Michal Pěchouček is the Rector of the Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU). In 2000, he founded the Artificial Intelligence Center at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at CTU, which he continues to lead to this day. He gained international academic experience in California, Canada, and the United Kingdom. He has been a member of the top management of several major multinational technology companies and also has experience in technology transfer, founding start-ups, and working as an investor. He has a high citation count (h-index 41 on Google Scholar) and is also a philanthropist; among other activities, he supports the educational program “One World in Schools” run by People in Need. In 2023, he received the Karel Kramář Medal, awarded by the Prime Minister for lifetime achievements in research and science.
