Tom Hurd: From Tracking Terrorists to Tracking AI Talent

If you can work out where the world's leading AI researchers are choosing to work then you will have a looking glass in to the future of both the technology and the balance of power. This was the thesis that led Tom Hurd—former UK Homeland Security Advisor - to found Zeki, which tracks the world's top AI talent. He tells us about his pivot from tracking terrorists and COVID outbreaks to tracking the world’s top AI minds. 

Tom explains why talent is the ultimate disruptor in the AI race, and that where talent moves today, and which talent, can be a predictor of things to come. 

He charts seismic shifts as the U.S. becomes a net exporter of AI talent, the potential impact of India retaining its brightest graduates, and how nations are aggressively competing for brainpower. We dive into Google DeepMind's dominance of elite LLM talent - whilst Nvidia and Anthropic are playing a different game. He explains why Europe needs product-savvy talent to fuel its AI research labs and startups, and how Zeki uses “Moneyball for deep tech” to uncover hidden innovators. 

Tune in to the debut episode of The Age of Intelligence, with hosts Theos and Tim, to discover how mastering talent strategy is the secret weapon in investing in and building tomorrow’s AI.

For further reading: Zeki’s 2025 State of AI Talent Report at zekidata.com.

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