Robert Greene
#1 NY Times Bestselling Author of 'The 48 Laws of Power,' 'Mastery' & 'The Daily Laws' | Strategic Advisor on Power, Influence & Human Behavior
Carissa Véliz
Associate Professor, Oxford Institute for Ethics in AI | Bestselling Author of Privacy Is Power & Prophecy | Herbert A. Simon Award Winner | Privacy & AI Ethics Philosopher
Privacy is not about having something to hide; it is about the power to shape your own life. Carissa Véliz, Associate Professor at Oxford's Institute for Ethics in AI and bestselling author of Privacy Is Power and Prophecy, shows why privacy is foundational to democracy. She challenges the surveillance economy that harvests personal data to manipulate decisions and concentrate power, naming the stakes: weakened democracy, eroded equality, lost autonomy.
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Carissa Véliz biography
Keynote speaker Carissa Véliz is an Associate Professor at the University of Oxford’s Institute for Ethics in AI and a Tutorial Fellow at Hertford College, where she has become one of the world’s leading voices on privacy, surveillance, and the ethics of artificial intelligence. Her work examines how personal data has become a form of power, and why reclaiming privacy is essential to preserving democracy, equality, and individual freedom.
Privacy speaker Carissa Véliz earned international acclaim with her bestselling book Privacy Is Power: Why and How You Should Take Back Control of Your Data, named an Economist Book of the Year. The book argues that personal data should be treated as a toxic asset, akin to asbestos, and makes the case for ending the data economy entirely. Her analysis reveals how companies and governments harvest personal information to influence behavior, shape decisions, and undermine democratic processes, and it has been translated into more than two dozen languages.
In 2026, Véliz published Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI, a sweeping account of how forecasting has always been less about knowing the future than about exercising power over others. She is also the author of The Ethics of Privacy and Surveillance and editor of the Oxford Handbook of Digital Ethics. Her honors include the Herbert A. Simon Award for Outstanding Research in Computing and Philosophy and the Committed Optimists Award, whose previous recipients include Nobel laureate Shirin Ebadi and Noam Chomsky.
A Leading Voice on Digital Ethics
Véliz’s influence extends well beyond academia. She served on the group of experts that drafted Spain’s Digital Rights Charter, has advised the U.S. Congress on technology policy, and sits on the board of the Proton Foundation, which advances privacy-protecting technologies. She is a member of UNESCO’s Women 4 Ethical AI and serves on the advisory board of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. Her work has been featured in more than 300 outlets, including The New York Times, The Guardian, Financial Times, Harvard Business Review, BBC, and Nature, and her TEDx talks on privacy and the power of analog life have reached audiences worldwide.
As a speaker, Carissa Véliz brings philosophical rigor and practical policy expertise to audiences navigating data governance, AI adoption, and digital transformation. She challenges the assumption that technology is neutral or its trajectory inevitable, offering leaders concrete frameworks for building ethical strategies that protect democratic values while enabling innovation. Organizations value her ability to translate complex ideas into actionable guidance for responsible AI, privacy by design, and competitive advantage that does not depend on exploiting personal data.
Carissa Véliz Speaking Videos
How privacy can save your life | Carissa Véliz | TEDxPorto
The power of analogue | Carissa Veliz | TEDxGeneva
Carissa Véliz Keynote Topics
Véliz reveals how privacy underpins democratic society, functioning as the blindfold of justice that ensures equal treatment regardless of personal characteristics. Drawing on her bestseller Privacy Is Power, she shows how mass data collection erodes equality by enabling differential treatment, threatens autonomy through systems that manipulate rather than inform, and weakens democracy by splintering public discourse into personalized realities. Audiences learn why privacy is collective infrastructure rather than individual preference, and what regulatory frameworks can protect it while enabling beneficial innovation.
Véliz argues that personal data should be regulated like a toxic substance and that the trade in personal information should end. She traces how the data economy grew from personalized advertising, why the model produces negative externalities from democratic erosion to inequality, and how organizations can move toward privacy-respecting products and services. Leaders discover why companies that pioneer ethical approaches to data will gain advantage as regulation tightens and consumer awareness grows.
Véliz examines the ethical questions raised by AI development and deployment: how systems trained on improperly acquired data perpetuate injustice, why algorithmic decision-making can reinforce discrimination, and what obligations organizations carry around transparency and accountability. Audiences gain practical frameworks for responsible AI that respects human autonomy, strategies for spotting and mitigating ethical risk, and a clear read on emerging regulatory expectations.
Drawing on her book Prophecy, Véliz traces forecasting from ancient oracles to modern algorithms, arguing that predictions are rarely neutral descriptions of the future and instead become tools that shape it. She shows how predictive analytics can erode accountability, manufacture a false sense of security, and concentrate power, and she offers leaders a sharper way to think about where prediction genuinely helps and where it quietly removes human agency.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Carissa Véliz
Why Carissa Véliz?
Booking Carissa Véliz gives your audience one of the world's most influential thinkers on privacy, data ethics, and artificial intelligence. As Associate Professor at Oxford's Institute for Ethics in AI and author of the Economist Book of the Year Privacy Is Power and the acclaimed Prophecy, she explains how personal data shapes power, threatens democracy, and undermines equality, pairing philosophical depth with practical policy experience advising the U.S. Congress, Spain's Digital Rights Charter, and organizations worldwide. Her presentations equip leaders with frameworks for data governance, responsible AI, and building business models that respect privacy while staying competitive. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Carissa Véliz to your next corporate event, technology summit, or leadership forum.
What is Privacy Is Power about?
Privacy Is Power argues that personal data is a form of power, and that whoever controls data controls society. Véliz shows that when corporations hold vast personal information, wealth concentrates dangerously, and when governments hold too much, societies risk sliding toward authoritarianism. For democracy to function, power must stay with citizens. The book exposes how the data economy emerged, why it threatens freedom, equality, and democracy, and why privacy is a political necessity rather than a personal preference. Named an Economist Book of the Year, it offers practical guidance for individuals and policymakers and calls for ending the trade in personal data.
What is Carissa Véliz's book Prophecy about?
Prophecy: Prediction, Power, and the Fight for the Future, from Ancient Oracles to AI, published in 2026, traces humanity's long reliance on forecasting, from oracles and astrology to today's predictive algorithms. Véliz argues that the central promise of prediction is not knowledge of the future but power over others. She examines how the widespread use of predictive analytics can make systems less accountable, increase risk while creating a false sense of security, and weaken our capacity to defy the odds, offering a framework for using prediction wisely.
What topics does AI ethics speaker Carissa Véliz cover?
Carissa Véliz speaks on privacy as political power, the ethics of AI and data collection, surveillance capitalism and its threats to democracy, digital rights and data governance, the ethics of prediction, and responsible technology implementation. Her keynotes help organizations build ethical AI that respects human dignity, navigate the tension between innovation and privacy, adopt data minimization, and create competitive advantage through ethical practices. She is especially effective for technology conferences, corporate ethics initiatives, policy forums, and board retreats. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to discuss how Carissa Véliz can tailor her message to your organization.
How to book Carissa Véliz as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Carissa Véliz as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Carissa Véliz's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Carissa Véliz or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Carissa Véliz speaking fee?
Carissa Véliz speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Carissa Véliz to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Carissa Véliz.
How can I contact Carissa Véliz?
We only work with Carissa Véliz on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Carissa Véliz and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Carissa Véliz speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Carissa Véliz for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Carissa Véliz for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Carissa Véliz is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Carissa Véliz for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
