Prof. Renée Cummings

Renée Cummings is a global leader in AI governance, an award-winning ethicist, and one of the Top 100 Women in AI Ethics. She serves as Professor of Practice and inaugural Data Activist-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s School of Data Science, where she bridges academic research with real-world applications of responsible AI. Renée is also a Nonresident Senior Fellow and Co-Director of the AI Equity Lab at The Brookings Institution, helping shape international standards for ethical and equitable AI development.

A defining voice in the movement for trustworthy technology, Renée has advised the World Economic Forum’s Data Equity Council and the Global AI Governance Alliance, advancing frameworks that align innovation with social justice and human rights. Her interdisciplinary expertise spans AI ethics, criminal justice reform, and public interest technology, and her background in journalism allows her to translate technical complexity into compelling narratives that drive public understanding and accountability.

At BRIDGE Summit, Renée will discuss how ethical frameworks and global governance can ensure AI innovation serves humanity; building a future rooted in equity, justice, and shared opportunity.