Hong Qu
The Doris Duke Foundation hired Hong Qu as its chief technology officer, responsible for bolstering the systems, tools and practices the $2 billion foundation uses for external and internal operations. Qu will also spearhead the foundation’s adoption of new technologies, particularly artificial intelligence and how to use it effectively and responsibly.
Qu is an adjunct lecturer at the Harvard Kennedy School of public policy, where he leads courses on data visualization and emerging technologies, with a focus on how data, networks and digital tools influence decisionmaking and political communication. He is also a board member of the Lenfest Institute for Journalism.
“We are living through one of the most consequential technology revolutions in human history—one that will affect all of us,” Doris Duke Foundation President and CEO Sam Gill said in a statement. “Hong’s sharp technical acumen combined with his profound facility with the ethics of technology systems makes him an ideal leader in a time of tremendous change.”
According to the foundation, Qu was among the first engineers at YouTube when it was just a startup, and he designed key features, including the platform’s homepage, channels and video-sharing tools.
“Technology is never deterministic; it reflects the values and power structure in society in which it is built,” Qu said in a statement.
Qu’s writing and research have covered the ethical implications of AI, including the use of automated systems in employment and hiring. He has also researched and written about the AI-related responsibilities of tech firms, policymakers and civic institutions.
Qu is a graduate of Wesleyan University in Connecticut and the School of Information at the University of California, Berkeley.
