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Liesl Yearsley

Professional Background

Liesl Yearsley is a visionary entrepreneur and accomplished CEO, widely recognized for her groundbreaking contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and technology. As the founder and current CEO of a·kin, Liesl is at the forefront of developing innovative AI helpers for the home, transforming the way we interact with technology in our daily lives. Her career has been marked by remarkable achievements and an unwavering commitment to harnessing the power of technology to improve society.

Prior to her current role, Liesl served as the CEO of Cognea AI, a pioneering company in artificial intelligence that was acquired by IBM. Under her leadership, Cognea AI experienced tremendous growth and played an integral role in the expansion of IBM's Watson division. Liesl guided the company from its inception through to hyper-growth and acquisition, demonstrating her exceptional ability to forge successful paths in the rapidly evolving tech landscape.

Before her tenure at Cognea AI, Liesl was the CEO and founder of Mooter, a search engine company that utilized applied artificial intelligence to enhance predictive search capabilities. Liesl's entrepreneurial spirit propelled Mooter from a concept to a publicly traded entity, winning large contracts and amassing millions of end-users along the way. Her aptitude for recognizing emerging trends and technologies has set her apart as a leader in the industry.

Liesl's illustrious career began with her first venture, Toptots, an educational franchise that she founded to provide high-quality learning opportunities to families across the globe. This venture not only saw significant growth but also created a positive impact in the community by training over 24,000 children in Africa and beyond. The company successfully shifted to an online model, showcasing Liesl's forward-thinking approach in adapting to societal changes.

Education and Achievements

Liesl's academic background is as impressive as her professional accomplishments. She has pursued various studies, including a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at the University of South Africa, and a degree in Medicine (MBBCh) from the University of the Witwatersrand. Her dedication to furthering her expertise led her to study at the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and complete a Graduate Certificate in Venture Development at Griffith University. These educational foundations have equipped Liesl with a well-rounded perspective on the intersection between psychology, technology, and business strategy.

Yearsley has served on several prestigious boards, including a seat on the Technical Advisory Board of the Royal Bank of Scotland Group, where she brought her extensive knowledge in technology and innovation to the financial sector. As a former leader of Watson Life at IBM, Liesl played a pivotal role in guiding the application of AI to improve health and wellness through innovative technology solutions.

Notable Achievements

Liesl’s work in the technology industry has garnered recognition and accolades, particularly for her ability to anticipate and capitalize on major trends. She co-invented a form of 'social graphs' in 2006, a concept that has reached new heights in today's digital age. Her foresight in embracing AI even before it became a mainstream focus distinguishes her as a pioneer in the space.

Her passion for technology and its potential to shape society is evident in her specializations, which include:

  • Growing companies and taking them to new heights.
  • Bringing futuristic ideas to fruition.
  • Inventing novel technological approaches and scaling them globally.
  • Developing effective technologies that are user-friendly and appeal to millions.
  • Navigating complex business strategies and deals in uncharted territories.

Liesl's insightful understanding of the dynamic interplay between technology, society, and the environment has positioned her to make a significant impact through her ventures. She is adept at recognizing large trends and harnessing technology to fundamentally change societal norms and behaviors.

Beyond her professional endeavors, Liesl embraces her work with enthusiasm, describing it as akin to living within a science fiction narrative, where futures are imagined and then brought to life in everyday reality. Her passion for robotics and artificial intelligence, highlighted in her whimsical remarks about wanting to debate Isaac Asimov on the laws of robotics, reveals her deep commitment to exploring the ethical dimensions of technology alongside its capabilities.

Passion for Technology

Liesl's fervor for technology is matched by her commitment to social change, which she actively promotes through her companies and initiatives. By focusing on applications that directly benefit society, she aims to use her skills and knowledge to address pressing challenges facing communities worldwide.

Highlights

Aug 14 · linkedin

AI companies flag risks to make them look like they are responsible, then move right into exploiting it. OpenAI is noting the risk of people forming relationships with AI, but they deliberated launched companion AI with a voice close to Scarlett Johannson's (with Johannson expressly not giving permission) and tweeted about 'Her." Here is the latest example on this, and an article I write around the time I founded Akin in 2018 (one of the very few Public Benefit Ai companies which has remained Public Benefit). Open AI can do something about this right now, but it serves their interests to get people addicted, so their action is to instead vaguely talk about diverse voices in future 5.1 Anthropomorphisation and Emotional Reliance Anthropomorphisation involves attributing human-like behaviours and characteristics to nonhuman entities, such as AI models. This risk may be heightened by the audio capabilities of GPT-4o, which facilitate more human-like interactions with the model. ...Generation of content through a human-like, high-fidelity voice may exacerbate these issues, leading to increasingly miscalibrated trust... we observed users using language that might indicate forming connections with the model. For example, this includes language expressing shared bonds, such as “This is our last day together.” While these instances appear benign, they signal a need for continued investigation into how these effects might manifest over longer periods of time. More diverse user populations, with more varied needs and desires from the model, in addition to independent academic and internal studies, will help us more concretely define this risk area." #aineedsamother #aiforgood

Aug 1 · linkedin

Honored to be speaking soon at the King&Wood Mallesons Digital Future Summit on the Tranformational Imact of AI https://lnkd.in/gswCVAwF?

Topic overview Lee Yearsley, a successful technical founder and CEO of Generative AI companies and leading AI evolutionist will draw on her profound, practical, and current experience to paint a true picture of the impacts and implications of AI for industry and business. Lee will go beyond the common narratives often proffered at the beginning of the technology adoption lifecycle to present a considered, informed analysis of what will really matter for companies in the future. This discussion will include consideration of the factors and dynamics that will play out over the longer term and share insights on the potential opportunities for industry and businesses.

Related Questions

How did Liesl Yearsley develop her expertise in artificial intelligence and technology entrepreneurship?
What inspired Liesl Yearsley to transition from education to technology-focused ventures?
In what ways has Liesl Yearsley's leadership at a·kin influenced the AI helpers she is developing for homes?
How did Liesl Yearsley manage the successful acquisition of Cognea AI by IBM?
What were some of the challenges Liesl Yearsley faced while growing Mooter into a publicly traded company?
Can Liesl Yearsley elaborate on the lessons learned from founding Toptots and impacting over 24,000 children worldwide?
Liesl Yearsley
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Location

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia