Camille François (a Professor at Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs) is an authority on digital safety and security, specializing in cyber conflict, online harms and artificial intelligence. For the past decade she has advised governments and parliamentary committees on both sides of the Atlantic – from investigating Russian interference in the 2016 United States presidential election on behalf of the Senate Select Intelligence Committee, to leading the French government’s 2022 inquiry into the economic opportunities and social challenges presented by the metaverse. In 2023, President Emmanuel Macron of France appointed François to steer a national consultative assembly (États Généraux) on information and society. She most recently served as the Senior Director for Trust & Safety at Niantic, an augmented reality company, where she built and now leads the trust and safety function.

François was previously Chief Innovation Officer at Graphika, overseeing investigations, analysis and research in cybersecurity and disinformation networks. As a leading figure in trust and safety, she has pioneered methodological advances. She is a faculty member at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs, where she teaches trust and safety, and heads a programme on artificial intelligence and democracy. François has been recognized as a TIME 100 NEXT and MIT Tech Review 35 Under 35 honouree in 2019 for her contributions to making digital technologies safer and more trustworthy.