Episode 132: Understanding Emotion with AI, with Rana el Kaliouby

Imagine a future where our technology interacts with us the same way we do with one another through conversation, perception and empathy. Dr. Rana el Kaliouby is our guest on this episode of the Georgian Impact Podcast. She is the CEO and Co-founder of Affectiva, a pioneer in the field of Emotion AI and Human Perception AI and author of the book Girl Decoded.

You’ll Hear About:

• Her journey to humanize technology starting from The American University in Cairo, to Cambridge and then MIT.
• How her life experiences helped to influence and inspire her vision for technology.
• Her transition from working with people with autism to commercial uses of her techniques.
• The challenge of turning down opportunities in order to stay true to established core values.
• The importance of diversity in not just your team, but also in the data.
• Work-life balance and making mental health a priority.

Who is Rana el Kaliouby?

Rana is co-founder and CEO of Affectiva. Having defined the category of Emotion AI, Rana is now pioneering Human Perception AI: technology that can understand all things human.  A passionate advocate for innovation, ethics in AI and diversity, Rana has been recognized on Fortune’s 40 Under 40 and Forbes America’s Top 50 Women in Tech. Rana is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.  She holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge and a Post Doctorate at MIT.

You might also want to check out:

• Affectiva’s website.
• Rana’s book, Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology.
• Rana’s TED talk.