Awarded OBE (2014); World Economic Forum Tech Pioneer (2021); Spectator Innovator (2019); author of Inadequate (2020)... Read more
Priya Lakhani OBE is an award-winning entrepreneur, AI-in-education pioneer and keynote speaker who founded CENTURY Tech to harness artificial intelligence, learning science and rich data to personalise education and empower teachers. Under her leadership, CENTURY now operates in over sixty countries and is recognised for transforming classrooms, further education institutions and workplace training globally.
Before CENTURY, Priya launched the social‑impact food brand Masala Masala (2008), using a one-dose-one model to deliver millions of meals, thousands of vaccinations and fund schools across India and Africa. Her entrepreneurial drive earned her Business Entrepreneur of the Year (2009) and later an honorary doctorate from Coventry University in 2020.
Priya’s impact extends to AI policy and ethics. She co-founded the Institute for Ethical AI in Education (2018), joined the UK Government’s AI Council (2019), and served as a Non‑Executive board member at DCMS (2021‑2023). She now sits on the UK Prime Minister’s Council for Science & Technology and contributes to Sir Patrick Vallance’s AI regulation review.
An established author and broadcaster, Priya’s book Inadequate: The System Failing Our Teachers and Your Children (2020) critiques modern education and proposes AI‑driven reform. She is a featured voice on BBC The Context as part of the AI‑Decoded team and chairs sessions at global events like Dell Technologies Forum (2024) and Tech Show London (2025).
Priya’s combination of lived classroom insight, legal training and deep social commitment positions her as a trusted authority at the intersection of education, technology and responsible innovation. Her talks inspire audiences to embrace AI thoughtfully, lead change ethically and build future-ready learning ecosystems.