PeopleofSuperintelligence

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Robert Beatty

Robert Beatty is a novelist and technology entrepreneur whose career spans cloud services and middle-grade fiction. He formed Plexus Systems in 1995, served as its founder and CEO in cloud services, sold most of his shares in 2006, and stayed on as a technical consultant; he received an Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007. At Narrative Magazine, he became board chair in 2011 and left in 2013. Serafina and the Black Cloak appeared in 2015 and won the 2016 Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize; Willa of the Wood reached No. 1 among middle-school hardcover books in 2018. He is a New York Times bestselling author, and a paperback edition of Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood went on sale in March 2026.

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Timeline

  1. 1995–2006

    Plexus Systems and cloud services

    He forms Plexus Systems LLC in 1995 and serves as its founder and CEO in cloud services. In 2006, he sells most of his shares and stays with the company as a technical consultant.

  2. 2007

    Entrepreneur of the Year

    He receives an Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2007.

  3. 2009–2013

    Narrative board chair

    He joins Narrative Magazine’s board in 2009, becomes chair in 2011, and retires from the magazine in 2013.

  4. July 2015

    Serafina and the Black Cloak

    He publishes Serafina and the Black Cloak in July 2015.

  5. 2016

    Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize

    Serafina and the Black Cloak wins the 2016 Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize.

  6. 2018

    Willa of the Wood

    His Willa of the Wood debuts at No. 1 among middle-school hardcover books in 2018.

  7. October 2024

    Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood

    He publishes Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood in October 2024.

  8. As of October 2026

    New York Times bestselling author

    He is a New York Times bestselling author. A paperback edition of Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood went on sale in March 2026.

Career

  1. 2009–2013Narrative MagazineBoard Member, Board Chair
  2. 1995–2006Plexus Systems LLCFounder and CEO, Technical Consultant

From the biography.

  1. Google had the most people shaping AI every year from 2014 to 2025Our estimates of which organizations employed the most people shaping AI each year from 1955 to 2025, tracing the shift from university labs to companies.
  2. The United States employs an estimated 48% of people shaping AIWe estimate where the people shaping AI work today, how universities, companies and research institutes split across countries, and how country shares have changed since the 1960s.
  3. 43% of living people shaping AI work outside their country of birthWe estimate that 43% of living people shaping AI work outside their country of birth (520 of 1,198 people with known birth and employment countries).
  4. More people shaping AI studied at Massachusetts Institute of Technology than at any other institutionWe estimate where the people shaping AI studied and where their careers led. Massachusetts Institute of Technology leads with 467 former students, including 291 recorded doctorates.

Sources and credits

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

  1. Plex Systems - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Robert Beatty Author Profile | Make: DIY Projects and Ideas for Makers makezine.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. Robert Beatty (author) - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. Robert Beatty | Penguin Random House penguinrandomhouse.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Author – Robert Beatty Books robertbeattybooks.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty - The Serafina Series - Disney-Hyperion, Other Books books.disney.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. WILLA OF THE WOOD coming in July from Robert Beatty prnewswire.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Robert Beatty Could Have Retired in His 30s. Then He Pursued His Second Goal and Became a Bestseller bpr.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood by Robert Beatty - Books books.disney.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. Sylvia Doe paperback edition coming March 3 – Robert Beatty Books robertbeattybooks.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. Sylvia Doe and the 100-Year Flood | Penguin Random House International Sales prhinternationalsales.com. Checked 20 October 2026.