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Bio

The technological landscape is advancing exponentially, impacting every aspect of our humanity and our businesses. With the future arriving faster than ever, there’s unprecedented opportunity to evolve rapidly and lead from the front — yet we need to move beyond traditional foresight and existing design practices to do so.

A sought-after keynote speaker on stages like SXSW, Dubai Future Forum, and Building the Future, and corporate events for Meta, Microsoft, and more, Neil guides audiences towards a paradigm-shifting realization: Our realities are wholly co-created. By integrating technologies like AI and spatial computing with our physical, digital, and natural ecosystems, we can unlock new innovations, evolved business models, sustainable growth, and deeper connectedness across all aspects of work and life.

By skillfully connecting the possible with the practical, our virtual and physical environments, and society’s potential with the here and now, Neil Redding is a Near Futurist with over 30 years of expertise in unlocking the reality-shaping capabilities of emerging technologies for audiences, brands and teams.

With expertise as an Innovation Architect and computer scientist, Neil has pioneered Near Future teams at diverse firms including Mediacom, Gensler, and Thoughtworks, helping to evolve their portfolios into groundbreaking territory. Neil operates his boutique consultancy, Redding Futures, to deliver disruptive strategies for world-class brands, and has served clients including Visa, Nike, Apple, and Verizon, among dozens of others. His foundational Near Future Framework translates emerging technology possibilities into practical business value via ecosystem-centered design, promoting resilience, sustainable growth, deeper customer relationships, and transformative business opportunity.

As a speaker, Neil inspires and activates audiences with expertise, relatability, and humor. His visionary talks connect the profound with the practical, offering actionable steps that expand our relationship with reality and co-create thriving futures through AI and spatial computing, without fear. To book Neil for your conference, corporate event, or panel, reach out in the Near Future.

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Tailored Keynote:

Leading in the Agentic Era: Building AI-Native Teams for Real-Time Transformation

As AI shifts from tool to teammate, business leaders face a new challenge: how to lead organizations where intelligent agents participate directly in strategy, execution, and adaptation. In this keynote, Near Futurist Neil Redding draws on his work advising executive teams across industries to reveal how leadership itself must evolve to meet the moment.

This is not a talk about incremental improvement — it’s a framework for real transformation, focused on the mindsets and practices necessary to build AI-native teams, design agile workflows, and evolve businesses that thrive in the Agentic Era. Redding shares insights from his engagements with global companies, helping leadership teams reimagine their role as participants in dynamic, ever-evolving business ecosystems.

You’ll leave with a strategic lens on transformation at scale — and the clarity to lead with purpose, agility, and confidence in a world where AI is not just accelerating business, but actively co-creating it.

Key Topical Points

1. From Tools to Teammates – Why the Agentic Era requires a new mental model, treating models & agents as participating colleagues rather than passive software
   
2. Leadership Shifts – Participation → Delegation → Initiation framework for guiding humans + agentic ecosystems
   
3. Human-Agent Hybrid Teams – Approaches for incrementally evolving teams towards agentic collaboration
   
4. Directions & Signals – Patterns from global enterprises pushing beyond prompt-driven AI to stay ahead
   
5. Trust, Guardrails & Velocity – Balancing speed with reliability
   
6. Cascade‑Ready Messaging – Concepts and language leaders can use immediately across the business

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‍Why Neil?

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^{"Neil Redding's participation in the Meta Brazil activation during SXSW was incredibly valuable. His deep understanding of AI and spatial computing allowed him to effectively address the specific challenges and needs of our clients' businesses.”-Conrado Leister, VP & Managing Director, Meta}

^{"This session was truly remarkable, we had the presence of Neil Redding, a Near Futurist, who took us on an exciting journey about AI, Spatial Computing and co-creation of reality and challenged us to rethink concepts, and to a deep reflection on the transformative potential of AI in our organizations and in our lives!" -Manuel Dias, National Technology Officer & Executive Board Member, Microsoft}‍

‍Bio

At OpenAI, Zack led the teams responsible for sales, partnerships, and customer success, turning the company’s cutting-edge research into real-world business solutions. He has personally advised executives across dozens of industries on deploying AI at scale.

As an executive business advisor, Zack now works with Fortune 1,000 boardrooms and leadership teams—including Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Amgen—to help leaders navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Zack’s mission is to ensure individuals, businesses, and governments are active participants in the AI-powered future by making the technology both understandable and actionable. He is recognized as one of the foremost thinkers in applied AI, with his insights featured in Fortune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, AdAge, and Business Insider.

Beyond his advisory work, Zack also supports AI education and research at the University of Virginia. He holds a BA from the University of California, Berkeley, and currently resides in Santa Barbara, California.

