presentation. I appreciated how promptly we heard responses and feedback on travel and presentation details and she truly is an expert in all things AI! Loved her personality and kindness. She's great to work with!” - Tiffany, Senior Event Marketing Manager, Accelerate24
“It was truly a remarkable experience having Cassie Kozyrkov as a speaker at our AI Day of Learning for East Hanover associates at Novartis US. Cassie’s insightful discussion, Decision Intelligence: Better Decisions at Scale, left us inspired and invigorated about the endless possibilities ahead. Her passion for data sciences was palpable and contagious, igniting curiosity within our teams and fostering a deeper sense of enthusiasm for the potential of AI in healthcare. We are very appreciative of Cassie’s contribution, which enriched our understanding and further motivated us to embrace the transformative power of AI. Thank you, Cassie, for your impactful presence and helping to illuminate our AI journey as a force for good as we reimagine medicine for our customers and the patients we serve.” - Sterlena, Executive Director, Novartis US Innovation Lab
- 2024 – Inducted into the Few-Glasson Alumni Society for significant contributions to AI and Decision Intelligence
- 2024 – Featured in a major documentary on the AI revolution
- 2024 – Named among the "Top 5 Women Changing the Face of Technology" by Spiceworks
- 2023 – Named in the DataIQ 100 Most Influential People in Data list
- 2023 – Chief Executive Officer, Stealth AI Startup
- 2023 – President, Data Scientific, an elite advisory firm helping leaders optimize decision-making
- 2023 – Innovation Advisory Council Member, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
- 2017 – Chief Decision Scientist, Google – the first person to ever hold this position
- 2017 – Technical Director of AI & Data, Google
- 2014 – Statistician, Google
- 2013 – Statistics Instructor, North Carolina State University
