Dr. Charlene Wu

Dr. Charlene Wu is Vice President of the Human-Centered AI (HCAI) division at Toyota Research Institute (TRI), where she leads interdisciplinary teams developing AI systems designed to amplify human potential and decision-making. Her work bridges behavioral science, machine learning, and human-computer interaction to advance human-centered AI systems that improve collective well-being.

Prior to TRI, Dr. Wu founded and led applied behavioral data science teams at Uber and Airbnb, where she helped scale data-driven approaches to decision-making, product and marketplace design, and user experience for global platforms serving millions of people. Across academia and industry, her work has focused on translating insights from behavioral science and neuroscience into technologies with real-world impact.

In addition to her leadership in industry, Dr. Wu has also served as a strategic advisor to pre- and post-IPO technology companies and mentored emerging data science leaders through organizations including One League and Correlation One. She has lectured at the Stanford Computer Science Department and Stanford Graduate School of Business and taught the first industry-focused course on Behavioral Data Science at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Wu is frequently invited to speak on human-centered AI, behavioral science, leadership, and the future of intelligent systems. She has spoken at organizations and conferences, including the National Association for Business Economics, Women in Analytics, Association for Psychological Science, and the Women Automotive Summit, where she delivered a keynote in 2025. She has also presented her work on human-centered AI and decision-making to scientific and strategic advisory groups across industry and government.

Dr. Wu holds bachelor’s degrees in economics and psychology from UCLA and completed a post-baccalaureate research fellowship at the National Institute of Mental Health before earning master’s and Ph.D. degrees in psychology from Stanford University.

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