About Sandy
AI Executive. Author. Unstoppable Leader.
Sandy Carter has spent her career at the point where new technology meets real business, from IBM in the internet era, to AWS in the cloud era, to leading Equs in the age of AI agents.
The short version · Updated
- Now
- CEO, Equs
- Writes
- Weekly AI column, Forbes
- Hosts
- The AI Marketing Companion
- Founded
- Unstoppable Women of AI
- Studied
- Computer science at Duke; MBA from Harvard Business School
- Spoken in
- 91+ countries, to audiences of up to 50,000
Sandy Carter is a globally recognized expert in artificial intelligence. She has been leading AI initiatives since 2013, long before it was the only thing anyone wanted to talk about.
As CEO of Equs, she is building what she believes the agentic era is missing: a trust layer. As AI agents begin to act on behalf of people and businesses, Equs makes sure every one of them has a verifiable identity, clear boundaries and an accountable record, with the individual’s data kept private and under their control.
Before Equs, Sandy held executive roles at IBM and Amazon Web Services, where she grew the businesses she led to more than $5 billion, and then helped scale Unstoppable Domains as its COO. She has served on the board of Altair, the AI and simulation company now part of Siemens, sat on the World Economic Forum’s AI committee, and chaired Girls in Tech.
She is the author of six books, most recently the bestseller AI First, Human Always, and writes a weekly column for Forbes. She also uses AI every day, with more than a dozen agents working for her.
On stage, she has keynoted SXSW, CES, Davos and the United Nations, and spoken to audiences of up to 50,000 people in more than 91 countries. She has proudly sampled McDonald’s in every one of them.
Sandy is passionate about who gets to build the future. She founded Unstoppable Women of AI, which has helped thousands of women around the world step into leadership in emerging technology.
01Career
From IBM and AWS to the agentic era.
Since July 2026
Equs
Chief Executive Officer
Leads Equs, which is building privacy-first identity and trust infrastructure for the agentic AI era. Its open-source credentials SDK lets people, businesses and AI agents prove who they are and what they’re authorized to do.
Since January 2026
The AI Marketing Companion
Host
Took over the 13-year-old marketing podcast from founding host Mark Schaefer and refocused it on AI and agentic commerce.
Since 2023
Forbes
Contributor
A weekly column on AI, agents and leadership, with more than 280 pieces published.
2021–2026
Unstoppable Domains
Chief Operating Officer
Helped scale the digital identity platform, starting in business development and partnerships before becoming COO.
2017–2021
Amazon Web Services
Vice President
Led enterprise innovation and partner programs, bringing cloud, AI and IoT to the world’s largest companies.
Two decades
IBM
Executive roles, including General Manager
From VP of SOA and WebSphere strategy to General Manager roles leading IBM’s ecosystem and AI cloud businesses. Across IBM and AWS, Sandy grew the businesses she led to more than $5 billion.
02Recognition
Named among the most influential voices in AI and tech.
Adweek · 2025
AI Power 100
Microsoft MSN
Top 10 AI Entrepreneur
World Leaders in Data and AI
AI Executive Leader of the Year
Constellation Research
Top AI Business Leader
Forbes
Top 150 Contributor
CNN
Ten Most Powerful Women in Tech
Fast Company
Most Influential Women in Technology
Forbes
Global Top 40 Marketing Masters
SXSW
Top 3 Innovation Influencer
CRN
Top Channel Chief
WITI
Women in Technology Hall of Fame
03In good company
Backstage with fellow innovators.
Steve WozniakCo-founder, Apple 
Randi ZuckerbergFounder, Zuckerberg Media 
Amy CuddySocial psychologist, TED speaker 
Mark BurnettProducer, Shark Tank and Survivor 
Josh LinknerAuthor, The Road to Reinvention
04FAQ
Sandy Carter, in brief.
Who is Sandy Carter?
Sandy Carter is an American technology executive, AI keynote speaker and author. Since July 2026 she has been CEO of Equs, a company building privacy-first identity and trust infrastructure for AI agents. She previously held executive roles at IBM and Amazon Web Services, where she grew the businesses she led to more than $5 billion, and served as COO of Unstoppable Domains.
What is Sandy Carter’s current role?
Sandy Carter is CEO of Equs (equs.ai), appointed in July 2026. She also writes a weekly AI column for Forbes, hosts The AI Marketing Companion podcast and founded Unstoppable Women of AI.
What is Equs?
Equs is a technology company building privacy-first identity and trust infrastructure for the agentic AI economy. Its tools let people, businesses and AI agents prove who they are and what they are authorized to do, while keeping personal data private. In September 2026 it released the open-source Equs Credentials SDK.
What books has Sandy Carter written?
Sandy Carter has written six books: AI First, Human Always (Wiley, 2025), Extreme Innovation (2017), Geek Girls Are Chic (2015), Get Bold (IBM Press, 2011), The New Language of Marketing 2.0 (IBM Press, 2008) and The New Language of Business: SOA & Web 2.0 (IBM Press, 2007).
What does Sandy Carter speak about?
Sandy Carter speaks about artificial intelligence and what it means for business and people: AI strategy and culture, agentic AI and trust, enterprise AI adoption and ROI, AI in marketing, and women in AI leadership. She has spoken in more than 91 countries, including at SXSW, CES, Davos and the United Nations.
Where did Sandy Carter go to school?
Sandy Carter earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Duke University and an MBA from Harvard Business School.
How can I book Sandy Carter to speak?
Send event details through the booking form at sandycarter.net/contact-sandy/ or email bookAIfirst@gmail.com.
05In the press
Recent coverage.
- Pulse 2.0 · EQUS: Interview with CEO Sandy Carter about AI data ownership and digital identity
- Biometric Update · Equs emerges from stealth with open-source credential SDK for AI agents
- Press release · EQUS, Inc. names Sandy Carter new CEO as company expands privacy-first identity infrastructure for agentic AI
- Adweek · AIQ Podcast: What is the role of AI in the future of business?
For organizers and press
Bios, headshots and a speaker introduction, ready to use.
AI first, human always
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