Sophie Hackford

Global Technology Futurist; Co-Founder & Chair of 1715Labs; Strategic Advisor for John Deere

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Sophie Hackford Biography

Sophie Hackford is a renowned futurist, business builder, and speaker, known for synthesizing cutting-edge advancements in technology and science from around the world. With a focus on exploring the complex and evolving relationship between humans and machines, Sophie has delivered over 220 thought-provoking talks to corporate boards and executive teams globally. Her insights challenge leaders to consider the profound impact of emerging technologies, from satellite swarms to AI that demonstrates intuition, sparking meaningful debate on how businesses can navigate and shape the future.

Sophie is an advisor to major organizations like John Deere & Co., where she focuses on the future of food, climate, and agriculture. She also advises New Lab in Brooklyn, a hub for breakthrough technologies. As co-founder and chair of 1715Labs, a spinout from Oxford University's Astrophysics Department, Sophie helped pioneer efforts in labelling data to train algorithms, ensuring that AI systems are built on solid foundations. Her background in science and technology is complemented by her leadership roles at prestigious institutions like WIRED Magazine, Singularity University in Silicon Valley, and the Oxford Martin School at Oxford University, where she raised $120 million for frontier-bending research.

With her ability to connect technological breakthroughs with practical business applications, Sophie is in high demand as a speaker and advisor. Her work challenges conventional thinking and provides strategic foresight for industries looking to understand and leverage the disruptive technologies shaping our future.

Beyond her professional achievements, Sophie is deeply passionate about the ethical development of technology and its societal implications. She advocates for responsible innovation, ensuring that as we become increasingly intertwined with machines, we do so in ways that benefit people, communities, and the planet.

Sophie Hackford Speaking Topics

  • The World as a Computer

    Sophie will talk about the Earth becoming a computer, or a machine. Our home planet is being augmented to be capable of calculating things about itself, and about us.

    New sensing technologies are stretching the fabric of intelligence to include robots, satellites, and sensors, both powered by – and creating – huge amounts of data. Our lives are becoming increasingly entangled with robots, as our data powers their lives.

    From tiny antbots to drones to orbiting satellites, we are materially changing the surface of our planet (and beyond!) with hardware and software. Terraforming our planet just as much as others plan to terraform Mars.

    Machine intelligence now lives out in the wild, in our homes, offices, cities, farms, countries. These computational landscapes are starting to change how we understand and optimise life here on Earth – what we can know and what we can do.

    Finally, a new kind of intelligence is evolving from this planetary computer that we didn’t program in. Generative AI is one of the first examples of this emergence. As we can no longer lift the lid and see how it works, we need to ask some important questions about regulation, privacy, ethics, equity, and the ability to audit and control these new technologies. The role of humans in this brave new future will likely be a source of debate for years to come.

    Sophie will argue that we need a new science of intelligence to help us get to grips with our new robot buddies and our new robot home.

  • Metaverse and Digital Twins

    A metaverse may emerge, where we live out aspects of our lives in data-powered simulations. This requires a new mental model of the internet, taking into account digital objects, currencies, identities, experiences.

    Whether allowing us to merge with a piece of music or work with synthetic colleagues, metaverse technologies are more than just NFTs or cryptocurrencies. They are an opportunity to do impossible things and solve impossible problems.

    Furthermore, autonomy is powered by simulation technologies – only if born digitally and tested in a virtual proving ground, can robots live and work alongside us.

    As we gradually build up simulation infrastructure – avatar versions of warehouses, or container ports • we can then stitch such digital twins together in a ‘twinternet’. This internet of simulations would allow us to step inside our critical systems (supply chains, electric grid, health system, a city, or even the human body) and run/monitor them remotely?

    It’s the simulations’ world, we’re just living in it…

  • Data and AI

    Sophie explores planetary scale computation, where our familiar devices disappear, liberated by AI.

    The world itself then becomes a computer.

    In this computer world, we become the interface. Screens and keyboards give way to robotic landscapes, homes, offices, that are constantly sensing: watching, listening, talking and making decisions. Here we ‘meet’ the AIs for the first time, powered by massive flows of data.

    As we build this shadow world, with digital replicas of airports, factories, even our bodies, Sophie ponders the profound questions that emerge as we hook up to the machine.

  • Web3

    Web3 technologies (NFTs, blockchain etc) promise to help the internet ‘earn back our trust’. Sophie explores how advances in identity, privacy, consent, security technologies are the essence of this next generation of the internet. She explores the opportunities presented by autonomous companies, or avatar commerce, made possible by new internet architectures.

    She looks beyond the hype to think critically how these new – distributed – technologies can provide business value.

Sophie Hackford Videos

  • Regulators have got to act on A.I. now, futurist says
    Sophie Hackford, a futurist specializing in data and artificial intelligence, said it's important to avoid creating a world in which humans are...
  • How will space tech change our lives? Futurist Sophie Hackford ...
    Sophie Hackford's talk from our 2020 How To Change The World Conference is sure to inspire you to look up at the stars and wonder if humans ...
  • Pictet Meets Sophie Hackford
    Why should we keep our eyes on the stars? In this episode, Luciano Diana interviews Sophie Hackford to explore why the future of space technology...

FAQs on booking Sophie Hackford

  • How do I book Sophie Hackford to speak at my event?

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  • What are the speaker fees for Sophie Hackford

    Speaking fees for Sophie Hackford, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Sophie Hackford are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Sophie Hackford, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Sophie Hackford speak about?

    Sophie Hackford is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Agriculture, Blockchain, Climate Change, Environmental Science, Female Leadership, Finance, Futurism, Women in Tech.
  • Where does Sophie Hackford travel from?

    Sophie Hackford generally travels from UK, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Sophie Hackford for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Sophie Hackford for your next private or corporate function.
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Sophie Hackford is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as The World as a Computer, Metaverse and Digital Twins, Data and AI and Web3. The estimated speaking fee range to book Sophie Hackford for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Sophie Hackford generally travels from UK and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Amber Case, Merve Unuvar, Aprille Ericsson, Carol Reiley and Allie K. Miller. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Sophie Hackford for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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