PeopleofSuperintelligence

Public voice

Martin Ford

Martin Ford is a futurist and author whose books explore how automation and AI may change jobs, the economy and society. Before writing his first book in 2009, he earned computer engineering and graduate business degrees and started a Silicon Valley software company; The Lights in the Tunnel grew from what he observed about technology in business. Rise of the Robots won the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award in 2015, and he gave a 2017 TED talk about income in a future without jobs. He published Architects of Intelligence in 2018 with conversations from 23 AI research scientists and entrepreneurs, then published Rule of the Robots in 2021. In February 2025, he discussed AI adoption, jobs and leadership on a podcast; as of October 2026, he is a futurist and author focused on AI, robotics and the future economy, and has announced a new edition of Rise of the Robots for June 2026 with updates on generative AI and robotics.

Links
Website and X

Timeline

  1. By 2009

    Education and a software firm

    Before writing his first book in 2009, he earns a computer engineering degree at the University of Michigan and a graduate business degree at UCLA, then starts a small Silicon Valley software company.

  2. 2009

    The Lights in the Tunnel

    In 2009, he publishes The Lights in the Tunnel, his first book, after seeing technology's effects in his small business.

  3. 2015

    A business book award

    In 2015, Rise of the Robots wins the Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award. The book examines how automation affects jobs and the economy, and warns that it threatens work for highly educated people such as lawyers, radiologists and software designers.

  4. 2017

    A TED talk on job loss

    In 2017, he gives a TED talk titled How We'll Earn Money in a Future Without Jobs about how AI and robotics affect the economy and society. He makes the case for separating income from traditional work through a universal basic income.

  5. November 2018

    Architects of Intelligence

    In November 2018, he publishes Architects of Intelligence: The Truth About AI from the People Building It. The book gathers conversations with 23 research scientists and entrepreneurs working in AI.

  6. 2021

    Rule of the Robots

    In 2021, he publishes Rule of the Robots: How Artificial Intelligence Will Transform Everything. The book weighs AI's potential to help fight climate change or a future pandemic against risks from deepfakes, authoritarian social control and bias from training data; it also examines AI's effects on daily life.

  7. February 2025

    AI and the future of work

    In February 2025, he appears on the Future Ready Leadership Podcast to discuss slow AI adoption, automation risks for white-collar jobs and leadership in an AI-driven workforce.

  8. As of October 2026

    Futurist and author

    As of October 2026, he is a futurist and author focused on AI, robotics and the future economy. In March 2026, he announces a new edition of Rise of the Robots for June 2026, with updates on generative AI, robotics and their economic and job-market implications.

Career

Education

  1. 2009University of MichiganComputer engineering degree
  2. 2009University of California, Los AngelesGraduate business degree

From the biography.

  1. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other universityIncludes University of California, Los Angeles. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology trained or employed 44 of the 187 AI major-prize winners, more than any other university. We compare doctorate and 5+ year employment links, career timing and current workplaces for 187 major-prize and 1,111 best-paper winners.
  2. Universities had a net outflow of 2,068 moves in AI careersIncludes University of Michigan. Our estimates of career flows and median h-index across universities and companies in AI, including the role of joint appointments and earlier academic jobs.
  3. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes University of California, Los Angeles. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.
  4. Universities keep AI researchers for a median of 6 years, compared with 2 years at frontier labsIncludes University of California, Los Angeles. Across 15,811 dated work stays (6,529 people), median role tenure runs from 6 years at universities to 2 years at frontier labs. We compare all five organization types, starting decades from the 1970s to the 2020s, and the organizations that keep people longest.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Martin Ford yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Martin Ford – Futurist, Speaker, New York Times Bestselling Author and Silicon Valley Entrepreneur – Martin Ford mfordfuture.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  2. Interview with Martin Ford — Business Today Online Journal journal.businesstoday.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  3. Martin Ford | Speaker | TED ted.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  4. Martin Ford (author) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 21 October 2026.
  5. Martin Ford – Futurist and New York Times Bestselling Author focused on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and the Future Economy mfordfuture.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  6. Rule of the Robots by Martin Ford | Hachette UK hachette.co.uk. Checked 21 October 2026.
  7. Futurist Martin Ford on AI, Jobs, and the Future of Work thefutureorganization.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  8. Rule of the Robots: Martin Ford Explores How AI Is Altering Every Dimension of Human Life - The Lavin Agency thelavinagency.com. Checked 21 October 2026.
  9. Rise of the Robots by Martin Ford | Hachette Book Group hachettebookgroup.com. Checked 21 October 2026.