Michael Wooldridge is the Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford, where he is a Fellow of Hertford College. He served as Head of Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford from 2014-21 (sabbatical 2018). Before joining Oxford in 2012, he was... Read more
Michael Wooldridge is the Ashall Professor of the Foundations of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Oxford, where he is a Fellow of Hertford College. He served as Head of Department of Computer Science at the University of Oxford from 2014-21 (sabbatical 2018). Before joining Oxford in 2012, he was for 12 years a Professor at the University of Liverpool, where he was Head of Department of Computer Science (2001-05), and then Head of School (= Dean) of Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Computer Science (2007-2011). Wooldridge gained his PhD from the University of Manchester in 1992. Since then, he has published more than 450 scientific articles on AI and related topics, including nine books, which have been translated ten times, into eight different languages. His works have attracted more than 86,000 citations (h-index 104) as of October 2024.
Wooldridge has received international awards for research, education, and scientific leadership. In 2020 he received the Lovelace Medal from the British Computer Society (the UK’s top award for a computer scientist); he received the ACM Autonomous Agents Research Award in 2006, the Patrick Henry Winston Outstanding Educator Award from the Association for Advancement of AI (AAAI) in 2021, and the European Association for AI Distinguished Service Award in 2023. He is an ACM Fellow (2015), a AAAI Fellow (2008), a Fellow of the European Association for AI (2007), and a member of Academia Europaea (2015). In 2024 he received an AI 2050 Senior Fellowship from the Schmidt Sciences Foundation; in 2021 he received a 5-year Turing AI World Leading Researcher Fellowship from UKRI; and in 2011, he was awarded a 5-year ERC Advanced Grant from the EU – the most competitive research fellowships in Europe.
Wooldridge is President Elect of the Association for Advancement of AI (AAAI); he was President of the European Association for AI (EurAI) from 2014-16, President of the International Joint Conference on AI (IJCAI) from 2015-17, and President of the International Foundation for Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems (IFAAMAS) from 2007-09. He was general chair for the 38th Annual AAAI Conference on AI (AAAI-24, Vancouver, BC), Conference Chair for the 24th International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-2015, Buenos Aires, Argentina), program chair for the 19th European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (ECAI-2010, Lisbon, Portugal), program chair for the Fourth International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS-2005, Utrecht, the Netherlands), general chair for the Second International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS-2003, Melbourne, Australia), and program chair for the Second International Conference on Autonomous Agents (Agents-98, Minneapolis MN). He is currently co-Editor-in-Chief of the journal Artificial Intelligence – the leading international academic journal for AI (established 1970).
Wooldridge has given evidence to multiple government committees, including the House of Lords Select Committee on AI, the Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee, and the Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology. In 2023 he was appointed Specialist Advisor to the House of Lords inquiry on Large Language Models and Generative AI.
Wooldridge has published two popular science introductions to AI: the Ladybird Expert Guide to AI (2018), and The Road to Conscious Machines (2020). He gives frequent public lectures on AI (e.g., Hay Festival, Cheltenham Literary Festival, Stratford Literary Festival, Oxford Literary Festival), and in 2023 was selected to give the Royal Institution Christmas Lectures, in the 198th year of the series, which were broadcast by BBC TV in December of that year. Wooldridge’s life and work were profiled in the 300th edition of the BBC Radio 4 program “The Life Scientific”.
You can book Michael Wooldridge through London Speaker Bureau by submitting the enquiry form on this page or calling our team. One of our consultants will respond promptly with Michael's current availability, speaking fees and any specific requirements for your event.
Michael Wooldridge's speaking fees depend on the event format (in-person or virtual), the location, the length of the engagement and the level of customisation required. Please contact London Speaker Bureau for an up-to-date fee quote for Michael tailored to your event.
Michael Wooldridge speaks on Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Future & Technology, Technology. Talks can be shaped around your audience, industry and strategic objectives - share your event brief with London Speaker Bureau and we will work with Michael to align the content with your delegates and goals.
London Speaker Bureau can book Michael Wooldridge for events worldwide, subject to Michael's schedule. Please send us your event date, location and format and we will confirm availability and handle travel and logistics on your behalf.
Virtual and hybrid keynotes are now a standard part of the speaking industry. Please contact London Speaker Bureau to confirm whether Michael Wooldridge is available to deliver a virtual session for your event and on which platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, a bespoke studio or your own).
Most keynote speeches run between 45 and 60 minutes, often followed by a 15-30 minute Q&A. Other formats - shorter conference slots, panel appearances or longer workshop sessions - may also be possible. Share your agenda with London Speaker Bureau and we will confirm what Michael can accommodate.
London Speaker Bureau will brief Michael Wooldridge on your audience profile, sector and objectives so the keynote can be shaped around your event. The level of customisation possible depends on the speaker and the lead time - contact us with your brief and we will confirm what Michael can offer.
Michael Wooldridge delivers keynotes in English. If you require simultaneous interpretation or a multilingual format, please mention this in your enquiry and London Speaker Bureau will arrange it for you.
Michael Wooldridge's areas of expertise include Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Future & Technology, Technology. To get a clear sense of Michael's style, credentials and how they engage an audience, please review the biography, popular talks and any videos or testimonials shown on this page, or request a detailed speaker brief from London Speaker Bureau.
Michael Wooldridge can be booked through London Speaker Bureau for corporate conferences, leadership events, internal team meetings, association gatherings and private client engagements where expertise in Artificial Intelligence, Digital, Future & Technology, Technology is relevant. Details of Michael's background and previous engagements are included in the biography above; contact us if you would like a more detailed list of past clients or case studies.
Beyond keynote speeches, many of the speakers on our roster also take part in workshops, executive masterclasses, panel discussions and fireside chats. Contact London Speaker Bureau with your preferred format and we will confirm what Michael Wooldridge is able to offer alongside or instead of a keynote.
We generally recommend enquiring at least three to twelve months in advance to secure your preferred date with Michael Wooldridge, particularly during peak conference seasons. Where possible we also accommodate shorter lead times - please contact London Speaker Bureau to check Michael's current availability for your dates.