Sebastian Thrun

Sebastian Thrun is a German-American computer scientist, entrepreneur, and innovator known for his pioneering work in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and self-driving cars. He co-founded Google’s self-driving car project, now known as Waymo, and served as the founder and CEO of Udacity, an online educational platform focused on tech skills and nanodegrees. Thrun's academic contributions include his role as a professor at Stanford University, where he led research in robotics and AI.

Thrun gained significant recognition for leading the Stanford Racing Team to victory in the DARPA Grand Challenge, an autonomous vehicle competition that spurred advancements in AI-driven cars. This accomplishment laid the groundwork for the future of self-driving technologies. At Google, he helped develop several groundbreaking projects, including Google Street View and Google Glass.

Thrun is also a strong advocate for AI's transformative potential in industries such as healthcare, education, and transportation. Through Udacity, an online educational website that he co-founded, he has helped democratize education by providing accessible, high-quality tech courses for students and professionals globally.

Thrun has received numerous awards, including election to the National Academy of Engineering and the Max Planck Research Award. His vision for a future powered by AI continues to influence global conversations around innovation and the ethical implications of these technologies.