Dr. David Dao is a researcher and entrepreneur with a focus on combining artificial intelligence, climate change, and biodiversity for impactful solutions. He serves as the Founder and Executive Director of GainForest, a decentralized science non-profit that has garnered support from Microsoft’s AI for Earth program and has been named a finalist in the $10M XPRIZE Rainforest competition. GainForest incentivizes biodiversity data collection in undermonitored through equitable AI assistants and data payments.

Before leading GainForest, David completed his doctoral research at ETH Zurich, where he specialized in advancing algorithms and applications for data valuation in machine learning. His earlier career included engineering roles in Silicon Valley and research fellowships at well-known institutions such as Berkeley AI Research (BAIR), Stanford University, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard.

David also manages a widely-respected open-source repository on the ethical use of AI and is a co-author of TensorFlow Models. Beyond his professional endeavors, he is a Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum and actively participates in climate-focused initiatives. David has been a United Nations delegate at the Conference of the Parties (COP) since its 23rd session in Bonn and offers his expertise as a mentor at the Creative Destruction Lab.

Additionally, David has taken on organizational roles in various conferences, facilitating discussions on technology and climate in locations such as Germany, Silicon Valley, and Harvard. Through his multi-disciplinary efforts, David Dao aims to apply technological innovation to address critical environmental challenges.