Ricardo Hausmann
Rafik Hariri Professor, Harvard Kennedy School | Founder & Director, Harvard Growth Lab | Pioneer of Economic Complexity & Powershoring
Mo Gawdat
Former Chief Business Officer, Google X | International Bestselling Author: Scary Smart, Solve for Happy & Unstressable | AI Visionary & Serial Entrepreneur
Few leaders have shaped the future as directly as Mo Gawdat. As Chief Business Officer of Google X, he built business strategies for the self-driving car and other moonshot technologies. Now, as a bestselling author and global AI thought leader, he's preparing humanity for the inevitable arrival of superintelligent machines—and the choices we must make to ensure we thrive alongside them.
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Mo Gawdat biography
Mo Gawdat is a technology pioneer, serial entrepreneur, and internationally bestselling author whose work bridges artificial intelligence, innovation, and human flourishing. As former Chief Business Officer at Google X—the company’s moonshot division responsible for the self-driving car, Project Loon, and other breakthrough technologies—he developed business strategies for innovations decades ahead of their time. Today, he is one of the world’s most sought-after speakers on AI, happiness, and the future of humanity.
A graduate of Cairo University with degrees in engineering, Gawdat built a distinguished career at IBM, NCR, and Microsoft before joining Google as Vice President of Emerging Markets. Over six years, he launched nearly half of Google’s global operations, focusing not just on market expansion but on genuinely empowering communities through technology. His success led to his appointment as CBO of Google X, where he oversaw business strategy, planning, and strategic partnerships for projects designed to deliver radical improvements to the status quo—from high-altitude internet balloons to carbon-fiber wind energy kites.
Beyond his corporate achievements, Gawdat is a prolific entrepreneur who has founded over twenty businesses across multiple sectors and mentors dozens of startups. He also hosts Slo Mo: A Podcast with Mo Gawdat, where he explores technology, happiness, and the human condition with global thought leaders.
From Personal Tragedy to Global Mission
In 2014, Gawdat’s son died from a preventable error during routine surgery—a loss that tested everything he had learned about happiness. Rather than retreat, he channeled his grief into completing Solve for Happy (2017), an international bestseller that applies engineering principles to the pursuit of lasting happiness. The book launched what Gawdat calls his personal moonshot: reaching one billion people with a message of sustainable wellbeing.
His subsequent works have further cemented his influence. Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World (2021) was named one of The Times’ 12 Best Business Books of the Year and offers a sobering yet actionable roadmap for coexisting with superintelligent AI. That Little Voice In Your Head (2022) demystifies the inner workings of the mind, while Unstressable: Dissolve Your Stress Before it Starts (co-authored with psychologist Alice Law) tackles the global stress epidemic with practical, evidence-based tools.
As an AI speaker, Mo Gawdat brings unmatched credibility: he has spent three decades at the forefront of emerging technology, witnessed firsthand how breakthrough innovations are born, and understands both the extraordinary promise and existential risks of artificial intelligence. His keynotes are grounded in insider knowledge, moral clarity, and a relentless focus on what humanity must do—now—to shape a future worth living in.
As a speaker, Mo Gawdat delivers insights few can match. Whether addressing AI governance, organizational innovation, or the neuroscience of happiness, he combines technical depth with profound humanity. Audiences leave not just informed, but equipped with frameworks they can apply immediately—and inspired to think bigger about what’s possible. His message resonates across industries: Google’s innovation factory at Google X succeeded not through chaos or luck, but through disciplined moonshot thinking anyone can learn.
Mo Gawdat Speaking Videos
Mo Gawdat: "Solve for Happy: Engineer Your Path to Joy" | Talks at Google
Mo Gawdat en el Presidents Summit
Mo Gawdat Keynote Topics
Artificial intelligence already surpasses human capabilities in speed, focus, and pattern recognition—but it frequently fails because humans design the flawed algorithms that guide it. Drawing from his tenure at Google X, Mo explains why AI's trajectory toward superintelligence is inevitable, what the risks are if we get it wrong, and what organizations and individuals must do now to shape an AI future worth living in. This keynote offers a rare insider's view of how breakthrough AI technologies are actually built, and a sobering yet actionable roadmap for coexistence.
Mo Gawdat applies his engineering mindset to the question that matters most: how do we find lasting happiness in a world of relentless pressure? Based on his international bestseller Solve for Happy, this keynote dismantles the modern myths about happiness, introduces the 6-7-5 model (six illusions, seven blind spots, five ultimate truths), and provides practical, immediately applicable tools for achieving uninterrupted wellbeing. Audiences leave with clarity on the steps needed to invest in their own happiness and the happiness of their teams.
