Rana el Kaliouby is the Co-Founder and CEO of Affectiva, a company with a vision to humanize technology by measuring user's emotional engagement with content and reimagining human-machine interfaces. She is an Egyptian-American entrepreneur, accomplished computer scientist, and the author of Girl Decoded. Rana was previously a research scientist for MIT with a Post-Doctorate in Computer Science Technology and has a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge. Her parents were technologists and ignited her passion by exposing her to the latest and greatest technologies.

Rana joins me today to discuss the impact and opportunities to integrate emotion in artificial intelligence. She shares why all computers should have some element of EI (Emotional Intelligence) or EQ (Emotional Quotient) and highlights the applications of emotion reading systems in technology, such as the automotive industry and healthcare. Rana also shares how writing Girl Decoded and the COVID crisis led to uncomfortable soul searching, getting in touch with her feelings, and realigning her values.

“Emotionally-enabled technology can actually help each of us become more emotionally intelligent.” - Rana el Kaliouby

This week on Insert:Human

• How the focus on IQ and efficiency in AI has led to the human factor and emotional intelligence being ignored
• What it might look like if computers could understand human emotion
• How the science of emotion has evolved over the past 200 years
• The difference between systemizers and empathizers and having the courage to feel your feelings
• How emotion reading systems will make automated vehicles safer
• Girl Decoded and Rana's journey toward understanding her emotions and the human truth
• How the epidemic has changed Rana's perspective
• How COVID has removed the pull in society and replaced it with push and time to think and feel
• Why it is important to spend time strengthening family bonds and rediscovering empathy

Resources Mentioned:

• The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals by Charles Darwin
• The Partnership on AI

Connect with Rana el Kaliouby:

• Affectiva
• Affectiva on LinkedIn
• Affectiva on Instagram
• Affectiva on Facebook
• Affectiva on Twitter
• Rana el Kaliouby on LinkedIn

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