David Barnes, PhD
Founder & CEO | Top AI Governance Expert | Author & Public Speaker | Executive Coach
I believe in a collaborative approach to AI transformation and governance, working closely with our clients to understand their unique challenges and provide tailored solutions. Our goal is to ensure that our clients' AI transformation combines advanced governance frameworks and risk management techniques to unlock growth, maximizing their ROI while addressing regulatory complexities.
Brigadier General David Barnes, PhD (US Army, Retired) is a preeminent authority in artificial intelligence (AI), strategic digital transformation, and innovation leadership. With extensive military, academic, and technology experience, David has shaped organizational strategies and technological advancements in defense, healthcare, cybersecurity, and higher education. As the former Chief AI Ethics Officer for the US Army AI Integration Center, Professor-US Military Academy, and Visiting Fellow at Oxford University, David’s work has driven transformative innovation at the intersection of policy, technology, and leadership. He was honored to be named among Forbes' “15 AI Ethics Leaders Showing the World the Way of the Future.”
Currently, as the founder and CEO of Empowering AI, he empowers boards and senior leaders to capitalize on AI-driven opportunities, ensuring they align innovation with strategic objectives and operational excellence.
Author of The Ethics of Military Privatization: The US Armed Contractor Phenomenon and multiple articles on armed conflict and emerging technology, David has been an invited panelist and speaker for over 100 national and international events.