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Technology & AI keynote speakers
Adam Cheyer
Co-Founder of Siri & AI Pioneer
- Keynote · Fireside chat
- English
Headliner can arrange a booking with Adam Cheyer or their representative. This profile is compiled from public sources; availability and fees are confirmed on request. A listing here does not imply endorsement, affiliation, partnership, or exclusivity.
Signature keynotes
What your audience walks away with
- Outcome
"Hey Siri": A Founding Story
The inside story of inventing Siri — from chief architect of the U.S. government's largest AI research project at SRI, to the 2007 insight that you should be able to talk to your phone, to the 2010 launch and the Apple acquisition that put Siri on 500M+ devices. Part origin story, part masterclass in turning an impossible idea into a world-changing product.
The Future of Intelligent Agents — AI Doing, Not Just Knowing
His sharpest, most current talk. Generative AI made machines that know; the next decade is about machines that do. Cheyer maps how intelligent agents will move into finance, healthcare, marketing, customer service, smart homes and cars — what's real, what's hype, and how leaders should prepare for an agentic world. Drawn from his 2025 thesis and his current work building AI at Airbnb.
ChatGPT and the Rise of Conversational AI
What generative and conversational AI can — and genuinely can't — do for your business, from the person who built the first mainstream conversational assistant. A clear-eyed, non-hype guide to staying ahead of the curve.
The Future of AI and Business
A wide-angle look at AI's fast-changing capabilities and near-limitless potential, and the future trends that will reshape every industry. Practical framing for boards and leadership teams deciding where to place their bets.
Building Successful Startups — Concept to Acquisition
Five startups, four acquisitions (Apple, Samsung, Cognizant, Airbnb). Cheyer shares how breakthrough companies actually get built and sold — and the surprising parallel between entrepreneurs and magicians: both imagine a future that doesn't exist, then work backward to make it real.
The story
Who Adam actually is
Adam Cheyer is one of the most consequential builders in the history of artificial intelligence — and one of the few who can explain where it's going because he keeps inventing the next part of it.
Born around 1966 and raised in Sharon, Massachusetts, Cheyer earned a B.S. in computer science from Brandeis University (1988) and a master's in computer science and AI from UCLA (1993). He spent more than a decade at SRI International, where he was chief architect of CALO — the largest AI research project ever funded by the U.S. government — the program that became the seedbed for Siri.
In the late 2000s he co-founded Siri and invented the assistant that bears its name. Apple acquired Siri in 2011, and Cheyer became a director of engineering in the iPhone group; Siri now ships on more than 500 million devices worldwide. He left in 2012 to found Viv Labs, an even more powerful conversational-AI platform — which Samsung acquired in 2016 and built into Bixby.
Cheyer's fingerprints are on far more than voice assistants. He was a founding-team member of Change.org (now the world's largest petition platform), co-founded the machine-learning company Sentient Technologies (acquired by Cognizant), and co-founded GamePlanner.AI, which Airbnb acquired in late 2023 for a reported ~$200 million — its first acquisition as a public company. Since May 2024 he has served as VP of AI Experience at Airbnb, helping build the company's AI-powered future. In all, he has co-founded five startups, authored 60+ publications, and holds 50 patents.
He is also, genuinely, an award-winning magician — a member of the Academy of Magical Arts who appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us — and he sees no contradiction in that. "Entrepreneurs and magicians are exactly the same," he says. "They imagine a desirable, impossible future that doesn't exist, and then they work backward from that vision to figure out the math and science to make it come true." In 2024 Brandeis honored him with its Alumni Achievement Award.
Gravity
Career highlights & recognition
- Credential2011
Co-creator of Apple's Siri
invented the assistant now on 500M+ devices; acquired by Apple, 2011
- Credential2016
Founder of Viv Labs
acquired by Samsung (2016), became Bixby
- Milestone
VP of AI Experience at Airbnb
- Credential
Co-founder of Change.org
the world's largest petition platform
- Credential
Co-founder of Sentient Technologies
machine learning; acquired by Cognizant
- Credential
Chief Architect of CALO
at SRI International — the largest U.S. government-funded AI project
- Milestone
50 patents · 60+ publications
across AI, conversational assistants, and machine learning
- Award2024
2024 Brandeis University Alumni Achievement Award
- Award
Project Voice Lifetime Achievement Award
- Award
Award-winning magician
appeared on Penn & Teller: Fool Us
Booking with confidence
What to expect when you book Adam
- 01
Compiled from public sources
This profile is built from public, verifiable material and stamped with the date it was last reviewed. Nothing here is a claim we cannot trace to a source.
- 02
Availability and fees, confirmed
Tell us your date and brief, and we confirm Adam's availability and current fee on request. We never publish a fabricated figure or imply an exclusivity we do not hold.
- 03
Managed end to end
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Answers
Booking questions, answered
What is Adam Cheyer's speaking fee?
Typically $40k–$100k (indicative; confirmed on request). Adam's fee varies by event, date, format, and location, so we confirm the exact figure for your booking. Share your brief for current pricing and live availability.
Is Adam Cheyer available for my event date?
Availability changes with Adam's schedule and the season. Tell us your date and we'll confirm whether Adam is open, and hold the slot while you decide.
How do I book Adam Cheyer for my event?
Adam Cheyer is booked through Headliner. Tell us your event date, audience, and goals, and we'll confirm availability and the next steps — typically within four business hours.
How much does Adam Cheyer charge to speak?
Typically $40k–$100k (indicative; confirmed on request). It depends on event, date, format, location, and whether the session is in person or virtual. Share your brief and we'll confirm the exact figure and availability.
Can I hire Adam Cheyer for a corporate event?
Yes. Adam is represented for speaking engagements through Headliner on a non-exclusive basis and regularly takes corporate keynotes, conferences, and leadership events. Share your brief to check availability.
What formats does Adam offer?
Adam is available for Keynote and Fireside chat engagements. We'll match the format to your audience and run-of-show.
What does Adam speak about?
Adam's keynote themes include Artificial Intelligence. Each talk is tailored to your audience and outcomes.
What languages does Adam present in?
Adam presents in English.
Where does Adam travel from?
Adam is based in San Francisco, CA and travels internationally for engagements; virtual sessions are also available.
Profile updated . Compiled from public sources — confirm current fees and availability with Headliner.
Book Adam Cheyer through Headliner
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