Artist, Filmmaker & Creative Technologist; Pioneer in AI-Driven Music; Co-Director of "I Am Human"
Taryn Southern Biography
Taryn Southern is an artist, filmmaker, and creative technologist recognized for her contributions to entertainment and emerging technology. Southern began her career in entertainment as a semi-finalist on American Idol at age 17. After earning degrees in journalism and anthropology from the University of Miami, she transitioned to digital media, producing more than 1,500 internet videos over a decade and accumulating over 750 million views, establishing a significant presence in online content creation.
Southern sold a musical comedy pilot to MTV, co-hosted Discovery Channel's top late night show, guest-starred on primetime network television, and developed digital series for major brands. She also appeared on shows such as "New Girl," "Rules of Engagement," and "The League," and hosted specials including The American Music Awards Live, The Grammy's Red Carpet Live, and The X Factor Pre-Show.
Southern became the first solo artist to release a pop album composed and produced with artificial intelligence, advancing the integration of AI in music production. The album, "I AM AI," featured collaborations with AI software such as Amper Music, IBM's Watson Beat, Google's NSynth, and AIVA. Southern directed the AI software with creative input, arranged the resulting music, and wrote lyrics and vocal melodies. The debut song, "Break Free," reached the Top 100 radio charts and was streamed more than 10 million times. The single "Life Support" was nominated for a Streamy Award for Best Immersive Video for its integration of virtual reality with 2D video. The album received coverage from major media outlets and contributed to discussions about human-AI creative collaboration.
Southern expanded into documentary filmmaking by co-directing and producing the feature documentary "I AM HUMAN," which examines the co-evolution of the human brain and technology and follows three individuals with implantable brain-computer interfaces. "I AM HUMAN" received multiple awards, including Best of the Fest at El Dorado Film Festival, Audience Choice for Best Feature at Eastern Oregon Film Festival, Outstanding First Feature at Tallgrass Film Festival, Best Feature at Other Worlds Austin, and Best Director at Oslo Film Festival. Southern also created a Google VR series that combined virtual reality, blockchain, AI, and spatial computing, earning the AT&T Film Award.
As Chief Storyteller at an implantable neurotechnology company, Southern launched the first brain-computer interface museum and managed communications strategy for two funding rounds totaling over $230 million. She is a frequent keynote speaker on creativity and AI, presenting at organizations such as Deloitte, Google, Gartner, YouTube, and Salesforce, and at conferences including SXSW, The World AI Summit, VidCon, the New York Times Future of Work, Web Summit, The Next Web, and Near Future Festival. A three-time Streamy Awards nominee and AT&T Film Award recipient, Southern's work has been featured in Vanity Fair, Billboard, Fast Company, Wired, Forbes, Psychology Today, and Harvard Business Review. Her career spans viral YouTube content, AI-driven music, and neurotechnology storytelling, positioning her as a leading voice at the intersection of human creativity and emerging technology.
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Taryn Southern Speaking Topics
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When Things Go South: Finding Resilience in the Face of Extreme Uncertainty
A pioneering storyteller, anthropoligst and artist, Taryn Southern’s work has long explored the intersection of science, technology and human potential. Then in 2019, Taryn’s optimistic mindset was suddenly shattered after a series of unexpected life events: a stage 3 cancer diagnosis, a breakup turned legal battle, the loss of her home, and a burglary that leaves her with little more than a suitcase of clothes.
Caught between the slippery wheels of life-threatening disease and soul-crushing depression, Taryn embarked on an east-meets-west search for healing that took her to the outer edges of science and spirituality: from breathwork practitioners in Northern California to electrifying healers in Bali. Between one stomach-churning medicine – chemotherapy – to another
• ayahuasca, an unexpected vision for healing emerges: one that finds room for humor, pragmatism and magical thinking.
Now Chief Storytelling Officer at a leading neurotechnology company, Southern works at the bleeding edge of science. In this session, she shares the story of her unexpected pilgrimage, and how takeaways in ancient wisdom and modern neurotech can help you find resilience and possibility in the face of extreme uncertainty.
Takeaways:
- How you can use insights from neuroscience to reduce stress & enhance motivation and resilience
- Navigate uncertainty and fear with resilience
- Why inner work must translate to the outside world
- Why sharing your story is critical for wellbeing
- Transform pain into purpose
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Collaborating with Robots: Using AI to Enhance Creativity
Pioneering content creator and award-winning AI artist, Taryn Southern, has used AI to compose the world’s first solo pop album, craft art using her brain scans, and make a video clone of herself. In this session, Taryn shares how anyone can use AI to expand their creative efforts
• to create art, direct video, compose music, and improve storytelling.
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Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Taryn Southern 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 Taryn Southern, 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 Taryn Southern or any other speaker of your choice. -
What are the speaker fees for Taryn Southern
Speaking fees for Taryn Southern, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Taryn Southern are available upon request for live events and available upon request for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Taryn Southern, 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 Taryn Southern speak about?
Taryn Southern is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Actor, Artificial Intelligence, Cancer, Cancer Survivors, E-Commerce, Entertainment, Female Leadership, Futurism, Music, Science, Social Media, Storytelling, Technology, Women in Business, Women in Tech -
Where does Taryn Southern travel from?
Taryn Southern generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, 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 Taryn Southern’s agent?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Taryn Southern 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 Taryn Southern for your next private or corporate function. -
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Taryn Southern is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as When Things Go South: Finding Resilience in the Face of Extreme Uncertainty, Collaborating with Robots: Using AI to Enhance Creativity, The Future Is Exactly What You *Think*, No Limits: Transform Your Life with Generative AI, Bold Storytelling with AI Technologies and The World’s First Superhumans. The estimated speaking fee range to book Taryn Southern for your event is available upon request. Taryn Southern generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Allie K. Miller, Zack Kass, Karen Palmer, Joanna Peña-Bickley and Cassie Kozyrkov. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Taryn Southern for an upcoming live or virtual event.
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