Victor Riparbelli
Co-founder and CEO, Synthesia
Builder
Why they matterLeads Synthesia, the London company whose AI video avatars are used by large employers.
Checked 2 Oct 2026
Who’s shaping AI / the United Kingdom
Who’s shaping AI in the United Kingdom
The builders, researchers, policymakers, investors, explainers and critics moving AI forward in the United Kingdom. Every entry links to a source and to the moments on our timeline.
- People
- 6
- Global leaders from here
- 1
- Last checked
- 2 Oct 2026
Neil Lawrence
DeepMind Professor of Machine Learning, University of Cambridge
Researcher
Why they matterMachine learning researcher known for Gaussian process methods and data science policy work.
Checked 2 Oct 2026
Kanishka Narayan
Minister of State for AI, attends Cabinet
Policymaker
Why they matterThe first UK AI minister to attend Cabinet. Holds AI strategy and the AI Security Institute.
Jul 2026: AI gets a Cabinet seat as DSIT is abolished
Nathan Benaich
Founder, Air Street Capital
Investor
Why they matterRuns an AI-only venture fund and writes the yearly State of AI Report.
Checked 2 Oct 2026
Hannah Fry
Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics, University of Cambridge
Explainer
Why they matterPresented AI Confidential, a 2026 BBC Two series on how AI affects ordinary people.
Feb 2026: AI Confidential airs on BBC Two
Ed Newton-Rex
CEO, Fairly Trained
Critic & watchdog
Why they matterCampaigns against weakening copyright for AI training. Certifies models trained with consent.
Mar 2026: UK drops its preferred AI copyright opt-out
Global leaders from the United Kingdom
On the AIooze timeline
Moments these people shaped
Nothing on our timeline names these people yet. Key moments are on each profile.