Katie McMahon: Shaping the Future of Voice AI and Mobile Technology
Katie McMahon is a visionary tech executive and entrepreneur whose career has significantly shaped the mobile and voice technology landscape over the past two decades. A graduate of the University of Virginia with high distinction in Political & Social Thought, McMahon's journey in tech began in Japan, where she made history as the first western woman to launch a technology company in the country in 2002.
McMahon's career took a pivotal turn when she joined Shazam as Vice President of Business Development from 2004 to 2010. During her tenure, she spearheaded the company's mobile strategy, playing a crucial role in Shazam's launch on the iPhone and forging vital partnerships with OEMs and global carriers. Under her leadership, Shazam experienced meteoric growth, reaching 2 billion installs and 70 billion queries, ultimately leading to its acquisition by Apple.
Following her success at Shazam, McMahon joined SoundHound Inc. as Vice President and General Manager, where she continued to innovate in the realm of sound recognition and voice AI. At SoundHound, she was instrumental in launching Hound, a sophisticated voice search and assistant app, and the Houndify platform, which set new standards for natural language understanding in voice interfaces. Her work at SoundHound culminated in the company's public listing on NASDAQ (SOUN), marking another significant milestone in her career.
McMahon's expertise spans the entire spectrum of tech development, from ideation and R&D to productization and market introduction. Her proven track record in guiding early-stage tech companies to significant valuations has made her a sought-after advisor and consultant. Currently, she holds advisory roles at several innovative companies, including Neosensory, Native Voice, Valence Vibrations, NatureQuant, Wia, and Brainbaby Inc. McMahon is also the lead inventor on several patents involving methods of Automatic Speech Recognition, Natural Language Understanding, and Augmented Reality.
Recognizing the growing importance of AI ethics and security, McMahon is also a member of the Berryville Institute of Machine Learning, where she contributes to efforts ensuring the safe, secure, and ethical development of AI technologies. She’s an active researcher as a part of their team.
As a speaker, McMahon is globally recognized for her insights and this year was awarded the 2024 Smart Speaker Award by Smart Meetings Magazine. She’s spoken at leading tech events including CES, GovAI, Voice of the Car Summit, MojoFest, and AlexaConference. Her presentations are known for weaving relatable stories that make complex tech concepts accessible and inspiring, encouraging audiences to consider the broader implications of technological advancements on business and society.
Katie McMahon's leadership style, characterized by passion, inspiration, and integrity, has guided her through various roles as an advisor, board member, and senior executive. Her contributions to digital innovation and technology have earned her numerous accolades, including recognition as one of the Top 50 Women in mobile content by Mobile Entertainment and inclusion in the Silicon Valley Top 50.
As the tech landscape continues to evolve, Katie McMahon remains at the forefront, driving innovation in voice AI, mobile technology, and beyond. Her unique blend of entrepreneurial spirit, technical expertise, and strategic vision continues to shape the future of how we interact with technology in our daily lives.
If you're interested in seeing Katie McMahon speak, you can view some examples on her page here. If you’d like to book Katie McMahon for your event, please contact our team directly.
