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Theodore Lechterman
Dr. Theodore “Ted” Lechterman holds the UNESCO Chair in AI Ethics & Governance at IE University, where he is Assistant Professor of Philosophy. Lechterman’s research bridges political philosophy and applied ethics, focusing on the relationship between artificial intelligence and democratic ideals, the responsibilities of technology companies, and the ethics of private efforts to address public problems. His scholarship appears in premier outlets across multiple disciplines, including the Oxford Handbook of AI Governance, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Journal of Business Ethics, Organization Studies, and History of Political Thought. His first book, The Tyranny of Generosity: Why Philanthropy Corrupts Our Politics and How We Can Fix It (Oxford University Press, 2022), received an honorable mention for the ECPR Political Theory Prize. A second book, tentatively titled Recoding Democracy: AI and the Fight for Democracy’s Future, is under contract with Polity Press. His dynamic lecturing and dedication to student development have earned multiple awards for pedagogical innovation and excellence. He serves as a member of UNESCO AI Ethics Experts Without Borders, an officer of the ECPR Political Theory Standing Group, and an advisor to the ethics strategy firm Compass Ethics. He frequently contributes to public debates and consults organizations on navigating ethical frontiers in business, technology, and governance. He holds degrees from Harvard (A.B.) and Princeton (M.A., Ph.D.) and completed postdoctoral fellowships at Stanford, Goethe, Hertie, and Oxford, where he was an inaugural fellow at the Institute for Ethics in AI.
ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE
• Assistant Professor of Philosophy, IE University, Spain, 2022 – Present
• Research Fellow in Ethics in AI, University of Oxford, UK, 2020 – 2022
• Thyssen Postdoctoral Fellow, Hertie School, Germany, 2019 – 2020
• Justitia Amplificata Postdoctoral Fellow, Goethe University, Germany, 2018 – 2019
• Interdisciplinary Ethics Postdoctoral Fellow, Stanford University, USA, 2016 – 2018
ACADEMIC BACKGROUND
• Ph.D. in Politics, Princeton University, USA, 2016
• M.A. in Politics, Princeton University, USA, 2013
• A.B. in Government, Harvard University, USA, 2008
CORPORATE EXPERIENCE
• Director and Expert Lead, Technology and Social Impact, Compass Ethics, USA, 2022 – Present
• Senior Associate, Principia Advisory, Switzerland, 2019 – Present
• Program Assistant, Social Science Research Council, USA, 2009 – 2010
• Communications Associate, Corporate Accountability International, USA, 2008 – 2009
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
10- Reduced Inequalities
12- Responsible Consumption and Production
16- Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
