Meet The Disruptors: NEC’s Chris White On The Five Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry | Authority Magazine

This summer at NEC Laboratories America was full of energy, teamwork, and connection. From volleyball games in San Jose and TopGolf with colleagues from Princeton to kayaking adventures, a campus picnic, and celebrating our incredible interns, our teams came together to learn, laugh, and grow. Here’s a look back at the highlights that made Summer 2025 so memorable.

NEC Laboratories America has joined the Center for Smart Streetscapes (CS3) Advisory Board, a National Science Foundation–funded initiative advancing urban innovation through technology, data, and design. As a leader in AI, computer vision, and edge computing, NEC Labs America will collaborate with researchers, civic leaders, and industry partners to develop intelligent infrastructure that enhances safety, accessibility, and efficiency in public spaces.

Chris White, President of NEC Laboratories America, reflects on the lab’s mission to build responsible, human-centered technology—from AI to streetscape innovation—that tackles real-world challenges. In recent keynotes and interviews, he’s emphasized the power of collaboration, the importance of designing AI as a tool that empowers (not replaces), and the discipline required to scale truly disruptive ideas. He’s also shared thoughts on using digital tools for sustainability, such as optimizing global water systems, and the need for cooperative decision-making in complex environments like supply chains. Through it all, he reminds us: real innovation isn’t about flashy tech—it’s about solving meaningful problems, at scale, with intention and integrity.