From finance and healthcare to government and academia, a growing cadre of Chief AI Officers (CAIOs) and CISCOs are shaping strategy, driving adoption, and defining the future of AI in the city.
For anyone interested in meeting these trailblazers and hearing firsthand how they are applying AI in real-world scenarios, the AIAI New York on June 04, 2026 is the perfect opportunity to connect with these experts and explore the latest innovations in AI.
Top 5 highlighted applied AI leaders in New York
1. Denis Yarats – Co‑Founder & CTO, Perplexity AI
Denis Yarats is an NYU‑trained computer scientist and one of the driving forces behind Perplexity AI, a rapidly growing intelligent search and generative AI platform.
His research in reinforcement learning and scalable deep learning helped establish his reputation in academic and applied AI communities before he transitioned into AI product leadership.
Yarats’s work bridges cutting‑edge research and real user‑facing systems, showcasing how foundational AI innovation can move from theory to practice.
2. Rob Fergus – NYU AI Research Pioneer
Rob Fergus is a professor at NYU’s Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences and a well‑known figure in the deep learning research world. His contributions to computer vision, convolutional neural networks, and machine learning theory have been widely cited and form part of the foundation of modern AI systems used across industries.
Fergus’s academic leadership has helped elevate New York’s role in AI research.
3. Meredith Whittaker – AI Power & Privacy Advocate
Meredith Whittaker is the president of Signal and a leading voice on the risks and power dynamics of AI. Based in New York, she has been at the forefront of conversations around surveillance, data privacy, and the societal impact of large-scale AI systems.
Her work challenges how AI is built and deployed—making her one of the most influential critics shaping responsible AI today.
4. Dan Huttenlocher – AI Systems & Applied Research Leader
Dan Huttenlocher is the dean of computing at MIT and has deep ties to New York’s tech ecosystem through his leadership at Cornell Tech. His work sits at the intersection of AI systems, academia, and real-world application, helping bridge cutting-edge research with practical deployment across industries.
5. Andrew Kimball – NYC Tech Ecosystem & AI Economy Strategist
As President & CEO of the New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC), Andrew Kimball plays a strategic role in shaping the city’s AI ecosystem, economic policy, and growth initiatives. His work emphasizes AI‑driven industry expansion, infrastructure investment, and talent development, contributing to New York’s standing as a vital hub for innovation.
Other notable AI leaders in New York (6–20)
These leaders hold senior AI or technology roles, and several are confirmed speakers at the AIAI New York Summit (June 04, 2026), where you can hear from them live.
6. Michael Domanic – VP, AI, UserTesting
Leads AI strategy at UserTesting, applying machine learning to enhance user experience and research insights. Featured speaker at CAIO New York
7. Ash Dhupar – Chief Data & Analytics Officer, Analog Devices
Oversees data and AI programs, ensuring analytics strategy drives engineering and operational value. Featured speaker at CISO New York
8. Ravi Sarkar – Enterprise CTO, Technology Strategy, Microsoft
Guides enterprise AI strategy for large clients, including adoption of scalable AI and cloud‑native systems.
9. Frank Indiviglio – Chief Technology Officer, NOAA
Directs AI and data science initiatives for environmental forecasting and modeling systems. Featured speaker at CISO Summit
10. Daniel Gremmell – Chief Data Officer, Zinnia
Leads AI and analytics efforts to transform enterprise data into strategic insights. Featured speaker at CAIO Summit
11. Girish Gajwani – VP, Architect, Securitized Products Technology, Barclays
Drives AI infrastructure for financial products and models in Barclays’ New York office. Featured speaker at CISO Summit
12. Mark Ritzmann – Chief Information Officer, Columbia University
Oversees technology and research computing that supports AI work across the university.
13. Vijay Yadav – CTO & Founding Engineer, Brooklyn Health
Leads technical strategy for AI‑enabled healthcare solutions focused on community impact.
14. Hilary Mason – Applied AI & Data Science Leader
Hilary Mason is a leading figure in applied AI and data science, and co-founder of Fast Forward Labs (acquired by Cloudera). Based in New York, she has spent her career helping enterprises understand and adopt emerging AI technologies.
15. Kuntal Dutta – Global Head of Information Security Data, Analytics & Insights, BNY Mellon
Leads AI‑driven analytics for cybersecurity and risk intelligence at BNY Mellon.
16. Dana Kilcrease – Chief Information Security Officer, Berkeley College
Guides AI governance and data protection strategies in educational technology.
17. Srivatsan Raghavan – Chief Information & Technology Officer, OHLA USA
Oversees AI and analytics integration for large infrastructure and operational systems.
18. Demis Hassabis – AGI Vision & Frontier AI Leader
Demis Hassabis is the CEO of DeepMind and one of the most influential figures in modern AI. While based between London and the U.S., his work has global impact, including strong ties to New York’s AI and enterprise ecosystem.
19. Thomas Wolf – Open-Source AI & Developer Ecosystem Leader
Thomas Wolf is the co-founder of Hugging Face, one of the most important platforms in the AI ecosystem. With a major presence in New York, Hugging Face has become the backbone of open-source AI development.
20. Davood Shamsi – Executive Director, AI/ML, JP Morgan Chase
Leads machine learning applications for predictive modeling and financial decision support. – featured speaker at CAIO Summit
Why these leaders matter
New York’s AI leaders are influencing public policy, advancing healthcare innovation, and driving the next generation of AI research.
From integrating machine learning into complex financial systems to applying predictive analytics for city governance, these executives represent the cutting edge of AI leadership in the city.
Many of them also share their expertise at conferences and industry events, providing invaluable insights into how AI is transforming organizations and society.
Join some of these amazing leaders live at AIAI New York, June 2026
To meet these trailblazers in person and gain exclusive insights into the future of AI, join us at CAIO and CISO Summit New York on June 04, 2026.
This is your chance to connect directly with top AI leaders, hear firsthand about their work, and explore the latest innovations shaping industries across New York.
Join a curated room of 300+ applied AI and security leaders who are actually shipping AI at scale.
This invite-only summit is exclusive to technology leaders, ensuring quality discussion and insight into the exact challenges you face in production.
