Pierre-Alexandre Balland is a French economist and a leading expert in complex economic systems and artificial intelligence.

Pierre-Alexandre currently serves as Chief Data Scientist at CEPS and is a Visiting Professor at Harvard University’s Growth Lab. He is also the director of the AI World and advises the European Commission and several governments on research & innovation policy.


Pierre-Alex teaches machine learning and is a frequent keynote speaker. He has most recently presented at Slush, Unleash World, the Ideas Lab & VivaTech.

At the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), Pierre-Alex leads a team that leverages artificial intelligence and data science tools to address a wide range of public policy challenges, ranging from AI strategy & policy, industrial & innovation policy, political polarization or Ukraine’s reconstruction.

At Harvard’s Growth Lab, he works with the academic team to advance fundamental research on economic complexity and its applications to technological change, industrial policy, green growth, and the future of work. He previously held positions at Utrecht University, MIT, UCLA, the Artificial and Natural Intelligence Toulouse Institute and the Center for Complex Systems Studies.

Pierre-Alexandre Balland is also an experienced entrepreneur, passionate about bridging the gap between the lab and the market. In 2018, he co-founded Argos to develop AI solutions. In 2022, he co-founded 71West to accelerate blockchain development for environmental impact. Most recently, he co-founded General Robotics.

CEPS projects & policy insights:
Academic collaborations & research:
AI solutions, speaking engagement & business opportunities:

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