IntrinsicAi, an award-winning Belfast-based AI venture on a mission to democratise AI and transform organisations, has appointed Steven Knox as Chief Technology Officer. Knox brings over 25 years’ experience in software architecture and engineering, delivering large-scale, high-impact systems across sectors including education and government, positioning him as one of the most experienced technical leaders in Northern Ireland's growing AI ecosystem.
The appointment marks a significant step forward in IntrinsicAi's ability to deliver complex, enterprise-grade AI systems at speed. Knox will take ownership of the company's technical strategy and engineering execution, expanding both the scale and speed at which IntrinsicAi delivers, while increasing the value delivered to clients.
"Steven's appointment is a game-changer for what we can deliver. He brings the kind of deep architectural thinking and battle-tested engineering experience that lets us move faster without compromising on quality. Our clients come to us because they want AI that actually works in production, and Steven gives us the technical firepower to deliver that at a whole new level."
Jordan McDonald, CEO, IntrinsicAi
READ MORE: Major investment to drive economic development in North Belfast
Knox's career spans some of the most technically demanding and high-stakes environments across the public and private sectors. This breadth of experience has equipped him with a strong ability to architect resilient, scalable, data-driven systems that perform under scrutiny - an approach that aligns directly with IntrinsicAi’s mission to build AI systems organisations can trust.
"I was drawn to IntrinsicAi by the opportunity to work with Jordan and Jerry, and to join a team taking a genuinely thoughtful, engineering-led approach to AI. The mission is clear, and there’s real depth behind it.
I’ve spent most of my career in environments where there’s real pressure to deliver and get things right. That’s shaped how I think about AI - it needs to be built with care, discipline, and real craft.
My focus now is to help ensure we build on strong foundations and deliver AI systems that are not only innovative, but robust, scalable, and trusted by the organisations we support."
Steven Knox, CTO, IntrinsicAi
Knox joins CEO Jordan McDonald and Founder Jerry Staple at the helm of IntrinsicAi as the company scales its delivery of custom AI systems and vertical AI SaaS products. His arrival strengthens the company's engineering capacity at a time of accelerating demand for practical, production-ready AI adoption. This is most recently reflected in his leadership in architecting a platform supporting occupational transitions towards a low-carbon economy, including the delivery of its core AI capabilities.
"Steven is exactly the kind of person you want building the engine of an AI company. I've seen too many organisations treat technology as an afterthought bolting AI onto legacy thinking. Steven understands that if you want to lead, you have to build the foundations to lead from. With Jordan driving growth and partnerships and Steven commanding our technical vision, we have the leadership team to back up everything we're building, including the exciting ventures we have in motion under the IntrinsicAi umbrella."
Jerry Staple, Founder, IntrinsicAi
Read the Spring 2026 edition free online →
Stay connected with NI's tech community:
