Ovetta Sampson
Ovetta Patrice Sampson (born September 27, 1972) is an American artificial intelligence strategist, human-centered design expert, entrepreneur, and former journalist. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Right AI, a consultancy helping organizations identify opportunities and manage risks in artificial intelligence implementation. Sampson previously served as Director of AI and Compute Enablement at Google and has held senior design leadership roles at Capital One, Microsoft, and IDEO. She was named one of the Top 15 People in Enterprise Artificial Intelligence by Business Insider in 2023.
Early life and education
Ovetta Patrice Sampson was born on September 27, 1972, in Chicago, Illinois. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, in 1994.[1]
More than two decades later, Sampson returned to higher education to pursue studies in technology. She earned a Master of Science in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) from DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, in 2016.[2]
Career
Journalism (1994–2010s)
Before transitioning to the technology industry, Sampson worked as a journalist for approximately 22 years. During this period she contributed bylines to major national publications including The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, The Christian Science Monitor, and The Boston Globe.[3] She reported internationally from more than 30 countries, including Nigeria, Egypt, and Haiti, earning recognition as a nationally award-winning journalist.
In the early 2010s, Sampson co-founded World Media Now, a Chicago-based media startup focused on training citizens globally to produce digital journalism.[4]
Technology and design leadership
Sampson transitioned from journalism to the technology industry, bringing her communication expertise into the field of human-centered design. She served as a Design Research Lead at IDEO, a global design and consulting firm.[5]
She subsequently served as Principal Design Director at Microsoft, where she led design strategy for enterprise technology products.[6]
At Capital One, Sampson served as Vice President and Head of Design for Machine Learning and Responsible AI, where she oversaw design practices related to ethical AI development. During this tenure, she delivered a seminar at Stanford University on design in an automated future in April 2022.[7]
Sampson joined Google, where she served in two successive senior roles. As Director of User Experience for Core Machine Learning (Core ML), she led design efforts for Google's foundational AI systems.[8] She was later promoted to Director of AI and Compute Enablement, a role she held until 2025.[9]
During her time at Google, Sampson delivered a widely referenced keynote address at Figma's Config 2023 conference in San Francisco, titled "Generative AI and the Creative Arms Race," appearing alongside Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky and LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.[10][11]
Right AI (2025–present)
In 2025, Sampson left Google to found Right AI (rightainow.com), a consultancy that helps small and mid-size enterprise organizations minimize the human engagement risks of building and implementing artificial intelligence. Through Right AI, she created the MindfulAI Masterclass Series and developed the Human Engagement Risks (HER™) framework, a proprietary methodology for evaluating and managing the human-centered risks of AI adoption.[12][13]
Sampson also serves as an AI Principal Advisor to Gidens, an AI startup focused on business compliance.[14]
Academic and educational work
Sampson has served as an Adjunct Professor of Design at DePaul University's College of Computing and Digital Media, teaching design at the graduate level in the School of Design.[15]
In 2023, she founded the Black Design Leadership Program, dedicated to expanding design practice through inclusive, multicultural, and accessible methodologies.[16]
She is a member of the Foundation Board of Directors at Truman State University[17] and a member of the iLead Advisory Council at the University of Maryland College of Information.[18]
Published works
Academic and professional articles
Sampson has authored multiple articles in Interactions, the flagship magazine of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM):
- "Good Design in an Automated Age Exerts Control over AI" (May/June 2026)[19]
- "Before We Can Lead in AI Design, We Must Believe We Can Affect AI" (January/February 2026)[20]
- "Outfitting the Emperor with New Clothes: How Human-Centered Design Can ReImagine AI to Minimize Risk" (September/October 2025)[21]
- "A Lovely Day: An Optimistic Vision for An Automated Future" (January/February 2021)[22]
Sampson also authored "Just Add Water: Lessons Learned from Mixing Data Science and Design Research Methods to Improve Customer Service," a published case study available via ResearchGate.[23]
She has contributed essays and articles to UX Magazine, the IDEO Edges platform, dscout (People Nerds),[24] and the Society for Cultural Anthropology's Fieldsights publication.[25][26]
Other works
- Mindful AI Playbook — a free guide on responsible AI implementation, available via rightainow.com and ovetta-sampson.com.[27]
Recognition and awards
In 2023, Business Insider named Sampson to its AI 100 list of the most influential people in enterprise artificial intelligence.[28]
