Dr. Rachel Adams

Founder & CEO, Global Centre on AI Governance

Dr. Rachel Adams is a leading voice in artificial intelligence governance and digital rights, serving as the Founding CEO of the Global Centre on AI Governance, an Africa-based research collective dedicated to shaping equitable AI futures. She is internationally recognized for her groundbreaking work on AI governance, digital inequality, and the intersection of technology with social justice.

Dr. Adams holds advanced degrees in English Literature, International Human Rights Law, and Philosophy, with her doctoral research published as the influential book “Transparency: New Trajectories in Law” (Routledge, 2020). Her latest work, “The New Empire of AI: The Future of Global Inequality” (Polity Press, 2024), has positioned her as a critical thinker on AI’s role in perpetuating or addressing global inequalities.

Currently serving as an Assistant Research Professor at the Leverhulme Center for the Future of Intelligence at the University of Cambridge and as an Honorary Research Fellow at The Ethics Lab at the University of Cape Town, Dr. Adams bridges academic research with practical policy implementation. Her previous roles include serving as Director of AI and Global Programmes at Research ICT Africa and leading research initiatives at the Human Sciences Research Council of South Africa.

Dr. Adams’ expertise is sought by major international organizations, serving on expert committees for UNESCO, the United Nations, UNDP, World Economic Forum, the Gates Foundation, and the Global Partnership on AI. She has been instrumental in developing frameworks for AI governance that prioritize equity, human rights, and inclusive development, particularly for the Global South.

Her work focuses on ensuring that AI development and deployment serve to reduce rather than exacerbate global inequalities, making her a crucial voice in contemporary tech diplomacy discussions about the future of artificial intelligence governance.

Global Centre on AI Governance | UNESCO AI Ethics Experts | LinkedIn