John Kao

Professor. Entrepreneur. Author. Polymath. Pianist.

New York, New York, United States

About

I work on one question: how do we keep our humanity in the age of AI? My answer starts with an upgrade to creativity for an age of complexity: Polycognition (many ways of thinking), Polyvalency (many ways of making connections), Polytrophism (many paths to desired results). This isn't theory. It comes from four decades at the intersection of art, science, and enterprise. I've been a Harvard Business School professor, a serial entrepreneur, a Tony-nominated film and theatre producer, and a keyboard player for Frank Zappa. The Economist called me "Mr. Creativity." Today I teach at Yale. I'm building tools, frameworks, and conversations for anyone navigating complexity with creativity. Follow along

Experience

  • Co-Chairman at SilverPoint Studios
    Aug 2025 - Present · 11 mos

  • Yale University (3 yrs 8 mos)
    • Senior Fellow, Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science
      Jul 2024 - Present · 2 yrs

    • Entrepreneur In Residence
      Nov 2022 - Present · 3 yrs 8 mos

    • Associate Fellow @ Trumbull College
      Feb 2023 - Present · 3 yrs 5 mos

  • Visiting Scholar/Artist at American Academy in Rome
    Apr 2024 - Present · 2 yrs 3 mos

  • Advisory Board Member - Global Innovation Index at World Intellectual Property Organization – WIPO
    Jul 2022 - Present · 4 yrs

  • Co-founder and Chairman Emeritus at ThayerMahan, Inc.
    Jan 2016 - Present · 10 yrs 6 mos