Dame Wendy Hall
Pioneering Computer Scientist & Authority on AI Governance | UN AI Advisory Body & Co-Chair of the UK Government's AI Review | DBE, FRS & Regius Professor at Southampton
Clara Shih
Senior Advisor & Founder, Meta Business AI | Former CEO, Salesforce AI | Founder, New Work Foundation | HubSpot Board Director | TIME100 in AI
Clara Shih is one of the most influential leaders in enterprise AI, the executive who built business AI at both Salesforce and Meta. Former CEO of Salesforce AI, where she launched Agentforce, and founder of Meta's Business AI group serving 200 million businesses, she is now founder of the New Work Foundation and a HubSpot board director. Named to the TIME100 in AI, she gives leaders a pragmatic roadmap for turning AI into real-world value.
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Clara Shih biography
AI speaker Clara Shih is one of the most influential leaders in enterprise AI, the rare executive who has built business AI from the ground up at two of the world’s most important technology companies. She served as CEO of Salesforce AI, where she led the company’s pivot to “AI-first” software and launched Agentforce, redefining how enterprises deploy generative AI, and then founded and led Meta’s Business AI group, building AI agents for the more than 200 million businesses on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram.
A digital pioneer long before this moment, Shih founded and led Hearsay Systems, an AI software company she grew to $70 million in revenue (now part of Yext), and authored the 2009 bestseller The Facebook Era. She has served on the boards of Starbucks, for twelve years, and HubSpot, and been named to the TIME100 in AI, Fortune’s “40 Under 40” and “Most Powerful Women Entrepreneurs,” Fast Company’s “Most Influential People in Technology,” and the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders. She graduated number one in computer science at Stanford and studied at Oxford as a U.S. Marshall Scholar.
From Enterprise AI to the Future of Work
Having shipped some of the most advanced AI agents in the enterprise, Shih now turns her attention to what they mean for people. As founder and executive director of the New Work Foundation, she is dedicated to equipping workers, especially young people, with the skills to thrive in an AI-reshaped economy. Having watched AI agents collapse ten-step processes into minutes, she brings a candid, clear-eyed, and widely cited perspective on the “third wave” of AI, the shift from single-task tools to autonomous agents, and its real impact on jobs, companies, and the economy.
As a speaker, Clara Shih demystifies AI and gives leaders a pragmatic roadmap for moving from experimental pilots to full-scale, real-world value. She speaks on enterprise AI strategy and governance, AI agents and the future of work, board oversight of AI, and building organizations that can adapt at the pace of the technology. Drawing on a career spent at the absolute frontier of applied AI, she delivers a compelling, grounded, and optimistic vision, one that keeps human connection and sustainable growth at the center.
Clara Shih Speaking Videos
Clara Shih Key Note Speaker - ITSEREVE - SYNERGY 2024
How AI Could Radically Change White-Collar Jobs - With Clara Shih
Clara Shih Keynote Topics
Few people have shipped more real-world enterprise AI than Clara Shih, who launched Salesforce’s Agentforce and built Meta’s business AI agents. In this keynote she explains the “third wave” of AI, the shift from single-task tools to autonomous agents that can think, plan, and execute complex business goals, and what it means for every organization. Drawing on frontline experience watching agents transform real workflows, she gives leaders a clear, credible picture of where AI is heading and how to capture its value now.
Most organizations aren’t failing at AI because of the models; they’re failing at organizing teams, data, and execution. Drawing on what works inside large, complex enterprises, Clara Shih distills what separates companies that scale AI for real impact from those stuck in endless pilots. From aligning leadership and building strong data foundations to embedding AI into core workflows and measuring real ROI, she shares seven practical habits for moving from experimentation to impact, and doing it in a way that compounds over time.
AI isn’t simply replacing jobs; it’s reshaping how work gets done, how companies are structured, and how value is distributed. As founder of the New Work Foundation and someone who has seen AI agents collapse multi-step processes into minutes, Clara Shih goes beyond the headlines to examine where automation is already driving change, how roles are evolving, and what it means for growth, skills, and competitiveness. Leaders leave with a clear-eyed plan to redesign work and invest in their people through the transition.
