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
Ken Goldberg
National Academy of Engineering Member | UC Berkeley Professor & AUTOLab Director | Roboticist, Artist & Ambi Robotics Co-Founder | AI & Robotics Expert
Ken Goldberg is one of the world's foremost roboticists, a UC Berkeley professor and exhibited artist who has spent three decades teaching machines to grasp, manipulate, and work alongside people. Newly elected to the National Academy of Engineering, he directs Berkeley's AUTOLab and co-founded Ambi Robotics, whose robots have sorted over 100 million packages. On stage, he cuts through AI hype, showing leaders why robots still lag behind chatbots.
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Ken Goldberg biography
Ken Goldberg is an award-winning roboticist, artist, and UC Berkeley professor whose work sits where engineering meets art and the human questions raised by intelligent machines. Robotics speaker Ken Goldberg directs Berkeley’s renowned AUTOLab and was recently elected to the National Academy of Engineering, capping a career that has earned him more than ten U.S. patents and over 300 peer-reviewed papers. His ideas reach far beyond the lab: he has galvanized audiences at the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival, TED, and SXSW.
At the AUTOLab, Goldberg and his students pioneer methods that blend classical geometry and motion planning with modern deep learning, building robots that can reliably pick up and handle the messy, unpredictable objects of the real world. His robots have worked in surgical theaters, on assembly lines, and across precision-planted farmland. He developed the first complete algorithm for part-feeding on assembly lines, served as founding editor-in-chief of the IEEE Transactions on Automation Science and Engineering, and co-founded the Berkeley Center for New Media, the African Robotics Network, and the package-sorting company Ambi Robotics.
Closing Robotics’ 100,000-Year Data Gap
Goldberg has become one of the clearest voices explaining why robots have not advanced as quickly as AI chatbots. The reason, he argues, is a vast data gap: training today’s large language models drew on roughly the equivalent of 100,000 years of text, while the largest robot datasets amount to barely a year of hands-on experience. At Ambi Robotics, his approach lets working robots gather their own data while doing useful jobs, and the company’s machines have already sorted more than 100 million packages. He makes the case that good old-fashioned engineering, combined with machine learning, is the surest path to capable and trustworthy robots, and he rejects science-fiction fears of a coming “Singularity” in favor of what he calls “Multiplicity”: diverse groups of people working alongside diverse groups of machines.
As a speaker, Ken Goldberg gives audiences something rare: a grounded, often witty view of automation from someone actually building it, paired with the eye of an exhibited artist whose work has appeared in the Whitney Biennial and dozens of other shows. Whether he is demystifying the future of AI, drawing out what robots can teach us about being human, or mapping where automation will reshape industries, he leaves leaders better equipped to tell real progress from hype. Explore more on his UC Berkeley faculty page.
Ken Goldberg Speaking Videos
Ken Goldberg at the World Economic Forum – CLOUD ROBOTS
Ken Goldberg at TEDx - Are AI and Robots a Threat.. or an Opportunity?
Ken Goldberg Keynote Topics
Headlines warn that AI and robots will replace drivers, doctors, and lawyers, and that a 'Singularity' is near. Drawing on his own research and a global study, Ken Goldberg offers a more grounded and more useful picture. He introduces 'Multiplicity,' his framework for diverse groups of people working together with diverse groups of machines to solve problems neither could tackle alone, and shows leaders how automation can expand human capability rather than erase it.
Deep learning has transformed how machines perceive and act, yet robots still struggle with tasks a toddler finds easy. Goldberg explains what modern learning methods make possible in robotics today, from warehouse picking to surgical assistance, and where they fall short. He shares lessons from the AUTOLab and Ambi Robotics on combining data-driven learning with classical engineering to build systems that work reliably outside the laboratory.
What should leaders actually expect from AI and robotics in the coming years? Goldberg cuts through the noise with a clear-eyed assessment of the field's trajectory, including his widely discussed '100,000-year data gap' that explains why robots advance more slowly than chatbots. He maps the implications for healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, and beyond, and the strategic choices organizations face as automation matures.
After decades building machines, Goldberg has learned as much about people as about robots. In this thought-provoking talk he draws surprising lessons about human bias, empathy, creativity, and trust from the effort to replicate them in machines. Blending science and art, it is an accessible and memorable keynote for audiences curious about technology and what it reveals about our own humanity.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Ken Goldberg
Why Ken Goldberg?
Ken Goldberg is that rare keynote speaker who is genuinely building the future he describes. As director of UC Berkeley's AUTOLab, a newly elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, and co-founder of Ambi Robotics, he speaks about AI and automation with the authority of someone whose robots sort millions of real packages and assist in real operating rooms. He is also an exhibited artist, which gives his talks a creative, deeply human dimension that pure technologists rarely match. Audiences leave able to separate real progress from hype, with practical frameworks like 'Multiplicity' for putting people and machines to work together. Book Ken Goldberg through Aurum Speakers Bureau for your next technology, innovation, or leadership event.
What is the '100,000-year data gap' in robotics?
The '100,000-year data gap' is Ken Goldberg's way of explaining why robots are improving more slowly than AI chatbots. Today's large language models were trained on text equivalent to roughly 100,000 years of human reading, while the largest robot training datasets represent only about a year of real-world experience. Because physical skills cannot be scraped from the internet, robots lack the enormous data that powers language AI. Goldberg argues that combining traditional engineering with machine learning, and letting working robots collect data as they perform useful tasks, is the most realistic way to close that gap.
What is 'Multiplicity' in Ken Goldberg's work?
Multiplicity is Ken Goldberg's alternative to the popular but misleading idea of a technological 'Singularity.' Instead of a single superintelligence surpassing humans, he describes a future of Multiplicity, in which diverse groups of people collaborate with diverse groups of machines to achieve outcomes neither could reach alone. The concept reframes automation as a way to amplify human capability rather than replace workers, and it has become a central theme in his research and keynotes on the future of work.
What makes Ken Goldberg a sought-after AI and robotics keynote speaker?
Goldberg combines top-tier scientific credibility with a gift for making complex technology vivid and relevant. He has spoken at the World Economic Forum, the Aspen Ideas Festival, TED, and SXSW, and he advises and founds companies at the frontier of automation, so his insights are current and grounded in practice. He tailors each keynote to the audience, connecting robotics and AI to the specific challenges facing healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, or technology organizations. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Ken Goldberg to your stage.
How to book Ken Goldberg as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Ken Goldberg as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Ken Goldberg'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 Ken Goldberg or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Ken Goldberg speaking fee?
Ken Goldberg 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 Ken Goldberg 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 Ken Goldberg.
How can I contact Ken Goldberg?
We only work with Ken Goldberg on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Ken Goldberg and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Ken Goldberg 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 Ken Goldberg for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Ken Goldberg for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Ken Goldberg is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Ken Goldberg for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
