Priya Lakhani

CEO of Century Tech, Renowned Entrepreneur, AI Expert & Advocate for Innovation in Education & Business

Priya Lakhani

CEO of Century Tech, Renowned Entrepreneur, AI Expert & Advocate for Innovation in Education & Business

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Biography

Priya Lakhani OBE is a renowned entrepreneur, AI expert, and advocate for innovation in business and education. As the founder and CEO of CENTURY Tech, she has revolutionized learning through artificial intelligence, helping schools and organizations worldwide enhance teaching and training. A passionate keynote speaker, Priya shares insights on AI, leadership, and the future of work, drawing from her experience as a successful business leader and government advisor. Her dynamic and inspiring talks empower audiences to embrace technology and drive meaningful change.

In 2008, Priya left her career as a barrister to launch a successful FMCG business, which through its charitable foundation provided millions of meals and thousands of vaccinations to the underprivileged in India and Africa.

She was appointed to the UK government’s AI Council in 2019 and co-founded the Institute for Ethical AI for the education sector. Between 2021 and 2023, Priya was appointed as Non-Executive Board Member to the UK Government Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS), with specific focus on online safety and technology. In 2023 she was an advisor to Patrick Vallance for his Pro-innovation Regulation of Technologies Review and currently advises the government as a member of the Prime Minister’s Council of Science and Technology.

Most recently, Priya was selected by the World Economic Forum as a Tech Pioneer for her pioneering AI work at CENTURY and has received a number of prestigious awards including the MIT SOLVE award (2018), the National Economic Innovator of the Year by The Spectator (2019), The Mayor’s Fund Special Recognition Award (2016) and Business Entrepreneur of the Year by the Chancellor of the Exchequer (2009). Priya has also received investment and a grant from MIT to develop cutting edge AI technology for education.

Priya holds numerous trustee and non-executive posts, and was awarded an OBE in 2014. She is an Honorary Vice President of the Council of British International Schools and in 2020 she received an honorary doctorate from Coventry University’s engineering faculty. She is co-host of BBC News’s flagship AI programme, AI Decoded on The Context, with Christian Fraser.

Speech Topics

The 13%: Entrepreneurial Mindset in Corporate Environments

This inspirational keynote draws from real-world entrepreneurial experience to explore what it takes to lead with vision and resilience. Designed for executives and intrapreneurs within large organisations, this talk explores:

The mindset and principles behind high-growth entrepreneurship and high performance
Purpose-driven leadership and aligning personal values with business impact
Overcoming systemic and cultural obstacles to innovation
How to foster entrepreneurial thinking within corporate structures
Navigating ambiguity and staying agile in high-pressure environments

Disruption, Innovation & Building a Culture that Thrives on Change

This session provides a compelling framework for understanding technological disruption and fostering innovation at scale. It covers:

Identifying opportunities in disruption: Product and business model innovation
Case studies of corporate reinvention and innovation-led growth
Embedding innovation into daily operations, KPIs, and team incentives
Change management in digital transformation initiatives
Encouraging experimentation, cross-functional collaboration and a roadmap for innovation

Artificial Intelligence: Opportunity, Disruption & Strategy

This keynote demystifies AI and provides enterprise leaders with a strategic overview of what AI means today and what it could mean tomorrow. Key topics include:

Horizon scanning: Where AI is headed in the next 3–5 years

Practical use cases across functions: From productivity and automation to personalization and forecasting
Implementing AI: Strategic frameworks, opportunity areas, and risks
Creating a responsible AI strategy aligned with business priorities
Navigating the AI ecosystem: Regulation, geopolitics, ethics, and security

Sector-Specific AI: Insights & Strategic Applications

Drawing on broad cross-sector experience, this session translates AI strategy and implementation into relevant insights for specific industries, including but not limited to:

AI in financial services, asset management, and pensions
AI in retail: Personalization, demand forecasting, and customer experience
AI in media and news: Content curation, trust, and misinformation
AI in education: Adaptive learning, predictive student analytics, and digital tools
AI in travel, logistics, project management, and beyond

Each version is adapted to the audience's industry and maturity level, highlighting risks, opportunities, and use-case examples.

HI, AI & the Future of Work and Skills

This talk addresses the changing relationship between human and artificial intelligence, with a focus on the future of skills and talent development. Key discussion areas include:

Human-AI collaboration: Augmenting intelligence rather than replacing it
Skills of the future: Critical thinking, data literacy, adaptability, and creativity
Evolving roles in leadership, operations, and technical teams
Reimagining corporate learning and development in the AI era
Implications for hiring, upskilling, and employee experience

The Future of Truth: AI, Attention & the Ethics of Influence

As generative AI reshapes content creation and persuasive technology influences behaviour at scale, this talk explores:

The psychology of algorithms: Attention, addiction, and digital autonomy
AI and misinformation: The future of media, elections, and public trust
Personal data, deepfakes, and algorithmic manipulation
How enterprises can lead on ethical AI and protect information integrity
Strategies to empower employees and customers with media literacy

AI Strategy Workshop (With Foundational Keynote)

This hands-on workshop is designed to equip cross-functional teams with a structured approach to building a practical, scalable AI strategy. Delivered as a half- or full-day session, it includes: