Moran Cerf
Professor, Neuroscience & Business, Columbia University, USA Director, Return on AI
Bio
Moran Cerf is a neuroscientist and business professor. He is the director of the lab for advanced technology and human performance at Columbia University and an academic director in executive education. Additionally, he is the Alfred P. Sloan Professor at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AFI).
In his research, Prof. Cerf studies patients undergoing brain surgery with neural implants embedded deep inside their heads. His work addresses questions concerning consciousness, dreams, behavior change, and decision-making. Additionally, his work has paved the way for several key neuroscience disciplines, including advanced brain-machine interfaces, and is at the heart of numerous commercial applications, such as Neuralink.
He is the founder of Return on AI (http://r-o.ai), a professional services organization specializing in the interface of neuroscience and AI.
Recently, he has been involved in implementing key lessons from his studies to help leaders improve critical decision-making protocols (i.e., assisting the U.S. President in devising a nuclear launch protocol).
Previously, he spent a decade working in cybersecurity, as a hacker, and served as a board member of several public companies.
Prof. Cerf. published papers in academic journals (i.e., Nature, Science) and popular science ones (Scientific American, Wired, New Scientist, …). He is a contributor to numerous media outlets (Forbes, Atlantic, BBC, Bloomberg, Time, NYT, New Yorker, …), and his work has been portrayed in venues like CNN, Fox, or Netflix Explained and featured in TV shows such as Bull, Limitless, House, Mr. Robot, and more. His work was recently turned into an Off-Broadway show ("Sans Me").
He has published several books, including the recent graphic novel "Brain Imaging: An Illustrated Guide to the Future of Neuroscience” and "Return on AI", and has made much of his research accessible through public talks at TED, TEDx, DLD, the World Economic Forum, and others - garnering millions of views and a large following.
Prof. Cerf is a four-time US national storytelling champion (The Moth), a recipient of several awards and grants, including the President's Excellence Award, and was named one of the “40 leading professors under 40.”
Personal Quote:
“Neuroscience gives us tools not only to shape technology but to reshape leadership and society itself. - Moran Cerf”