Glider Spotlight: Meet Chris Mairs CBE, Blind Entrepreneur, Technologist & Investor

In this monthly series, we put the spotlight on our Gliders community to celebrate individuals who inspire us. This month, we’re highlighting Glider Chris Mairs, who's spent over five decades in technology, and shares his insights on https://theopeneyedman.com/, a weekly newsletter that explores at AI’s impact on how we live, work & see.

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Thanks for joining us Chris! Let's start with an easy one: Where do you currently live, and what's a typical day like for you?

I live in Bradford on Avon, a medieval market town near Bath in the UK. But most weeks I also spend a couple of days up in London.

When I’m in London I mentor young start ups as a Venture Partner at Entrepreneurs First. I also spend time networking with other angel investors in the technology eco system. As I’m on the board of Raspberry Pi I also visit Cambridge fairly regularly as that is where they are based.  

My days are very varied involving a lot of time on trains, planes and automobiles.

When I’m at home my amazing wife helps me get around and when I’m not at home I make good use of the real kindness of colleagues and complete strangers alike.

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You've had a fascinating and diverse career in technology. What are some of the things you are personally most proud of?

I co-founded Metaswitch Networks which grew to around 800 people and was always profitable with great staff retention. The business was eventually acquired by Microsoft  , which benefited all employees as the founders had previously transferred complete company ownership to an Employee Benefit Trust.

I have chaired quite a few businesses, including Magic Pony Technology which was reportedly acquired by Twitter for $150M only 18 months after incorporation.

I am very proud to be on the board of Raspberry Pi which has introduced millions of young people around the world to digital technology and to computing as a career.

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You have been awarded a CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire, for our non-British readers), which is quite an accomplishment. But what is one award, recognition, or hidden talent you have that we might not know of?

When not at work I like to stay active. In my younger days I competed in downhill skiing, including in the 1988 Paralympics. I was also a fanatical water skier and captained the British Disabled Waterski team to victory in 3 world championships.

If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

Well, this wouldn’t be a superpower to most people but just getting back the 2% vision I had when I was young would be utterly transformational (I currently do not even have light perception).

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Your newsletter, The Open Eyed Man, focuses a lot on AI. What currently excites you, as well as troubles you, about the promise of AI?

Conversational voice using the latest llarge language models is the most exciting user interface paradigm shift I have witnessed in my 50 year technology career. With conversational voice, I can interact with a virtual personal assistant almost as naturally as I used to interact  with my EA

What troubles me most is the industry’s repeated ability to snatch inclusivity defeat from the jaws of victory with technological innovation. So for example, AI powered video generation may develop so rapidly that conversational voice never gets established in the mainstream. Instead, consumers will be captivated by ultra lifelike animations and utterly inaccessible full motion video interfaces.

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What is the biggest question around accessibly and technology you're currently wrestling with?

Navigation is massively challenging. We do not yet have autonomous humanoid robots and until we crack that nut , the algorithms for guiding vision impaired users through the real world will not be able to leverage the massive resources being applied to the mainstream robot use case.

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If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing in the world, what would be it?

I would eradicate curable blindness in the developing world. In 2017 I rode a tandem cycle 3,653 miles coast to coast across the United States, raising funds to restore sight to 4,500 cataract sufferers. Each sight restoration only cost $30 and it is tragic that so many more people are blind when the solution costs so little.

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What's a lesson or two you've learned in life that you'd like to pass on to our community?

When I was younger I tried to hide my sight problem. Since I became unable to navigate without a white cane I have been amazed and humbled by the humanity of those around me. I feel safe and respected, and get to meet so many fascinating people. I wouldn’t wish sight loss on anyone, but it does have upsides!

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What has you most interested in Glide?

The prospect of moving around my home town confidently and quickly. And if I can also navigate around London, San Francisco and Paris, that would be a real bonus.

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Anything else you'd like to share with the Gliders community?

I cannot wait to receive my Glide, but i continue to be in awe of the progress that Amos and his team are making month by month.  

If you'd like to learn more about Chris and his work, you can sign up for his newsletter at https://theopeneyedman.com/.

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