Sinead Bovell
{{Short description|Canadian futurist and entrepreneur}}
Sinead Bovell is a Canadian futurist, entrepreneur, and advocate for technology education and ethics.{{Cite web |last=Rotman |title=Sinead Bovell {{!}} Rotman |url=https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/news-events-and-ideas/rotman-management-magazine/back-issues/2024/fall-2024/sinead-bovell/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.rotman.utoronto.ca |language=en}} Bovell is widely recognized for her efforts to bridge the gap between emerging technologies and underrepresented communities, earning her the nickname "The AI Educator for Non-Nerds" by Vogue.{{Cite web |title=Sinead Bovell {{!}} AI & Future of Work Expert {{!}} Keynote Speaker |url=https://www.speakers.ca/speakers/sinead-bovell/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.speakers.ca |language=en-US}} She spoke about AI on CNN,{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.cnn.com/videos/business/2023/03/27/pope-puffer-jacket-fake-ai-generated-photo-cnntm-cprog-sot-vpx.cnn |title=Tech expert weighs in on viral AI-generated photo of the Pope {{!}} CNN Business |date=2023-03-27 |language=en |access-date=2025-02-17 |via=www.cnn.com}} and was featured in Vogue,{{Cite web |last=Bovell |first=Sinead |date=2020-07-21 |title=I Am a Model and I Know That Artificial Intelligence Will Eventually Take My Job |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/sinead-bovell-model-artificial-intelligence |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}} Wired,{{Cite news |title=Earning It: Sinead Bovell Is Bringing New Faces To the Table In Tech |url=https://www.wired.com/brandlab/2020/03/sinead-bovell-is-bringing-new-faces-to-the-table-in-tech/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}{{Cite web |title=Understanding Algorithms With Sinead Bovell |url=https://www.wired.com/video/watch/understanding-algorithms |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=WIRED |language=en-US}} Toronto Star,{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Liz Guber The |date=2023-07-19 |title=AI is coming for our jobs — fashion models and creatives included |url=https://www.thestar.com/life/beauty-and-fashion/ai-is-coming-for-our-jobs-fashion-models-and-creatives-included/article_8040fa05-d852-5b10-83f0-922ca091dbcc.html |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Toronto Star |language=en}} and other media.{{Cite web |last=Brannigan |first=Maura |date=2019-12-05 |title=The Model and Social Entrepreneur Preparing Us for the Robot Revolution |url=https://fashionista.com/2019/12/sinead-bovell-waye-young-entrepreneurs |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Fashionista |language=en}} She is the founder of WAYE (Weekly Advice for Young Entrepreneurs), a platform dedicated to preparing young people for the future of work in a digital age.
Education
Bovell obtained a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in Finance and Chemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University, followed by an MBA in Strategic Management from the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2021-04-22 |title=Tech Meets Sustainability In The Visionary Mind Of Sinead Bovell |url=https://thefashionography.com/fashion-spotlight/fashion-editorials-originals/sinead-bovell-interview/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=The Fashionography |language=en}} She later earned a certification in AI Ethics from MIT Professional Education.
Career and founding WAYE
Bovell worked as a management consultant at A.T. Kearney. She transitioned into modeling and entrepreneurship to explore her passion for technology and its societal impact.{{Cite web |last=Sours |first=Kat |date=2018-10-04 |title=Sinead Bovell Breaks Conventions, Ceilings, and Expectations |url=https://scadmanor.com/sinead-bovell-breaks-conventions-ceilings-and-expectations/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=The Manor |language=en-US}}
In 2017, Sinead Bovell founded WAYE, an organization aimed at educating Millennials and Gen Z on emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity. The platform emphasizes inclusivity and accessibility, particularly for minority and non-traditional markets[3].{{Cite web |url=https://www.utaspeakers.com/speaker/sinead-bovell |title=Sinead Bovell |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.utaspeakers.com}} WAYE has hosted numerous events, including talks that bring together diverse audiences ranging from artists to business executives to discuss the future of technology.
Through WAYE, Bovell has educated over 300,000 young entrepreneurs globally on topics related to technology and innovation.
Public speaking and advocacy
Sinead Bovell is an 11-time United Nations speaker and has addressed world leaders, including presidents and royalty, on topics ranging from digital inclusion to cybersecurity. She serves as a strategic advisor to the United Nations International Telecommunication Union (ITU), focusing on digital inclusion initiatives. Additionally, she has delivered keynote speeches at major conferences and events worldwide. Her TEDx talk on the ethics of avatars highlighted the ethical dilemmas posed by digital technologies.{{Cite web |title=Alarming and amazing all at once': TED Talks tackles AI with wonder and warnings in Vancouver |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/ted-talks-vancouver-2023-artificial-intelligence-1.6818014 |website=CBC}}
Bovell advocates for equitable access to technology education. She believes that young people should not only understand emerging technologies but also have the opportunity to shape their development. Her work emphasizes ethical considerations in AI deployment to ensure that technological advancements benefit all segments of society.{{Cite web |last=Priest |first=Miche |date=2023-11-08 |title=The Audacity of Authenticity: Sinead Bovell – Designing work on Her Own Terms |url=https://startedontolkien.substack.com/p/the-audacity-of-authenticity-sinead |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Started on Tolkien}}
Bovell is a regular tech commentator for major networks such as CNN, NBC, and CNBC. Her insights have also been featured in Wired, Refinery29, and other prominent media outlets. She leverages social media platforms to reach over 20,000 daily viewers with her forecasts on technology’s future impact.
Awards and recognition
- Named one of Refinery29's "Top Ten Black Women Changing the Game".
- Honored as a "Digital Trailblazer" by Alliance for Peacebuilding for her work in promoting safe and inclusive cyberspace.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-01 |title=Digital Trailblazer: Sinead Bovell |url=https://www.allianceforpeacebuilding.org/dpn-blog-archive/digital-trailblazer-sinead-bovell |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=Alliance for Peacebuilding |language=en-US}}
- Featured by Vogue as an influential voice making AI accessible to broader audiences.