Ayah Bdeir is an entrepreneur, technology leader and public speaker who has dedicated her career to breaking down barriers between people and technology, first in hardware, then in education, and now in AI.

She is currently CEO of Current AI, a $400M+ first-of-its-kind partnership bringing together governments, foundations, and the private sector, structured to prove that public interest AI can exist at scale.

For the past 15 years, Bdeir’s work has centred around using technology to empower people to become changemakers, with a particular focus on underrepresented communities. Prior to joining Current AI, she led Mozilla’s AI strategy and worked across Mozilla (Mozilla Foundation, Mozilla Corporation, Mozilla Ventures, and Mozilla AI) to drive industry-defining collaborations towards open and trustworthy AI.

Bdeir started her career in tech as founder and CEO of littleBits, the electronic building block that transformed STEAM education for millions of kids around the world. Under her leadership, littleBits generated over $150 million in lifetime revenue, won over 100 awards, including Toy of the Year, was used in 20,000 schools, and partnered with Disney, NASA and KORG. littleBits was acquired by Sphero in 2019.

Bdeir was named one of BBC’s 100 Most Influential Women, was featured on 60 Minutes, and has appeared on the covers of The New York Times Magazine, WIRED and the Wall Street Journal. Her inventions are included in the permanent collection of The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and she holds over a dozen patents.

Bdeir graduated from the MIT Media Lab and the American University of Beirut. She was a TED Fellow and serves on the board of the Fund for Public Schools, supporting NYC’s 1,800 public schools.

At home in New York City, her 4 year old son makes her regret spending a decade advocating for kids to be mischievous.