Kai-Fu Lee

Kai-Fu Lee is a prominent AI researcher, entrepreneur, and author who has played a central role in advancing artificial intelligence development across Asia and North America. He served as president of Google China (2005–2009), where he led the company's expansion into the Chinese market before departing amid controversy over non-compete agreements. In 2009, he founded Sinovation Ventures, a venture capital firm focused on AI and deep tech investments in China, becoming one of the most influential voices in Chinese AI entrepreneurship.

Lee holds a PhD in computer science from Carnegie Mellon University and has published extensively on machine learning and AI strategy. He is the author of "AI Superpowers" (2018), which argues that the US and China are locked in an AI race with profound geopolitical implications. Beyond venture capital, he has been a vocal public intellectual on AI's societal impact, including concerns about job displacement and the need for responsible AI development.

His career reflects the globalization of tech leadership and the rise of China as an AI powerhouse. Lee has become a bridge figure between Silicon Valley and Beijing, advising policymakers and entrepreneurs on both sides while maintaining a nuanced perspective on AI's risks and opportunities.

Kai-Fu Lee is a computer scientist and venture capitalist who bridged Silicon Valley and China's tech ecosystem. After earning a PhD from Carnegie Mellon and working at Apple and Microsoft, he led Google's expansion into China before founding Sinovation Ventures in 2009. He is a prominent public intellectual on AI strategy and geopolitics, authoring "AI Superpowers" and shaping discourse on US-China AI competition.