​ Lionel Laurent

bloomberg

The Research and Applied AI Summit (RAAIS) is a community for entrepreneurs and researchers who accelerate the science and applications of AI technology. In the run up to our 9th annual event on June 13th 2025 in London, we’re running a series of speaker profiles to shed more light on what you can expect to learn on the day!

At RAAIS we have a focus on translating cutting edge technology and research into amazing products for real-world problems.

Lionel Laurent is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist who has spent nearly two decades reporting on the intersections of finance, technology, and policy. Before joining Bloomberg, Lionel wrote for Forbes and Reuters, covering global markets and the rapid evolution of the digital economy.

With an eye for societal and technological shifts, Lionel brings journalistic clarity to complex issues — from climate tech to artificial intelligence. He wrote and narrated a recent episode of Bloomberg’s Crash Course podcast exploring the disruptive impact of generative AI on the music industry. His 2021 Businessweek cover story on the “FOMO economy” unpacked how digital trends and behavioral psychology are reshaping markets and culture alike.

At RAAIS 2025, Lionel will moderate an essential conversation between Chris Yiu (Director of Public Policy at Meta) and Benedict Macon-Cooney (Chief Policy Strategist at the Tony Blair Institute). Together, they’ll explore how governments and tech companies can navigate the fast-moving AI landscape — balancing innovation with governance in a way that serves both industry and society.