Boards are now expected to oversee AI, but most governance frameworks haven’t caught up. A director at HubSpot and former longtime Starbucks board member, Clara Shih equips directors and executives with a practical approach to AI oversight: the questions to ask, the signals to watch, and how to balance moving fast with managing risk. She helps boards understand where AI will disrupt the business model, how to evaluate management’s strategy, and how strong governance builds the trust that sustains innovation. Essential for directors and senior leaders.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Clara Shih
Why Clara Shih?
Booking Clara Shih brings audiences one of the very few leaders who has actually built enterprise AI at scale, at both Salesforce and Meta, not just commented on it. As the former CEO of Salesforce AI (where she launched Agentforce), the founder of Meta’s business AI group, a HubSpot board director, and a TIME100 in AI honoree, she offers unmatched, frontline credibility on where AI is really heading. Pragmatic and refreshingly candid, she gives leaders a clear roadmap for turning AI from pilots into real value, and a grounded view of its impact on jobs and the economy. She is ideal for events on AI, technology, the future of work, leadership, and governance. To bring Clara Shih to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Who is Clara Shih?
Clara Shih is an American technology executive, entrepreneur, author, and one of the most influential figures in enterprise AI. She founded and led Meta’s Business AI group, building AI agents for the over 200 million businesses on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram, and now serves as a senior advisor to Meta. Previously, she was CEO of Salesforce AI, where she drove the company’s shift to generative AI and launched Agentforce, and CEO of Service Cloud. Earlier, she founded and led Hearsay Systems, an AI software company, and authored the 2009 bestseller The Facebook Era. She is the founder and executive director of the New Work Foundation, a nonprofit focused on preparing workers for an AI-reshaped economy, a board director at HubSpot, and a former Starbucks board member. Named to the TIME100 in AI, she graduated number one in computer science at Stanford and holds a master’s from Oxford, where she studied as a Marshall Scholar.
What is the “third wave” of AI that Clara Shih talks about?
The “third wave” of AI is how Clara Shih frames the current, most consequential shift in artificial intelligence: the move from AI as a set of single-task tools to AI as autonomous “agents” that can think, plan, and execute complex, multi-step business goals on their own. In the earlier waves, AI mostly made predictions or generated content in response to a prompt; a human still had to stitch those outputs into real work. Agentic AI changes that. Shih has had a front-row seat to this transition, having launched Salesforce’s Agentforce and then built Meta’s business AI agents, and she speaks candidly about what she witnessed: agents collapsing ten-step, ten-day processes into minutes, and beginning to match capable employees on real tasks. That experience shapes her “conditional optimism.” She believes agentic AI represents an enormous opportunity for productivity and growth, but she is direct about the disruption it brings to jobs and organizations, which is why she founded the New Work Foundation to help workers adapt. For leaders, her message is practical: understand that this wave is fundamentally different, redesign how your teams and workflows operate around agents, and invest in your people, because the organizations that adapt fastest, while keeping human connection at the center, will be the ones that win.
What topics does AI speaker Clara Shih cover?
Clara Shih speaks on the “third wave” of AI and autonomous agents, scaling enterprise AI (her “7 habits of highly successful enterprise AI”), AI and the future of work, and board oversight and governance of AI. Her keynotes suit events on AI, technology, the future of work, leadership, and corporate governance, for corporate, executive, and board audiences. To book Clara Shih as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Clara Shih as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Clara Shih as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Clara Shih'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 Clara Shih or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Clara Shih speaking fee?
Clara Shih 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 Clara Shih 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 Clara Shih.
How can I contact Clara Shih?
We only work with Clara Shih on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Clara Shih and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Clara Shih 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 Clara Shih for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Clara Shih for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Clara Shih is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Clara Shih for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
