Verity harding
About
Verity Harding is a globally recognised leader at the intersection of technology, politics and public policy. She is Founder of Formation Advisory Ltd, a bespoke technology consultancy firm, and Director of the AI & Geopolitics Project at Cambridge University's Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Her debut book ‘AI Needs You’ was published by Princeton University Press in March 2024."Few people understand the intersection between emerging technology and democracy better than Verity Harding."
- TIME"Few have had the chance to think longer and harder about AI's impact on society than Verity Harding"
- POLITICO
The technology, policy and ethical landscape of AI has transformed over the past few years and Verity's work has played a significant role in that. I have worked with her on two of the formative institutions she co-founded - the Partnership on AI and DeepMind Ethics & Society - where her exceptional intellect, judgement and foresight combined with leadership and communication skills helped bring intangible concepts to life. She is an important and much-needed leader in the field of technology and society today.
- James Manyika SVP, Tech & Society Google-Alphabet
Verity playing a vital role in the creation and launch of the Partnership on AI. She brought sharp insight, community-building expertise and deep passion about harnessing AI to benefit people and society. I greatly admire her intellect and energy.
- Eric Horvitz, Chief Scientific Officer at Microsoft
"AI Needs You"
“A must-read for anyone who wants to understand the defining technology of our era, from a unique author who has had a front row seat in AI’s development.”
Katie Prescott, technology business editor, The Times
media
TIME Magazine 100 Most Influential People in AI - Profile and interview
Can the AI future work for everyone? - Financial Times Review
What the Cold War space race can teach us about AI - Financial Times Opinion
What are the geopolitical implications of AI? - interview, AI@Cambridge
What the Beatles Can Teach Us About AI - Cambridge University
Contact
BIO
One of TIME magazine's 100 Most Influential People in AI, Harding has been at the centre of the debate on technology and politics for over a decade, from Downing Street to Davos, the G7 to Google. She began her career as a political adviser to the then-Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Sir Nick Clegg. While working for His Majesty's Government she helped to enact the country's first equal marriage act, while also advising on matters of national security and human rights.Harding joined Google in 2013, leading security policy in Europe and covering serious issues from the use of YouTube by terrorist groups like ISIS to the campaign's of the Reform Government Surveillance coalition, which brought about reform in lawful data-sharing between US and UK law enforcement. From 2016, as DeepMind's first Global Head of Policy, Harding co-founded the independent non-profit organisation the Partnership on AI, as well as the DeepMind's in-house policy, ethics and social science research teams. She also served on the OECD's Network of AI Experts, which produced the first set of AI Principles signed by the G20. In her spare time, Harding serves on the Cabinet Office Digital Advisory Board, a group of independent experts recruited to provide insight on digital, data, and technology to the UK government. She is also a Director of the Royal Academy of Arts and Chair of the Board for Girls Who Code UK.