Keynote speaker on AI, Technology and Ethics

Cynthia West, PhD

In 2000, Cynthia West, Ph.D. published Techno-Human Mesh: The Growing Power of Information Technologies, asking the digital elite to slow down and consider the ethical implications of what they were building. As a Silicon Valley entrepreneur, she provided an inside view of the upcoming technologies and potential impacts on our society, culture and politics.

Now, after 25+ years, she acts as a public speaker and workshop leader to get teams to think about the ethics of innovative technology products and services.

Cynthia is an inspirational and thought-provoking speaker for your events, conferences and workshops.

Schedule a Consultation

Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Are you seeking an engaging, thought-provoking speaker for your upcoming event? Get out of the trenches with Dr. West!

Cynthia brings her 30+ years of experience as a tech entrepreneur and co-founder for you audience.

Technology Innovation Workshops

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Need your innovation teams to think about the broader social, cultural, and political impacts of the tech you are building?

Dr. West will run workshops with your teams in product development, marketing, sales to create ethical products.

Bio

Cynthia West, Ph.D., is a leading voice at the intersection of AI, technology, and ethics, known for blending deep philosophical insight with decades of Silicon Valley experience. Her work draws on three rare pillars of expertise:  

Tech industry leadership as a co-founder, executive, and early member of multiple startups.

A Ph.D. in political philosophy focused on how technology reshapes society, culture, politics, and the human body.

Author of Techno‑Human Mesh (Praeger, 2001), a prescient examination of the unintended consequences of emerging technologies.

Dr. West entered the tech world in 1993 as the fifth employee of TestDrive Corporation, a patented “try-before-you-buy” CD-ROM software platform that was acquired by R.R. Donnelley & Sons within 14 months.

She later joined Audio Highway—an early MP3 player and audio-on-demand pioneer with five patents—which reached a peak valuation of $500 million after going public in 1998. 

While building these companies, she completed her Ph.D., using her insider vantage point as the first woman and only female executive in both startups to examine the ethical blind spots she witnessed in real time. Her early concerns about the societal impact of technology proved strikingly accurate, positioning her as one of the earliest critics of the technology industry’s unchecked influence.  

Today, Dr. West brings more than 30 years of tech leadership, four startups, and two successful exits to her work as a speaker and thought leader. As AI accelerates, she challenges audiences to think beyond efficiency, productivity,  and profitability  toward long term moral responsibility, guiding organizations to adopt AI with clarity, foresight, and humanity. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some of your recent talks?

March 20, 2026

Women in Tech Symposium • Quantum eMotion • Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics

December 12, 2025

Student Government • Chapman University • Keynote Speaker

Leadership

June 5, 2025

Chapman University, The Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Business Ethics • Keynote Speaker

30 Second Pitch Workshop

May 6, 2025

Technology Innovation Forum: Women Leaders of Octane • Moderator

Panel: Definitions of Success

April 26, 2025

Chapman University, Collaboration with Wilkinson College • Panelist

Panel: Building the Career You Want

April 19, 2025

SoCal Celebrates Entrepreneurship • Moderator

Panel: Launch Your Startup

February 27, 2025

Chapman University, Collaboration with Fowler Engineering • Moderator

Panel: Jennifer Gill Roberts, Entrepreneur, Technologist, VC

January 28, 2025

Women Rising Leadership Academy • Keynote Speaker

How to Give an Engaging Presentation

January 14, 2025

Exit Hours Entrepreneurs • Keynote Speaker

Sales Processes for Startups

What topics do you speak about?

Will AI Save the World or End It?

Before AI: The Ideas That Made Technology Ethical (or Not)

From Plato to Platforms: The Ethical Roots of Modern Technology

Always On: Living in the Age of Total Surveillance

Always On: Wearables, Biometrics, and the New Human Experience

Exclusion by Design? Inequality in the Digital Era

You’ve Got My Back: Leading with Loyalty

How much do we need to invest to engage you?

Pricing varies based on the specific services, audience size, and location of the event or workshop. I do offer discounted services for non-profits. Please contact me directly for a detailed discussion about pricing tailored to your needs.

What is the best way to contact you for more information?

You can reach out to me through the contact form on this website or you may book a call with my on the booking link below. Let's get the conversation started!

Book time with Cynthia West

Where do you offer your speaking services?

I travel to any location internationally to present at your event. While I can do online sessions, the impact of onsite events and conferences is exponentially greater.

Keynote speaker on AI, Technology and Ethics

Cynthia West, PhD

Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology Innovation Workshops

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Listen to a Speech

What Our Clients Say

Get In Touch with Cynthia West, PhD

Tell Us More About Your Needs

Cynthia West, PhD

Bio

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule Your Consultation with Cynthia West, PhD Today

Why Work With Us

Keynote speaker on AI, Technology and Ethics

Cynthia West, PhD

Artificial Intelligence, Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology Innovation Workshops

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Technology and Ethics Keynote Speaker

Listen to a Speech

What Our Clients Say

Get In Touch with Cynthia West, PhD

Tell Us More About Your Needs

Cynthia West, PhD

Bio

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule Your Consultation with Cynthia West, PhD Today

Why Work With Us

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