GlobalData research has found the top artificial intelligence (AI) influencers based on their performance and engagement online. Using research from GlobalData’s Influencer platform, Verdict has named ten of the most influential people in artificial intelligence on Twitter during May 2020.

Biggest influencers in AI: The top ten in May 2020

1. Ronald Van Loon ( @Ronald_vanLoon)

Ronald van Loon is a recognised thought leader in technologies including AI, big data, IoT, machine learning, deep learning, 5G, predictive analytics, cloud, edge and data science. He currently serves as principal analyst and CEO of the Intelligent World, an influencer network that connects experts, businesses, and influencers to new audiences, helping them collaborate, create and share diverse content.

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Loon is of the opinion that AI has progressed at a furious pace over the past few years, and though it has usurped large chunks of the big data, the technology is nowhere near human intelligence.

Twitter followers: 217,826

GlobalData influencer score: 100

2. Spiros Margaris (@SpirosMargaris)

Spiros Margaris is a venture capitalist and payment tech consultant. He is also the founder of Margaris Ventures, and serves on the Advisory Board of the wefox Group, a Europe-based insurtech start-up. He is the first international influencer to achieve ‘The Triple Crown’ ranking, and regularly appears among the top three in global industry influencer rankings.

Margaris believes that AI needs a ‘human involved’ to be an effective cybersecurity tool.

Twitter followers: 96,901

GlobalData influencer score: 88

3. Ganapathi Pulipaka (@gp_pulipaka)

Dr Ganapathi Pulipaka is a chief data scientist and a SAP technical lead at Accenture. The influencer has over 20 years of experience in SAP across fields such as project management and technology integration. He also comes with over nine years of experience in deep learning, machine learning, data science, pytorch, python, tensorflow, and extensive experience in business design and management consulting.

Ganapathi is regarded as a top influencer in artificial intelligence. He works with various customers on developing AI strategies, neural networks, and other deep learning techniques.

Twitter followers: 90,976

GlobalData influencer score: 84

4. Evan Kirstel (@evankirstel)

Evan Kirstel is a B2B thought leader with extensive experience across enterprises sales, alliances, and business development. He currently serves as chief digital officer and advisor of NYDLA.ORG, a remote, distance/digital learning and collaboration association. He is also actively involved in the building of EvIRA, a B2B network of thought leaders and digital social practitioners.

The influencer is of the opinion that AI is a concept that is thrown at, into or added when someone wants to show that they are using this new concept. Traditional AI, he states, is a process by which various kinds of machine technology is incorporated along with human efforts.

Twitter followers: 285,163

GlobalData influencer score: 83

5. Kirk Borne (@KirkDBorne)

Kirk Borne is a principal data scientist and advisor at Booz Allen Hamilton, a technology and consulting company in the US. Kirk has been a professor of astrophysics and advisor at the national research labs and government facilities and is known as a top influencer since 2013.

Borne tweeted on demystifying AI, and shared an article that highlighted that AI techniques were deep rooted in our lives, and that it will determine everything today and in the future.

Twitter followers: 258,119

GlobalData influencer score: 80

6. Mike Quindazzi (@MikeQuindazzi)

Mike Quindazzi is a visionary business development leader and management consultant at PwC. He has approximately 30 years of experience in leading teams and global companies on strategies and transformational initiatives.

Mike highlights various use cases of AI across industries such as autonomous vehicles, agriculture, retail, and more that have helped overcome the challenges of and revolutionise supply chains.

Twitter followers: 151,521

GlobalData influencer score: 65

7. Nige Willson (@nigewillson)

Nigel Willson is a top social media influencer and technologist. He currently serves as the founding partner of awakenAI, a personal advisory company, and is also as the co-founder of We and AI, a non-governmental organisation that focuses on the mission to increase public awareness and understanding of the risks and rewards of artificial intelligence in the UK.

Ranked as one of the top 20 AI influencers in the world, Nigel is a global speaker, and advisor on artificial intelligence, innovation and technology. He is of the opinion that AI can help make enterprise data quality smarter.

Twitter followers: 55,543

GlobalData influencer score: 60

8. Robert Scoble (@Scobleizer)

Robert Scoble is a chief strategy officer at Infinite Retina, which helps companies implement spatial computing technologies. He is a futurist and technology strategist and the author of four books on technology. Robert advises companies in technology areas such as augmented and virtual reality, autonomous vehicles, and associated fields.

Scoble’s book on how augmented reality and artificial intelligence will change everything delves on discussions and interviews between technologists and business decision makers, and how the technologies will be useful to them. It focuses on the application of AR and VR today and in the next few years, and how it will be driven by not just the millennials but the generation after that.

Twitter followers: 407,883

GlobalData influencer score: 57

9. Tamara McCleary (@TamaraMcCleary)

Tamara McCleary is the creator of Thulium, a social media analytics and consulting agency. A technology futurist, she is also an inspirational keynote speaker, and serves as advisor to leading global tech companies including Amazon, Oracle, Dell, SAP, Cisco, IBM, and Verizon, among others.

Tamara believes that AI, machine learning, and robotics are the next wave of innovation. However, she also believes that robustness is key to deploying AI. For instance, machine learning systems are struggling and will continue to face challenges in adversarial situations such as the current pandemic, and have to be continuously built and tested to improve their limitations and risks that lead to better outcomes.

Twitter followers: 309,170

GlobalData influencer score: 55

10. Thomas Power (@thomaspower)

Thomas Power has been a board member and director for six companies, including 9Spokes in New Zealand. He is also an expert in blockchain and joined the board of Blockchain Industry Compliance and Regulation (BICRA) in 2018.

Thomas is also a writer and has authored eight books. He specialises in areas such as social media, technology, cloud, community building, and SaaS apps.

Twitter followers: 316,805

GlobalData influencer score: 48