We are pleased to announce the new leaders joining the LF AI and Data Foundation. Their expertise and commitment to open source innovation will be instrumental in guiding the future direction of the Foundation and furthering our mission within the AI and Data ecosystem.
These leaders voluntarily undertake crucial responsibilities to steer and execute LF AI & Data Foundation’s objectives. For an in-depth understanding of the leadership roles, we encourage you to refer to the LF AI and Data Foundation Charter available here.
Anni Lai, LF AI & DATA Governing Board Second General Member Representative
Anni Lai, leading Futurewei’s Open Source Operations and Marketing, manages its open source strategy and ecosystem development. She’s on several open source foundation boards, including LF AI & Data, Open Metaverse Foundation, LF Edge, OCI, LF Europe Advisory, and OpenStack Foundation, and has boosted projects in Cloud Native, AI, and Metaverse. Previously, Anni worked at Sun, Oracle, Salesforce (and others), focusing on developer relations, product management, and business development. A proponent of open innovation, she’s been a global tech evangelist and served as a trustee at the Santa Cruz Museum of Art and History. Anni, based in Silicon Valley, holds a Computer Science MS and BA, and has completed NACD training.
“Open collaboration is the backbone of technological advancement. I am honored to serve as the General Member Representative for the LF AI & Data Foundation, and I’m committed to furthering our mission of driving open source innovation in the AI and Data domains. Together, we can achieve unprecedented milestones.” said Anni Lai.
Anni’s belief in creating exceptional technology through open innovation and global collaboration aligns perfectly with the Foundation’s goals. Having worked with several tech giants in diverse roles, Anni’s leadership will undoubtedly be invaluable to the LF AI and Data Foundation.
Dr. Brad Topol, Member of the Governing Board
Dr. Brad Topol, IBM Distinguished Engineer and Director of AI and Cloud Open Technologies, also acts as IBM’s Chief Developer Advocate. He oversees IBM’s global team in developing open source technologies and participates in open communities, managing the company’s open source strategy, community engagement, and client initiatives. His team contributes to AI and cloud-native open source technologies like PyTorch, Kubernetes, and Tekton. Topol serves on the LF AI & Data and CNCF Governing Boards. He co-authored two O’Reilly Media books on Hybrid Cloud and Kubernetes in the Enterprise. Topol earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1998.
“Open source is not just about code; it’s about community, collaboration, and driving innovation forward. I’m excited to contribute to the LF AI & Data Foundation’s endeavors, ensuring that we remain at the forefront of AI and cloud-native advancements,” said Dr. Brad Topol.
Dr. Wei Li, Member of the Governing Board
Dr. Wei Li, VP/GM of AI Software Engineering at Intel, heads a team of engineering “magicians” who make Intel’s vision of “bringing AI Everywhere” a reality by supercharging machine performance and developer productivity. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Cornell University and is a prominent speaker at major conferences and universities. A strong proponent of Intel’s long open source ethos, he serves on the Governing Boards of the PyTorch Foundation and Linux Foundation AI & Data. With over two decades at Intel, Wei has helped shape Intel’s AI strategy to offer more choice and compatibility across architectures — making it easier for customers to quickly deploy AI at scale from the cloud to the network, out to the edge and to the client.
Dr. Wei Li said: “The convergence of AI, data, and open source is paving the way for Generative AI and other next-generation AI solutions that can transform industries. Serving on the Governing Board of LF AI & Data provides a unique opportunity to catalyze this change and I am eager to play a part in shaping our collective future.”
Fred Li, Member of the Governing Board
Fred Li, General Manager of Huawei’s Open Source Development Team, boasts over 20 years in technology and has focused on open source since 2015. He previously served as the platinum director of the OpenStack Foundation. In 2019, he established the openEuler community, setting up its infrastructure and governance model. Under his leadership, several open source communities have been developed, engaging thousands of engineers and millions of users. Li has extensive expertise in IT product development, project management, open source strategy, governance, and community operations, and remains dedicated to supporting global open source software initiatives.
“Open source communities thrive on diversity of thought and collaboration. As a member of the Governing Board, I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive environment where innovation flourishes, and the LF AI & Data Foundation can make a significant impact in the open source landscape,” stated Fred Li.
The LF AI and Data Foundation welcomes our leaders for their dedication and commitment. With the collective expertise of the new leaders, the Foundation is poised for a productive and impactful journey ahead.
Join the LF AI and Data Community!
The LF AI and Data Foundation is committed to building an open source AI and Data community in the fields of AI and data. The Foundation drives innovation in these fields by creating new opportunities for all community members to collaborate with each other. Interested in joining the LF AI and Data community as a member? Learn more here.
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