Marcus Weller, Skully Pioneer, Pushes The Boundaries Of AI Technology With New Venture, Aionic Technologies

Published : 2 weeks ago, on 05/09/2024

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been the premier up-and-coming technology for a number of years now, and the innovations in the field look to maintain that trend moving forward. Despite ethical debates about the field and specific implementations of the technology, AI technology has the potential to revolutionize the way people interact with the world in a number of different ways. This revolutionary potential of the technology has caught the eyes of scientists and businesses alike, with dozens of startups and new products in development at any given time.

Few are as familiar with the state of AI technology as Marcus Weller, technology innovator, visionary AI entrepreneur, and neuro-symbolic AI researcher. He led the augmented reality (AR) charge in 2012 with the Skully motorcycle helmet and has continued to push the boundaries of space. His expertise and investment in new technology have led him to make speaking arrangements at Stanford, LeWeb, SXSW, CES, MEX, and dozens of other events. He’s worked as a board member or C-suite executive for startups spanning AI, AR, biotechnology, and financial technology, continuing to develop the field in which he’s found success and meaning. 

With a focused eye on the development of ethical Artificial Intelligence, Dr. Marcus Weller aims to create impactful, future-forward technology solutions. Even beyond the world of business, Dr. Weller works to advance science diplomacy as a German Chancellor Fellow for the Humboldt Foundation and volunteers his time to mentor students at universities around the world. His international experience combines with the lessons learned and resilience gained from his public business life to create a figure that is well-suited to pushing the boundaries of AI technology. 

Origins: Inspiration and Education

Dr. Marcus Weller has been fascinated by technology and the human brain for as long as he can remember. The interplay of humans and technology was always a point of interest for him, and that interest naturally drew him to robotics and computers both educationally and in media. It goes without saying that Terminator, Robocop, and Blade Runner are some of his favorite films. 

The interplay between the human brain and technology would drive his educational path. He’d begin with the brain, earning his B.A. in Psychology in 2006 and graduating in the top 10% of his class. While there, he co-founded and served as Vice President of the university’s Industrial-Organization Psychology club, and worked as a Human Factors Research Assistant, where he assisted with interdisciplinary research in simulation and transportation. 

He took his knowledge of neural networks and cognitive psychology to his next academic journey. He earned his Ph.D. in Industrial Psychology (with a sub-focus in Data Science, specifically Statistics) from Wayne State University in 2012, where he studied applied experimental and engineering psychology and cognitive neuroscience. The potential in his chosen field and the technology built upon that field’s foundations dazzled Weller.

“Both domains, human psychology and technology, seemed limitless,” Marcus Weller says. “I felt strongly that in their nexus lay many great discoveries waiting to be uncovered that would unlock new possibilities for humanity.”

A Career of Innovation and Resilience

Dr. Marcus Weller’s career has been marked by pushing boundaries and being defined by resilience, but it started with an accident. A motorcycle accident, specifically one that Dr. Weller experienced while living in Spain in 2011 and dreamed about later in 2012. 

He remembers the dream vividly, saying, “In the dream, I was using a motorcycle helmet with a heads-up display that could project GPS directions and other vital information directly in front of the rider’s eyes like a hologram, eliminating the need to look away from the road. In the dream, it saved me from my accident, and the feeling was so powerful that it woke me up in the middle of the night with an overwhelming desire to build it.”

This dream, this vision, would become Skully, the augmented reality motorcycle helmet that was his first major step into entrepreneurship. After months of early prototyping and then some nervous meetings with investors, the technology would come to life and be sold in Harley-Davidson stores. The experience of bringing this new technology to market taught him valuable lessons. It was the moment when Weller realized the business potential of his combined academic knowledge and passion for technology, and it taught him the skills and resilience needed to navigate the challenges of the business world. 

Marcus Weller would go on to co-found a number of other companies in the years after leaving Skully behind. He co-founded iTrustCapital and served as its CMO for a short time before co-founding Halcyon Biotechnologies. As CEO at Halcyon, he oversaw the development, management, and marketing of cognitive enhancement and cognitive protection products, while also cultivating relationships both internally and with other companies like Pfizer. After Halcyon, Weller worked as an advisor or board member for a number of other companies, including Flowly, Payminto, and Capital Factory.

He spent nearly a decade working as the Chief Scientific Officer in the AI industry. This applied AI company is the current focus of his work and the carrier of his dream of a world improved by the interplay of human minds and AI technology. His work there involves the research and construction of brain-inspired AI architectures built to problem solve, innovate, and reason. 

Values and Defining Success

Professional goals and monetary gain aren’t the markers of success that Dr. Marcus Weller focuses on. To Dr. Weller, success is about making a meaningful impact on the world while living in alignment with his values. In his words, “It’s about creating technologies that advance humanity while also maintaining personal integrity and contributing positively to society.” 

What, then, are Dr. Weller’s values? They’re simple: innovation, integrity, and impact. He is passionate about making a lasting positive impact on the world, but that doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t happen alone. He believes in pushing the boundaries of what is possible, but with a foundation for solving real human needs. He believes in operating with integrity—being attuned to the needs of the people he serves, taking care to operate honestly, and operating collaboratively are important. It is a philosophy of lifelong development, growth, and learning.

“The best people and the best AI models have one thing in common: they continuously learn,” Dr. Weller says. “This becomes a source of strength and growth that can be used to solve problems for people and have a deep impact.”

What Lies Ahead

Marcus Weller has no plans to stop the onward march of his research and technology career. He continues to research and develop AI technology alongside some of the brightest experts in the field, pursuing his dream of a better world. He’s also just launched Aionic Technologies, a new AI venture focused on human-centered AI that, in his words, “represents the culmination of my experiences and learnings.”

He hasn’t left science diplomacy behind either. He sees AI and other emerging technology as potential leverage for solving a variety of global challenges, from climate change to public health, and hopes that the technology will be accessible to all. He says, “By bridging the gap between technology and policy, I aim to create a future where innovation serves the greater good and contributes to a more peaceful, prosperous world.”