Tech Journalist Emily Chang to Address AI’s Future at Distinguished Speaker Series

Emmy-Award winning journalist Emily Chang will discuss artificial intelligence and emerging technology trends at Pasadena’s long-running Distinguished Speaker Series on May 21.

The former Bloomberg Technology host and bestselling author will deliver her presentation at the historic Pasadena Civic Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., offering attendees insights from her extensive experience interviewing tech industry leaders.

“Emily Chang will deliver an eye-opening talk that will offer a nuanced exploration of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of our rapidly changing tech landscape with special emphasis on the impacts of AI and other emerging tech trends and developments poised to reshape our lives,” event organizers said.

Chang, who spent 12 years as executive producer and host of Bloomberg Technology, has interviewed some of the most influential figures in technology, including Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, former Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and Disney CEO Bob Iger.

Now producing and hosting new series for Bloomberg Originals, Chang’s recent work includes “The Circuit with Emily Chang,” which examines the intersection of technology, business, and culture. The show’s first season explored social media’s future, Elon Musk’s management of Twitter, and featured exclusive interviews with the creators of ChatGPT.

Chang authored the New York Times bestseller “Brotopia: Breaking Up the Boys’s Club of Silicon Valley,” which exposed how Silicon Valley’s culture has excluded women from unprecedented wealth creation opportunities. She has also made cameo appearances as herself on HBO’s “Silicon Valley.”

The May event marks the latest installment in the Distinguished Speaker Series, now in its 29th season in the Pasadena community. The series continues to be hosted at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium, which opened in 1932 and has been described as “one of the most revered performance halls in the nation” and “a treasure of Los Angeles’s arts and culture scene.”

Chang’s appearance precedes the series’ final 2024-2025 speaker, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, scheduled for June 9. The 2025-2026 lineup will feature Ella Al-Shamahi, Sanna Marin, Laurie Santos, Pete Buttigieg, Bob Costas, and Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Parking is available in the Pasadena Civic Auditorium’s subterranean structure for a flat rate of $15, accessible via entrances on Euclid Avenue and Marengo Avenue between Green Street and Cordova Street. The facility includes eight electric vehicle charging stations, though the structure has a 6’6″ height restriction. Payment is by credit card or contactless methods only, and tickets are valid for single entry with no in-and-out privileges.

For more information about the event or to purchase tickets, visit www.speakersla.com or call (626) 449-7360.