We are living in an age of breakthroughs, with technologies once the realm of science fiction now becoming reality. From robot assistants to gene editing to brain implants, Taylor Owen is one of the world’s leading experts on how artificial intelligence and digital platforms are reshaping democracy, information, and society. His far-reaching, thought-provoking keynotes draw on his work with global AI developers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers, as well as his hands-on experience shaping national regulation, to explore what the AI revolution means for your organization and society at large. He leaves audiences with actionable insights and strategies to better navigate the opportunities and risks ahead in our digital future.
The founding director of the Centre for Media, Technology, and Democracy at McGill University’s Max Bell School of Public Policy, Owen is currently the Beaverbrook Chair in Media, Ethics and Communications, Principal Investigator of The Media Ecosystem Observatory, and a Senior Fellow at the Public Policy Forum and the Centre for International Governance Innovation. He also hosts the Globe and Mail‘s influential Machines Like Us podcast, where he sits down in conversation with the architects of our digital future.
Owen is the author of several books including Disruptive Power: The Crisis of the State in the Digital Age (Oxford University Press) and co-editor of Journalism After Snowden (Columbia University Press). His forthcoming book, Journalism After Platforms will be published by Yale University Press in 2025. Owen’s research and policy recommendations have helped shape legislation in Canada, Europe, and beyond, with his expertise regularly sought by parliaments, regulatory bodies, and international organizations grappling with technology governance challenges.
Prior to this, Owen was the research director of Columbia University’s Tow Center for Digital Journalism and a professor at the University of British Columbia. He earned his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Trudeau Scholar. He was also a Banting scholar and named the 2016 Public Policy Forum Emerging Leader. As a keynote speaker, Owen’s talks weave original datasets and peer-reviewed findings into clear, memorable stories, and his years of podcast hosting ensure complex ideas land with any audience.
