Expert on New Technology & Social Media, & How They Shape Culture; Professor & Distinguished Writer in Residence, NYU
Clay Shirky Biography
Clay Shirky is today's leading voice on the social and economic impact of internet technologies. Considered one of the finest thinkers on the Internet revolution, Shirky provides an insightful and optimistic view of networks, social software and technology's effects on society. Writing extensively about the Internet since 1996, he is the author of the best-selling "Here Comes Everybody" (Penguin Books, 2009) and "Cognitive Surplus" (Penguin Press, 2010). In "Here Comes Everybody" - selected by Guardian as one of the 100 greatest non-fiction books of all time - Shirky explores how organizations and industries are being upended by open networks, collaboration, and user appropriation of content production and dissemination. "Cognitive Surplus" reveals how new technology is changing us from consumers to collaborators, unleashing a torrent of creative production that will transform our world.
Shirky holds a joint appointment at New York University (NYU) as an Associate Arts Professor at the Interactive Telecommunications Program (ITP) and Distinguished Writer in Residence in the Journalism Department. He is also a Fellow at the Berkman Center for Internet and Society, and was the Edward R. Murrow Visiting Lecturer at Harvard's Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy in 2010.
Over the years, he has had regular columns in Business 2.0 and FEED, among other publications, and his writings have appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, Wired, Computerworld and Foreign Affairs. In addition to writing, Shirky has a consulting practice focused on the rise of decentralized technologies such as peer-to-peer, web services and wireless networks that provide alternatives to the wired client/server infrastructure that characterizes the Web.
Prior to his appointment at NYU, Shirky was a partner at the Accelerator Group, an international investment company. Shirky was the original Professor of New Media in the Media Studies department at Hunter College, where he created the department’s first undergraduate and graduate offerings in new media and helped design the current MFA in Integrated Media Arts program.
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Clay Shirky Speaking Topics
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Digital Might vs Digital Rights
A harbinger of how the media world is contending with the power of digital manipulation and collaboration may well be seen in the esoteric world of anime, the Japanese animated movies with hardcore fans in the US and Europe. Viewers now translate, sub-title and annotate these films for Western audiences, and curiously: the writers arent paid, no one asked them to do it, and they dont belong to any organization. Clay paints a picture of a future disintermediated media business, where people provision, adapt and reuse the product for themselves. These dislocations will reverberate and reshape the business for many years to come, he contends, with one certainty: the efforts of the entertainment industry to make it harder to find and use its products perversely motivate the digital denizens to upturn these barriers and create out-of-system alternatives.
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Failure for (Near) Free
In the emerging world of web-based collaboration and experimentation, organizations are learning that loosely coordinated groups may be the best way to work on large, complicated undertakings. The open source software industry is the most visible demonstration of this phenomenon, but collaborative networks are changing the face of the media and entertainment, outsourcing, and all technology-based industries. Clay Shirky, a pioneering researcher on collaborative tools, shows how these networks have significant and irreversible advantages over traditional business organizations, and what companies can do to capitalize on them e.g. by lowering to (near) zero the cost of project failure.
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How do I book Clay Shirky to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Clay Shirky for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Clay Shirky, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Clay Shirky or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Clay Shirky
Speaking fees for Clay Shirky, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Clay Shirky are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Clay Shirky, 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 Clay Shirky speak about?
Clay Shirky is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Author, Business, Business Consulting, Business Leadership, Change Management, Civil Rights, College, Creativity, Culture, Disruptive Thinking, Economy, Education, Entrepreneurship, Finance, Futurism, Innovation, Inspirational, Leadership, Marketing, Motivational, Political, Science, Social Activism, Social Entrepreneurship, Social Justice, Social Media, Technology, TED, Thought Leadership -
Where does Clay Shirky travel from?
Clay Shirky generally travels from New York, NY, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent. -
Who is Clay Shirky’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Clay Shirky 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 Clay Shirky for your next private or corporate function. -
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Clay Shirky is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Digital Might vs Digital Rights, Failure for (Near) Free, Here Comes Everybody and Cognitive Surplus: Creativity and Generosity in a Connected Age. The estimated speaking fee range to book Clay Shirky for your event is $30,000 - $50,000. Clay Shirky generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Jimmy Wales, Sir Richard Branson, Jim Carroll, John Legend and Ray Kurzweil. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Clay Shirky for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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