Entrepreneurship · Artificial intelligence · Human agency

More possibility.
More human.

I’m Jean-François Gagné, a founder and AI entrepreneur. I build companies that turn research into useful products, and work on the decisions that keep people in control.

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Currently building Nera ↗

Jean-François Gagné, photographed for his original website — Founder. Builder. Always learning.

A career across

The full story ↗

01 / Latest from the blog

Ideas worth working through.

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On AI, human agency and the choices behind what we build.

Human agency · 2021

Designing for the Humans in the Loop - Part III

How AI design can preserve the judgment and agency of people in the decision or process loop. The final essay in a three-part series.

December 1, 202113 min read

Human agency · 2021

"F*** the Algorithm", It’s Time to Get Our Agency Back - Part II

Reclaiming agency in a world shaped by algorithms starts with understanding the choices built into our technology.

July 14, 202117 min read

AI & governance · 2021

AI Regulation is a Chance to Fix Deeper Problems - Part I

Why AI regulation is an opportunity to examine the relationship between technology, work and power.

June 23, 202113 min read

02 / The work

From an idea to something useful.

Explore my career

Current focus · Nera

What did we
mean to build?

As AI agents take on more of the work, the intent behind that work matters even more. At Nera, we’re helping software teams make their requirements, decisions and standards explicit—and keep them present as the work gets done.

What I’m building

Translucent architectural forms, an editorial illustration of structure and intent — Intent gives capability direction.

Element AI's shared workspace, with brick walls, yellow lounge chairs and a central staircase

2016–January 2021

Element AI

Co-founder & CEO

Turning AI research into enterprise products.

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ServiceNow's headquarters, photographed in 2019

January 2021–March 2022

ServiceNow

VP, AI Strategy & Product Management

Taking AI from a company into a platform.

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Cargo ship, cranes and a freight truck in JDA's corporate supply-chain imagery

2013–2015

JDA Software & JDA Labs

Chief Product Officer; Chief Innovation Officer

Connecting a global product portfolio to its next generation.

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Recognition & leadership

Part of a wider conversation.

Recognition & communities

World Economic ForumClass of 2019

Young Global Leaders

Selected for the World Economic Forum’s Young Global Leaders community in 2019.

The context

2018

Canada’s Top 40 Under 40

Named a 2018 honouree while leading Element AI.

The context

Fast Company2019

Most Creative People in Business

Recognized for Element AI’s approach to synthetic data and turning research into practical applications.

The context

03 / Policy & public service

Trust has to be
part of the design.

Building AI and governing it are connected problems. My public work focuses on human agency, practical accountability and the conditions that make adoption worthwhile.

Explore the policy work

2018–2020