Michael James

Michael James is an accomplished engineering leader with extensive experience in AI and autonomous driving technologies. Currently serving as VP Engineering for AI and Emerging Applications at Utilidata since December 2023, Michael leads the development of distributed AI applications focused on electrification and renewable energy integration. Previously, at Waymo from October 2017 to May 2023, Michael directed technical R&D activities for autonomous driving in adverse weather, overseeing significant teams and project execution. Prior roles include Chief Engineer for Autonomous Driving at Toyota Research Institute, where Michael managed large teams and project roadmaps, and various positions at Toyota Research Institute - North America, focusing on autonomous driving research and machine learning applications. Michael holds a Ph.D. in Machine Learning from the University of Michigan, earned between 2000 and 2005.