She appeared in Variety's official lineup for the CES Entertainment Summit in 2024, alongside executives from Reddit, Disney, and the Recording Academy.[29]
Public speaking
Sampson is a sought-after keynote speaker on artificial intelligence, responsible design, and the future of automation. She has spoken at conferences and institutions including:
- Figma Config 2023 — Keynote: "Generative AI and the Creative Arms Race"
- Stanford HAI (Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence)[30]
- AfroTech (multiple years)
- CES 2024 (Variety Entertainment Summit)
- Leading Design London 2023[31]
- Leading Design New York 2022[32]
- Enterprise UX 2023, Rosenfeld Media[33]
- Beyond the Map Conference 2025[34]
Media coverage
Sampson has been featured in publications and media including Fast Company,[35] the Wall Street Journal CIO Journal,[36] the Design Observer podcast,[37] and the Figma Blog.[38]
Personal life
Sampson is an endurance athlete. In 2015, she delivered a TEDx talk at the University of Chicago titled "Make the Impossible Possible," discussing her experience completing her first Ironman Triathlon after losing 100 pounds.[39]
References
- ↑ "Foundation Board: Ovetta Sampson". Truman State University. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Foundation Board: Ovetta Sampson". Truman State University. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Muck Rack. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "World Media Now". Gust. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "About Ovetta". ovetta-sampson.com. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". UX Magazine. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Design in an Automated Future". Stanford University. April 22, 2022. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Rosenfeld Media. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Beyond the Map 2025: Ovetta Sampson". Beyond the Map Conference. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "What's Happening at Config 2023". Figma. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Generative AI and the Creative Arms Race". YouTube. June 2023. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "About Ovetta". ovetta-sampson.com. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Savannah College of Art and Design. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Savannah College of Art and Design. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson – Google Scholar". Google Scholar. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Savannah College of Art and Design. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Foundation Board: Ovetta Sampson". Truman State University. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Introducing iLEAD's Newest Members". University of Maryland. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ Sampson, Ovetta (May–June 2026). "Good Design in an Automated Age Exerts Control over AI". Interactions. ACM.
- ↑ Sampson, Ovetta (January–February 2026). "Before We Can Lead in AI Design, We Must Believe We Can Affect AI". Interactions. ACM.
- ↑ Sampson, Ovetta (September–October 2025). "Outfitting the Emperor with New Clothes". Interactions. ACM.
- ↑ Sampson, Ovetta (January–February 2021). "A Lovely Day: An Optimistic Vision for An Automated Future". Interactions. ACM.
- ↑ "Ovetta Sampson – ResearchGate". ResearchGate. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Marry Data Science with User Research. Ethical Design Depends on It". dscout. September 11, 2019. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". UX Magazine. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Society for Cultural Anthropology. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "About Ovetta". ovetta-sampson.com. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "AI 100: The Top People in Enterprise Artificial Intelligence". Business Insider. November 2023. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Variety Entertainment Summit CES Lineup". Variety. 2023. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson". Stanford HAI. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Leading Design London 2023". Leading Design. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Leading Design New York 2022". Leading Design. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Enterprise UX 2023". Rosenfeld Media. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Beyond the Map 2025". Beyond the Map. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Black Designers: 6 Things Companies Can Do to Promote Leadership". Fast Company. March 2, 2024. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Women in Tech". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Activism in AI with Google's Ovetta Sampson". Design Observer. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Ovetta Sampson on Inputs and Outputs". Figma. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help) - ↑ "Make the Impossible Possible – TEDx UChicago". YouTube. June 17, 2015. Retrieved May 2026. Check date values in:
|access-date=(help)
External links
Category:American entrepreneurs
Category:1972 births
Category:Living people
Category:Artificial intelligence researchers
Category:Women in technology
Category:Truman State University alumni
Category:DePaul University alumni
Category:Google employees
Category:Microsoft employees
Category:American journalists
Category:African-American businesspeople
Category:Businesspeople from Chicago
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