Former Google executive, engineer, and serial entrepreneur Ron Bodkin, a specialist in responsible AI, has been appointed Engineering Lead at Schwartz Reisman, and VP of AI Engineering and CIO at the Vector Institute.

Ron Bodkin has spent the majority of his professional life in the United States, most recently as Technical Director for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Google’s Cloud CTO office in Silicon Valley, where he led strategic initiatives working with Google Cloud’s customers and partners, and worked with product teams on explainable AI and fairness capabilities in Google Cloud products.

Bodkin now returns to Canada to take the helm of the Vector Institute’s AI engineering team, and to adopt the role of Engineering Lead at Schwartz Reisman.

Vector’s AI engineering team, in collaboration with Schwartz Reisman, will focus on developing technology and frameworks that build responsible AI into model operationalization and address common challenges organizations face today, including those related to the technical elements of AI fairness and governance. This will support the development of effective practices that enhance trust and avoid negative outcomes in the development and deployment of AI models.

“We are very excited for Ron to be joining our leadership team to drive practical solutions to the challenges and opportunities presented by AI,” says Schwartz Reisman Director Gillian K. Hadfield.

“Our goal at the Institute is to foster new cross-disciplinary research that connects AI researchers to our social scientists and humanists and to do that in way that translates as quickly and effectively as possible to real-world solutions for industry, government, and civil society. Ron will play a pivotal role in making that happen and we are delighted to have him on board to help us make sure AI technologies make everyone better off.”

In addition to his most recent work at Google Cloud, Bodkin is also a serial entrepreneur. He was founding CEO of Think Big Analytics, a company which developed corporate data strategies for clients, and provided integrated machine learning and data engineering services. In 2014, Think Big Analytics was acquired by Teradata, where Bodkin led Think Big as a business unit focused on analytic solutions, deep learning, and GPU compute. He later became Teradata’s Vice President & General Manager of Artificial Intelligence, leading a team with a charter to identify and commercialize machine learning products.

“Given Ron’s experience as an entrepreneur and leader in AI engineering and responsible AI, product development, and strategic partnerships, he is uniquely positioned to drive and advance application and lead our teams,” says Vector President and CEO Garth Gibson. “We are looking forward to welcoming him back to Canada.”

Bodkin’s mix of entrepreneurship, product development, machine learning, and responsible AI experience will augment both Vector’s and Schwartz Reisman’s credentials and capabilities as leading research institutes with a focus on responsible AI application.

Bodkin received his Honours BSc in math and computer science from McGill University in 1991, and obtained an MS in computer science from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1992.