Alec Ross
Alec Ross is an American author, entrepreneur, and diplomat who has spent the majority of his career working with the government in roles that promote innovation on a global scale. Ross has written several books, two of which were New York Times bestsellers, sharing his insight and expertise in the areas of the global economy and technology.
Born and raised in rural West Virginia, Ross had a quiet childhood that included helping his coal miner father in the mine and keeping up with the farm animals on the property. Ross attended Columbia University, earning a BA in political science, and decided to pursue a career in public policy. Following his college graduation, Ross went on to obtain a master’s degree in public policy from Oxford University before beginning his career in Washington D.C.
In D.C., Ross joined then-Senator Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign, serving as her senior advisor for innovation. During this time, Ross focused on embracing disruptive technologies and implementing them into the existing infrastructure of democratic and progressive societies. After doing this work under Clinton, Ross worked at the State Department as the senior advisor for innovation to Secretary Clinton. At the State Department, Ross pursued globalization projects to equip citizens of all countries with the tools necessary to take part in digital economies, as well as project incubation that aimed to accelerate digital collaborations.
Not content to only work in public policy and diplomacy, Ross parlayed his experience into the private sector by becoming an entrepreneur and investing in tech startups throughout the world. He formed multiple startups and was a venture capitalist at Kapor Capital.
In addition to his impressive career in the public and private sectors, Ross wrote several books. His first book, “The Industries of the Future” (2016), delves into the potential of emerging technologies, and the impacts these technologies have on the Labor Market, the world economy and international security. In this book, he chronicles his journey from working in the mines of West Virginia to developing disruptive innovation. His other books, “The New Geopolitics of Technology” (2018) and “The Singularity is Coming” (2020) both explore the potential of artificial intelligence and the implications of a world of automation. The themes in his books primarily revolve around using technology for the betterment of people and how problems can be solved with innovative solutions. Thanks to his ability to explore complex topics with a clear narrative style, two of his books became New York Times bestsellers.
In 2020, Ross was named the first Technology Advisor to the Secretary of State and was tasked with advancing the role of technology in foreign service, adopting new tools to travel to remote places, and making sure technology was helping to achieve diplomatic goals.
A passionate and visionary speaker, Ross continues to share his thought leadership and views on the future of disruptive technologies at various events around the world. In addition, he frequently shares practical solutions around digital advancement, education and economic development.
Overall, Alec Ross’s career has spanned from working in the mines of West Virginia,
to imparting his knowledge and expertise on the global stage. He’s used his experience and knowledge to develop solutions and solutions to promote global innovation. His published works are highly acclaimed and serve to inspire the readers who seek to follow in his footsteps.
