Tom Ilube came to the TEDxEuston stage with an urgent message for us all about the emerging technology that is going to have the most profound impact on Africa in the next 20 years, Artificial Intelligence (AI).

He wasted no time in addressing the question: "With the dawn of AI at our doorstep and in our daily routine; can we as Africans afford to miss the fourth industrial revolution?" Watch how he takes the TEDxEuston audience on a roller coaster of thought in his 6-minute punchy talk, a first at TEDxEuston.

Tom Ilube is a technology entrepreneur and educational philanthropist. He is founder and CEO of Crossword Cybersecurity plc, a cybersecurity company. In 2011, he founded and was CEO of Garlik, a venture capital-backed identity protection company, sold to Experian.

Tom's previous roles include Managing Director of Consumer Markets at Callcredit Information Group; the private equity-backed UK credit reference agency, sold to Chicago based private equity firm GTCR in 2014. His career has also included Goldman Sachs, PwC, Cap Gemini and the London Stock Exchange.

In 2016, he launched the African Science Academy, the first girls' science and technology school on the continent Tom is the current Chair of Governors of ADA College, the UK's National College for Digital Skills, Chair of the African Gifted Foundation, and he was appointed as a non-executive director of the BBC in 2017.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx