Ben Byford

Ben Byford is an AI ethicist, games designer, and director at Nuclear Candy Games who specialises in navigating the complex intersection of artificial intelligence, ethics, and interactive technology. Since 2016, he has hosted the Machine Ethics Podcast, interviewing academics, technologists, and business leaders on AI and society, whilst working on game projects including A Wizard's Wool and developing machine learning tools for indie game marketing. As a sought-after speaker and MC at conferences across Europe, including AI Ethics, Risks and Safety events, he helps organisations understand the ethical implications of AI adoption through talks, workshops, and his consultancy Ethical By Design, empowering teams to make informed, responsible decisions about emerging technologies.

Since 2016, Ben Byford has hosted the Machine Ethics Podcast, building a respected platform where academics, technologists, writers, and business leaders explore the evolving relationship between artificial intelligence, ethics, and society. As director at Nuclear Candy Games, he channels his expertise into practical creative work, developing titles including A Wizard's Wool whilst building machine learning tools for indie game marketing through projects such as Impress. His work bridges the technical and the thoughtful, combining hands-on development with critical inquiry into how emerging technologies shape the world around us.

Ben's credibility in AI ethics has been forged through years of applied practice and teaching. He has spent seven years working with Decoded and Cambridge Spark, teaching adults coding, design, new technologies, and machine learning, translating complex technical concepts into accessible knowledge. Through his consultancy Ethical By Design, he advises organisations navigating the rapidly changing landscape of AI technologies, ethics, compliance, risk, and future planning. His speaking portfolio spans conferences across Europe, where he serves as both keynote speaker and MC at events including AI Ethics, Risks and Safety conferences, round tables at major industry gatherings, and private company workshops. Recent engagements have taken him from facilitating XAI panels to delivering talks at educational institutions and industry events, including presentations at DevelopConf and sessions exploring AI's role in game development. His insights have also been featured on podcasts such as The AI Opportunity and AI Geeks, where he discusses AI safety, ethics, and societal impact.

Ben empowers audiences to make informed, responsible decisions about adopting and implementing AI technologies. His talks and workshops cut through the hype surrounding artificial intelligence, offering practical frameworks for understanding ethical implications and managing real-world risks. Whether working with corporate teams on safeguarding strategies, guiding educational institutions through emerging technology challenges, or helping game developers consider the ethical dimensions of their creative tools, he focuses on tangible outcomes that organisations can apply immediately. Attendees leave his sessions equipped not just with theoretical knowledge but with actionable approaches to integrating ethics into their technology decisions, ensuring their work reflects both innovation and responsibility in an increasingly AI-driven world.