Tanmay Bakshi Keynote Speaker

Software Developer
Algorithmist
Released first iPhone app at nine years old

Tanmay Bakshi's Biography

Recognized as The Toronto Star’s “Newsmaker of the Year” in 2013 after publishing an acclaimed iOS app at age nine, Tanmay Bakshi is an internationally celebrated AI prodigy, keynote speaker, and technological innovator. In 2013, Bloomberg Businessweek named him among its top young entrepreneurs. Over the past decade, he has delivered keynotes on AI, innovation, and the future of technology across 30+ countries, presenting for the United Nations, Apple, Walmart, Microsoft, Google, KPMG, the Linux Foundation, Heineken, Shell, HSBC, and Amazon — reaching more than 400,000 business leaders, government officials, developers, and students.

Tanmay’s roles span engineering and education: AI & Software Architect for IBM watsonx; Google Developer Expert for Machine Learning; TED and keynote speaker; author; researcher at iU B Lab Tokyo; and instructor at the University of Winnipeg. He also maintains a prominent media and YouTube presence. He set out to empower 100,000 people with technology — an impact milestone he has already surpassed — and his work has been featured by Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, CBC, and many more.

He is the author of four technology books: Hello Swift!; Cognitive Computing with IBM Watson; and McGraw-Hill’s Tanmay Teaches series — Tanmay Teaches Go and Tanmay Teaches Julia. The latter two have been translated into Korean and Japanese respectively, expanding access for learners worldwide.

From his beginnings as a coder at age five, Tanmay continues to drive applied AI with IBM, contributing to McDonald’s drive-thru voice agents, building AI-assisted songwriting tools, and developing heartbeat-based individual recognition and EEG-based mental-state decoding.

His contributions have been recognized with IBM’s Gerstner Award for Client Excellence, the Knowledge Ambassador Award from the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, Twilio’s Doer Award, the Life Mentor Award from the Creative Foundation, and the Young Edison Award from Shanghai TV, just to name a few.

Navigating AI’s Future through First-Principles Thinking

This keynote explores the path toward understanding and engineering autonomous and generative AI, anchored in first-principles thinking. Through personal experiences and real-world examples, it clarifies common misconceptions around AI and offers practical frameworks for designing intelligent, purposeful, and responsible systems.

Empowering the Next Generation with AI Skills

This keynote focuses on preparing young people to thrive in an AI-driven future, highlighting how to cultivate adaptability, continuous learning, ethical understanding, data literacy, and effective human–AI collaboration. It emphasizes why it is critical to equip youth now to confidently pursue opportunities and tackle challenges in careers that do not yet exist.

Transforming AI from Prototype to Scalable Capability

This keynote offers business leaders practical insights on taking AI projects from promising demonstrations to reliable, enterprise-ready capabilities. It provides actionable guidance on structuring high-performing teams, effectively managing talent, and implementing robust MLOps practices so organizations can deliver AI systems faster, safer, and at scale.

NASSCOM: Big Data & Analytics Summit 2017 - Session I: Opening Keynote

Tanmay Bakshi Speaking Reel

I'm a Genius. Ask Me Anything

Unlikely Business Lessons

Building The Future 2020 - Tanmay Bakshi - Culture and New Competences of the Future

GDG Waterloo 2024

Books by Tanmay Bakshi

Hello Swift!

Cognitive Computing with IBM Watson

Tanmay Teaches Go: The Ideal Language for Backend Developers

Tanmay Teaches Julia for Beginners: A Springboard to Machine Learning for All Ages

Comments & Testimonials

"I have known Tanmay Bakshi for probably close to 8 years. In that time I have watched him grow from a budding tech genius...into a full-grown tech genius. No exaggeration. We produce corporate events, and I can remember working with Tanmay when he spoke as a young teenager, maybe 12 years old, at a huge IBM conference. He blew me - and our IBM executives - away with his knowledge, his expertise, as well as his composure and his confidence on-stage. I knew then he was destined to be a technology superstar. Move over Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Here comes Tanmany Bakshi. I cannot say enough good things about this young man. I recommend him highly."

Mark Felix Noise Maker, Director Entertainment Services, Drury

“Tanmay Bakshi has been recognized in the legislative assembly of Manitoba, Canada at the age of 12. His keynotes transcend the traditional boundaries of technology. Tanmay’s talk on creativity and AI technology, their intersection and wider impact on society, which he delivered as keynote speaker at the Creative Foundation’s 20th anniversary at the tender age of 15 left an indelible impression on the Hon. Lt. Gov. of Manitoba, and drew a standing ovation from all the attendees. One does not need to be tech-savvy to appreciate, be inspired and garner an intuitive comprehension of technology from his discourse.”

Yisa Akinbolaji Member of Order of Canada; Chairman & Founder, Creative Foundation Inc.

"Tanmay is a genius. It's always a pleasure to have him speak at our Google community conferences. His talks are jaw-dropping, consistently among the highest-rated, and leave audiences in awe.He has an exceptional ability to simplify complex topics, offering fresh perspectives on problem-solving—whether through his insightful analogies or his unique way of connecting technical concepts to real-world applications. More than just a speaker, Tanmay inspires. His passion for AI and technology's broader impact resonates with students and professionals alike.With his engaging delivery, adaptability, and deep technical expertise, Tanmay always leaves a lasting impact. He doesn't just share knowledge—he sparks curiosity and innovation."

Oleksandr Levinsky Lead Organizer, Google Developer Group Waterloo

"I had the incredible opportunity to attend a keynote given by Tanmay Bakshi during an event for Google Developers Group: On Campus. Starting from first principles and transitioning into current-day advancements, he discussed the fascinating topic of Generative AI in a way that was engaging to everyone in the audience. Tanmay illustrated the concepts with interesting real-world examples and enthusiastically shared his thoughts during his talk. He effectively answered questions, and members of the audience were impressed with his eloquence, witty humor, and experience. Tanmay’s passion for AI was evident throughout his keynote, which made the presentation inspiring and impactful. After the presentation, I was left with a much clearer understanding of the technology and its potential. Tanmay Bakshi is an insightful speaker with detailed knowledge and a strong passion for AI, and it was a pleasure having him as a guest speaker."

Brooke Nelson On-Campus Organizer, Google Developer Group University of Colorado Boulder