TheBridge profile: Guillaume Bouchard
Name: Guillaume Bouchard
Current City: London, England
Current Job: CEO of CheckStep
Past Job: Research Scientist
Q. How are you currently bridging the gap between innovation and regulation? Our company, Checkstep, bridges innovation and regulation by providing a range of new features that are directly enabled by the recent development in Gen AI, applied to content moderation tools. These features not only ensure compliance with regulations like the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) and the UK's Online Safety Act, as well as AI upcoming regulations, but they also show the path toward new best practices, which ultimately, might become the standard in few years. Our platform offers a new Regulations Toolbox to help companies integrate easily workflows for transparency, notice and action forms, and policy management, ensuring compliance without diverting resources. The AI Marketplace allows clients to choose moderation solutions tailored to their needs, balancing cost, accuracy, and compliance. Checkstep also focuses on privacy and ethical AI, ensuring data security and adherence to privacy laws like GDPR.
Q. Job advice in three words? Adapt, Innovate, Lead
Q. What can innovators learn from policymakers? Innovators can learn from policymakers the importance of balancing rapid advancement with societal impact, ensuring that new technologies align with ethical standards, regulations, and long-term public good. Foresight helps innovators anticipate regulatory trends and integrate compliance into their innovations from the start.
Q. What can policymakers learn from innovators? Policymakers can learn from innovators how to be more agile and adaptive in their approach, embracing new ideas and technologies quickly. They can also benefit from the culture of experimentation, where iterative testing and learning from failures can lead to more effective and responsive regulations that keep pace with rapid technological advancements.
Q. Can you describe a skill you have carried throughout your career that has always proved to be valuable? Ability to blend deep technical expertise with strategic thinking.
Q. What is the best job interview question you have ever been asked? “What is the most important trait of character that you are considering when hiring people in your team?”
Q. Favorite spot for a coffee meeting? Redemption Coffee Roasters in Kings Cross
Q. Favorite book/podcast/long-form article you recommend? My favorite book is The Desert of the Tartars, a powerful story about a young man full of ambition who ultimately wastes his life waiting for something that never comes. It resonates deeply with the importance of seizing opportunities. As for podcasts, I highly recommend 80,000 Hours, for its focus on long-term thinking and making a positive impact, and Gastropod, because it combines my love of science and food, reminding me to enjoy the sensory pleasures of life even amidst a busy career.
Q. Why are you part of TheBridge community? Why do you think it's important this community exists for tech, policy and political professionals? I’m part of TheBridge community because it brings together tech, policy, and political professionals to address the intersection of innovation and regulation. In today’s world, where technology rapidly outpaces policy, it's crucial to have a space for informed dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy. Shape a future where technology benefits society while remaining accountable and ethical is important to me.
Q. Each day is probably different, but are there certain skills you think are essential to your job? Strategic thinking, adaptability, and deep technical expertise
Q. Living person you admire? Geoff Hinton (now Turing and Nobel Prize Laureate)
Q. Favorite app? My favorite app is Google Maps. It’s a remarkably complex product, yet incredibly simple to use. I also think it has the potential to be monetized 10x more than it currently is by Google.
Q. Morning routine? Every morning, I wake up at 7am, prepare breakfast for my 15-year-old twins, Nils and Siloé, then go for a 30-minute run from Kings Cross to Regent's Park. I meditate for 17 minutes, journaling before and after, then head to Suda in Camden Town to grab a cappuccino from my barista friend Kate. I read the news, bring a coffee to my partner Hajni, and start my day with a cold shower before work at 9:30 am.
Q. How do you unwind after work? After work, I usually unwind by cooking for my family. It’s both a social and sensory experience that helps me relax and reconnect. I love the process of preparing a meal and sharing it with loved ones—it’s a great way to decompress.