7 tech influencers to watch on YouTube

From consumer tech to sustainability and beyond, YouTube has opened a doorway for the general public to learn more about all kinds of new technologies in a fun and informative way. YouTube influencers are not only reviewing gadgets in their videos, they’re also breaking down the jargon and educating the public to some of the top tech trends today.

With the rapid pace at which technologies are evolving, YouTube is the platform people are turning to for tours of smart homes, cybersecurity tips, and interviews with experts providing insights into the digital transformation of everything. Here are seven tech influencers you need to follow if you want to stay up-to-date on current and future tech.

Marques Brownlee

With a focus on consumer technologies – especially cars and digital devices – Marques Brownlee has been posting on YouTube since 2008. The variety of videos Marques produces is enough to keep any tech geek happy, presenting not only unboxings and reviews, but also explainer videos for topics including the USB-C law and 5G technology.

Marques has even interviewed high-profile public figures including Bill Gates, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Elon Musk, Kobe Bryant, Mark Zuckerberg, and Barack Obama. When Marques is not in the studio recording, he gets his game face on as a professional ultimate frisbee player.

Justine Ezarik – iJustine With more than 1.3 billion views since she joined in 2006, Justine Ezarik – aka, iJustine – is proving that tech is not just a playground for men. Justine offers reviews of consumer gadgets and games, as well as videos of unboxings of new products.  Justine also does occasional interviews and has featured Google’s Sundar Pichai, as well as Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon, talking about AI, the metaverse, and other timely topics. She is the author of I, Justine: An Analog Memoir, in which she talks about her long-time tech obsession and gives readers a behind-the-scenes look at the life of a tech vlogger.

Judner Aura – UrAverageConsumer

Judner Aura dedicates a significant amount of attention to smart home technologies on his YouTube channel, interspersed with the ever-popular unboxing videos, reviews of “Tech you can ACTUALLY afford,” and tours of his own smart home, which includes a smart nursery for his child.

Judner explains in terms everyone can understand how these products can benefit homeowners and walks the average person through how the technologies work. He also teaches master classes in how to start converting your home to a smart home, starting with “Your Ideal Smart Living Room.”

Rob Greenfield

Rob Greenfield is an environmentalist who uses his YouTube platform to inspire his viewers to contribute to a just and sustainable world – through simple living and green technologies. His videos cover off-the-grid living and zero waste, including technologies for those who want to live more sustainably.

Rob’s tiny house tour covers gadgets such as a solar oven and a stove that turns food waste into cooking gas. He has written multiple books on the topic of living sustainably, including two books for kids, and speaks as an ambassador for the international nonprofit One Percent for the Planet.

Ashley Renne – Hey Ashley Renne

Ashley Renne is a sustainable lifestyle and tech YouTuber who reviews energy-saving technologies for the home and shares zero waste tips. We love her ultimate smart home tours that cover products like programmable blinds and thermostats, as well as energy efficient home appliances.

Ashley also has several videos of road trips in a Tesla car, discussing the challenges and rewards of owning an electric vehicle. A fun fact about Ashley is that she used to be a travel influencer, but pivoted in 2019 to reduce her carbon footprint and to educate others about how to do the same.

Paul Asadoorian – Security Weekly

If you are interested in deep dives into today’s top technology security and vulnerability issues, you’ll need to subscribe to Security Weekly, founded by Paul Asadoorian. In his videos, Paul interviews a range of top-notch IT experts to bring viewers the latest in cybersecurity insights. His weekly podcast episodes are also regularly uploaded to the YouTube channel.

Along with Security Weekly colleague John Strand and others, Paul co-authored the book Offensive Countermeasures: The Art of Defense, which presents proactive cybersecurity techniques used to annoy hackers and track them down. 

Prof. Sally Eaves – Tomorrow’s Tech Today

Author and leading Tech For Good advocate Prof. Sally Eaves is an engaging speaker on emerging technologies, FinTech, and how technology can disrupt – for good. Her YouTube videos deep dive into transformational technologies for a variety of industries, including everything from rail infrastructure and mobility, to energy and lifestyle products.

The United Nation’s inaugural Frontier Awards recognized Sally for her inspirational work in advocating for technologies to improve the world, and she received the IT Woman of the Year Business Role Model Award for her efforts to enable social innovations that are aligned with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Edutainment for the tech-curious and insiders 

While there is some debate over whether YouTube is a social media platform or a search engine, there is no doubt that it is a primary resource for people looking for info on technology. The influencers who are making names for themselves on this platform understand the serious need for fun and informative content to respond to an abundance of consumer interest in all types of technologies. 

It’s no longer just geeks who want to be up-to-date on the hottest tech – everyone’s got a gadget of some sort in their home, car, and jacket pocket. These seven YouTubers are doing the important work of helping their viewers understand how to make the most of these new technologies – and how to prepare for the transformations that are ahead for them.