Michael A. Osborne

Michael A. Osborne, an artificial intelligence researcher, is professor of machine learning at the University of Oxford and co-founder and scientific advisor of Mind Foundry.

As early as 2013, he co-authored a highly-cited paper (with economist Dr Carl Frey) that used machine learning to estimate that 47% of US jobs are at risk of being automatable through advances in artificial intelligence and robotics. This work was born of Mike's interests in the practical use of machine learning to enable automation, while ensuring that such advances are made in sympathy with societal needs. Mike's technical expertise in machine learning has been deployed in industrial and scientific applications ranging from battery monitoring, pigeon navigation and self-driving cars.

Alongside Prof Stephen Roberts, Mike is a co-founder and scientific advisor of Mind Foundry, a spin-out from the University of Oxford, that enables anyone, of any technical ability, to solve their business problems using machine learning. Mind Foundry recognizes machine learning's role is to augment human intelligence, not to automate it away.

As co-director of the Oxford Martin Programme on Technology and Employment, Mike's research on the future of work has resulted in both sustained coverage in almost all major media venues (e.g. his being interviewed on BBC Newsnight, a cover feature in the Economist) and policy impact (including presenting oral evidence to the House of Commons Science and Technology Committee).

Osborne has been recruited for paid speaking engagements across the world by policymakers, charities, multinationals, and think tanks. His speaking engagements have covered a wide range of formats: keynotes, fireside chats, panels, academic talks, seminars, etc., with audience sizes ranging from 10-500 people. He has also previously been recruited to serve as a moderator/host.

His ability to speak to diverse ranges of audiences across formats stems from his professional experiences that span both academia and industry. In addition to his academic affiliations, he is a co-Founder of the technology company Mind Foundry, an Oxford University AI spin-out that now employs 76 people.

The research he conducts has a direct impact on the world. For example, his research on the impact of AI on employment has directly informed policy in the UK, Germany, Japan, and the US. One might have come across his work through the sustained media coverage it receives, e.g., appearing on BBC Newsnight, a cover feature in the Economist, etc.