Managing Director of Understand-AI.today, Former Director of AI Engineering at Canopy, Senior Research Engineer at Nuance Communications & Head of Artificial Intelligence Research at Music Tribe

Sacha Krstulovic is a leading authority on artificial intelligence, speech technology and innovation, with more than 30 years of experience shaping the future of AI across research and industry. As the Managing Director of Understand-AI.today, Sacha is recognised for helping organisations understand and apply AI in practical, commercially valuable ways. One of his most notable achievements was developing one of the first HMM-based speech synthesisers for the German language, a breakthrough that contributed to the advancement of modern speech technology. Combining deep technical expertise with strategic insight, Sacha has become a highly respected keynote speaker on AI, innovation and emerging technologies.

Sacha’s career began in academic research, first serving as a Research Assistant at IDIAP Research Institute before becoming a Research Engineer at IRISA and later a Researcher at DFKI. He then joined Toshiba Research, where he further expanded his expertise in speech and AI technologies. In 2011, Sacha became a Senior Research Engineer at Nuance Communications, one of the world’s leading speech technology companies. His transition into leadership accelerated when he joined Audio Analytic as a Lead Research Engineer before progressing to Vice President of Technology and later Director of Innovation. He subsequently became Head of Artificial Intelligence Research at Music Tribe and Director of AI Engineering at Canopy before launching Understand-AI.today in 2024. Alongside his commercial work, Sacha has consistently contributed to the wider AI community through technical leadership and innovation strategy.

Holding a Master’s in Engineering and a PhD in Technical Sciences, Sacha combines academic rigour with commercial application. His TEDx talk, “The Sounds Around Us”, explored the relationship between artificial intelligence, sound and human interaction, further cementing his reputation as an engaging communicator of complex ideas. Throughout his career, he has worked at the forefront of machine learning, speech synthesis and AI engineering, helping organisations understand both the opportunities and challenges presented by rapidly evolving technologies.

Today, Sacha is widely hired as a speaker for his ability to translate advanced AI concepts into accessible, commercially relevant insights. Audiences value his balanced perspective, shaped by decades of experience across research institutions, global technology companies and AI leadership roles. Whether discussing generative AI, innovation strategy, ethical AI or the future of intelligent systems, Sacha delivers presentations that are insightful, technically credible and highly engaging for both specialist and non-technical audiences.

Why Hire Sacha Krstulovic?

Sacha Krstulovic is hired as a speaker for his rare ability to combine deep technical expertise with clear, engaging communication. With experience spanning research, engineering, innovation leadership and AI strategy, he provides audiences with practical insight into how artificial intelligence is reshaping industries and society. His TEDx talk, “The Sounds Around Us”, demonstrated his talent for making complex topics accessible and thought-provoking. Sacha’s presentations are valued by business leaders, technology teams and conference audiences seeking informed, commercially relevant perspectives on AI, innovation and the future of intelligent technology.