Google DeepMind’s Lila Ibrahim is helping the world get ready for AI

At Google DeepMind, Lila Ibrahim occupies a role that didn’t previously exist: chief AI readiness officer, focused on how to prepare the world for rapidly advancing artificial intelligence. She helps governments think about policy, boosts public understanding of AI, and works to ensure that Google deploys AI responsibly. “I wish more people were having these types of conversations, because I think we have agency in how we want to shape this,” says Ibrahim, who previously served as DeepMind’s COO for nearly eight years. Part of the work involves improving AI literacy. “When you’re not using it, you’re not having a chance to shape informed decisions on where you’re comfortable using it or not, or how you want things to develop,” she says. “How do we help teachers get comfortable with what it means to vibe code and create tools for their classroom?” she asks. “How do we work with policymakers to understand AI?” Earlier this year, her team led a role-playing exercise with officials in Singapore, helping them consider how AI might reshape disease discovery and what that could mean for healthcare system reform or the need for new scientific institutions. In the exercise, similar to work the company has facilitated elsewhere, officials proposed policies and then examined how the landscape might shift two years later, prompting further policy changes. Ibrahim’s team also works with governments to assess how agentic AI could affect jobs and where reskilling may be needed. “We know where the technology is going, so we can approach these conversations in a more collaborative way,” she says, “understanding that the technology is not here yet, but what do we need to do to prepare for what’s around the corner?” This profile is part of Fast Company’s AI 20 for 2026, our roundup spotlighting 20 of AI’s most influential technologists, entrepreneurs, corporate leaders, and creative thinkers.