A Book Talk with Karen Hao: Empire of AI

JMSC is hosting a book talk with AI expert and investigative journalist Karen Hao, where she will delve into the scepticism surrounding OpenAI, the most valuable private company with a $500 billion valuation that once claimed to be "nonprofit" and had safety as its core mission.

Date: 13 November 2025

Time: 4:00 PM to 5:30 PM

Venue: Studio 303, CYMCC, HKU

Language: English

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Moderator: Yolanda Ma

JMSC AI Innovation Concentration Programme Lead & Lecturer

Ma is an award-winning cross-disciplinary professional with over a decade of experience in digital transformation, international development, impact investment, social innovation, and data journalism.

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Bio:

Hao is a bestselling author and award-winning reporter covering artificial intelligence. She was the first journalist to profile OpenAI and wrote a book, EMPIRE OF AI, about the company and the AI industry.

Hao writes for publications like The Atlantic and leads The AI Spotlight Series, a programme she designed with the Pulitzer Centre that trains thousands of journalists worldwide on how to cover AI.

In 2025, Time magazine honoured her on the TIME100 AI list, writing, "Empire of AI instantly struck a cultural nerve...Hao is fundamentally shaping many people's perceptions and understanding of the company at the centre of the AI revolution."