"This recognition serves as a reminder of the formative impact my Purdue education has had on my career. Although it was many years ago and I've had a comparatively unorthodox path to this banquet, it speaks to the School's commitment, throughout its history, to providing a foundation for whatever AAE students want to do or wherever they want to go, either in or beyond the aerospace industry.”
Timothy O’Brien leads Ethical AI Advocacy at Microsoft and is responsible for programs to drive and promote responsible development and use of technology, inclusive of public policy and the ethics of artificial intelligence. As part of this role, O’Brien conducts research focused on tech policy and ethical use of AI.
O’Brien is also a Guest Lecturer at INSEAD, one of the world’s leading business schools, where he speaks on cross-cultural leadership and ethics.
He is a frequent speaker on AI ethics and responsible use of technology, and has been featured in international media, including the Wall Street Journal, MIT Sloan Management Review and NPR.
A career technology evangelist, O’Brien led the Global Communications group for Microsoft, managing communications strategy and operations in over 90 countries around the world, and the Platform Strategy team, where he was responsible for technical evangelism to drive developer adoption of Microsoft platforms and services. Before joining Microsoft in 2003, O’Brien worked as an engineer, a marketer and a consultant at both startups and Fortune 500 companies. He has over 30 years of experience in the tech industry.
He has a BS in Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering from Purdue University, an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management and a Master of Jurisprudence degree from the University of Washington School of Law.