Professor Renée Cummings is an award-winning AI innovator, celebrated for her groundbreaking work in AI and data science ethics, safety, risk management, and competitive vigilance. As the first data activist-in-residence at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Data Science and a Professor of Practice, she leads initiatives at the intersection of equity and innovation. She is a nonresident senior fellow at The Brookings Institution, co-directing its AI Equity Lab, and serves on the World Economic Forum’s Data Equity Council and Global AI Governance Alliance, shaping international standards for ethical AI. 

With a diverse background as a criminologist, criminal psychologist, terrorism expert, and therapeutic jurisprudence and substance abuse rehabilitation specialist, Professor Cummings co-directs UVA’s Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), advancing technology’s role in public good and inspiring the next generation of civic-minded technologists.  

Ranked among the world’s top 100 women in AI ethics, Professor Cummings is a thought leader, mentor, and motivational speaker. She engages diverse audiences, from the U.S. Senate to the Supreme Court of Brazil, transforming complex concepts into actionable strategies with her interdisciplinary and imaginative approach. A masterful storyteller, her work reflects the principles of responsible AI, ethical data science, and the transformative power of creativity, driving global innovation and change. 
 

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