For the first time in a public forum, Mo shares the principles that made Google X the world's most ambitious innovation factory. This isn't about ping-pong tables or free lunches—it's about process, mindset, and commitment. He explains what worked (and what didn't) in building the self-driving car, Project Loon, and other world-changing technologies, and offers a step-by-step framework for creating cultures of radical innovation within any organization. Audiences walk away understanding that the difference between the most innovative companies and the rest is not resources—it's discipline.
Stress is the defining challenge of modern leadership, yet most approaches treat symptoms rather than root causes. Drawing from Unstressable, Mo combines his engineering background with cutting-edge psychology to decode how stress works in the brain and how leaders can dismantle it before it undermines performance. This keynote provides practical exercises, accessible neuroscience, and a clear framework for building resilience in high-pressure environments. It's particularly valuable for executives, managers, and HR leaders seeking evidence-based strategies for wellbeing at scale.
Technology isn't evolving—it's exploding. Mo Gawdat offers investors an insider's view of the trends most portfolios misunderstand: the shift from incremental to deliberate innovation, the industries AI will transform first, and where the next decade's breakthrough opportunities will emerge. Drawing from his work at Google X and his experience advising startups, he delivers concrete strategies for investing in an era when science fiction becomes market reality faster than ever before. This session has been highly rated by audiences at Citibank, Invesco, and Morgan Stanley.
The target audience for this talk ranges from senior executives to government officials and the general audiences interested in the future of technology.
At the end of this talk the audience will be given a unique, accurate, insider’s view of the incredible wave approaching and will clearly understand the role each of us has to play to ensure our success as it materializes.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Mo Gawdat
Why Mo Gawdat?
Booking Mo Gawdat is a strategic investment in preparing your organization for the AI era. As former Chief Business Officer of Google X and author of Scary Smart, Mo has spent three decades at the frontier of technological innovation—building the self-driving car, advising on superintelligent AI, and launching moonshot projects that redefined entire industries. His keynotes go beyond hype: he delivers actionable frameworks for navigating AI disruption, building cultures of innovation, and leading with humanity in an age of exponential change. Whether your audience consists of C-suite executives, policymakers, or innovation teams, Mo's insights are grounded in real experience from inside the world's most ambitious innovation lab. His message is urgent, practical, and hopeful. Contact Aurum Speakers Bureau to bring Mo Gawdat to your next event.
What is Mo Gawdat's background in AI?
Mo Gawdat spent over a decade at Google, first as Vice President of Emerging Markets (where he launched nearly half of Google's global operations) and then as Chief Business Officer of Google X. Google X is the company's moonshot factory, responsible for breakthrough projects like Waymo (the self-driving car), Project Loon (global internet via high-altitude balloons), and other AI-driven technologies designed to solve humanity's biggest challenges. In this role, Mo oversaw business strategy, partnerships, and commercialization for innovations that required coexistence with increasingly intelligent machines. His 2021 book, Scary Smart, synthesizes these experiences into a roadmap for how humans can thrive alongside superintelligent AI. The Times named it one of the best business books of the year. Mo's perspective is informed not by theory, but by years of building the future from the inside.
What is Solve for Happy about?
Solve for Happy is Mo Gawdat's 2017 international bestseller that applies engineering principles to the pursuit of lasting happiness. Drawing on decades of research and personal experience—including the loss of his son in 2014—Mo developed the 6-7-5 model: six illusions we believe about happiness, seven blind spots that distort our thinking, and five ultimate truths that, when understood, unlock sustainable wellbeing. The book challenges the modern myth that happiness comes from external achievements and instead offers a rigorous, repeatable framework for finding joy even in the harshest circumstances. Mo's goal is his personal moonshot: delivering this message to one billion people. The book has resonated globally, particularly with audiences seeking practical, evidence-based approaches to mental wellbeing in high-pressure environments.
What topics does AI speaker Mo Gawdat cover?
Mo Gawdat's keynotes span artificial intelligence, innovation, and human flourishing. He covers how to coexist with superintelligent AI, why most organizations misunderstand innovation at scale, Google X's principles of moonshot thinking, the neuroscience of happiness and stress management, and how to build cultures where both creativity and performance thrive. His talks are grounded in insider knowledge from Google X, informed by his bestselling books (Scary Smart, Solve for Happy, Unstressable), and designed for senior audiences navigating complexity. Whether addressing technology strategy, organizational transformation, or leadership in the age of AI, Mo delivers frameworks that audiences can implement immediately. To book Mo Gawdat for your event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Mo Gawdat as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Mo Gawdat as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Mo Gawdat'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 Mo Gawdat or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Mo Gawdat speaking fee?
Mo Gawdat 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 Mo Gawdat 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 Mo Gawdat.
How can I contact Mo Gawdat?
We only work with Mo Gawdat on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Mo Gawdat and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Mo Gawdat 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 Mo Gawdat for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Mo Gawdat for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Mo Gawdat is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Mo Gawdat for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