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Why Zack Kass?

Zack Kass provides executives with a roadmap for navigating AI’s evolving role in leadership and workforce transformation. He offers deep insights into AI’s immediate and long-term impact on business strategy while engaging high-level audiences with thought-provoking discussions on AI’s implications for the future of work..

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Preferred Topic

The Next Great Company

Artificial Intelligence is transforming work as we know it—and the stakes for organizations couldn’t be higher. Individuals and companies that don’t adapt run the risk of being left behind. How can you prepare for what’s coming? As the former Head of Go To Market for OpenAI and leading futurist, Zack Kass has helped hundreds of leaders rethink their AI strategy. In this compelling talk, Zack will deliver a comprehensive roadmap on how to build, develop, motivate, and retain high-performing teams and companies in an AI-driven world. Audiences will come away understanding the importance of soft skills, constant learning, and a culture of adaptability to thrive in the new business landscape.

Audience Takeaways:

• Why soft skills and emotional intelligence are becoming more critical as AI automates technical tasks
• How to foster a culture of lifelong learning and curiosity that embraces—not resists—technological change
• The role of adaptability and agile leadership in driving innovation at every level of the organization
• Key strategies to build, motivate, and retain top talent in a world where work is being redefined

‍_{“We recommend all of our clients talk to Zack about their corporate AI strategy. He's seen it all and can connect dots faster than anyone.” - Arjun Prakash, Co-founder & CEO | Distyl AI}

_{“Few people understand how to apply AI to real world problems as well as Zack. He's been in the industry for so long, and has a remarkable knack for helping people learn what he knows.” - Lukas Biewald, CEO & Co-Founder | Weights & Biases}‍

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Bio

Dona Sarkar is a senior leader at Microsoft, currently serving as the Chief Troublemaker of the AI and Copilot Extensibility Program. In this role, she is spearheading enterprise-scale adoption of Generative AI—helping organizations make Microsoft’s Copilot tools truly useful by enabling reasoning over their own data and customizing solutions for real business impact.

With over a decade of experience driving innovation at Microsoft, Dona has led transformative programs across multiple verticals:

• Directed the Windows Insiders Program, engaging over 20 million users globally in co-creating the future of Windows.
• Headed Accessibility tech programs, ensuring inclusive AI product design.
• Championed emerging technologies, from the Metaverse via HoloLens to low-code platforms on Microsoft Power Platform.

Known for her pragmatic, high-energy approach to AI transformation, Dona brings a rare blend of technical expertise, executive leadership, and real-world application. She has advised Fortune 500 companies on scaling AI solutions, modernizing legacy systems, and aligning innovation with business strategy.

Dona is also a highly sought-after keynote speaker, published author, and entrepreneur. She was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Productive People and Cosmopolitan’s Businessperson of the Year for her bold, cross-disciplinary leadership style.

Whether working with global marketing teams or C-suite executives, Dona is passionate about making AI practical, inclusive, and actionable—at scale.

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Preferred Topic

How Enterprises Are Operationalizing AI for Real Business Results

Led by Dona Sarkar, Microsoft – Chief Troublemaker, AI & Copilot Extensibility Program

Over the past 18 months, AI has dominated headlines—but beneath the buzz, leading enterprises are making tangible progress, integrating Generative AI into their workflows and unlocking measurable outcomes.

In this engaging and hands-on session, Dona Sarkar cuts through the noise to share how global organizations are successfully adopting AI across functions—from marketing and operations to IT and customer experience.

Participants will explore:

• The most common and high-impact use cases across industries
• How organizations are upskilling their workforce to thrive in the AI era
• Best practices for building internal AI adoption and change management programs
• What’s next: Assistants, Agents, and the evolving AI landscape—how to prepare for what’s coming

Whether you're leading a team or driving enterprise strategy, this session delivers a practical framework for turning AI curiosity into actionable innovation.

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Why Dona?

‍Bio

Neil Sahota (萨冠军) is the CEO of ACSI Labs, United Nations (UN) AI Advisor, IBM Master Inventor, Professor at UC Irvine, and author of best-seller, Own the A.I. Revolution. With 20+ years of business experience, he works with organizations to create their core business strategy, enter new markets, and develop next generation products/solutions powered by emerging technology. His work experience spans multiple industries including legal services, healthcare, life sciences, retail, travel and transportation, energy and utilities, automotive, telecommunications, media/communication, and government. Moreover, Neil is one of the few people selected for IBM's Corporate Service Corps leadership program that pairs leaders with NGOs to perform community-driven economic development projects. For his assignment, Neil lived and worked in Ningbo, China where he partnered with Chinese corporate CEOs to create a leadership development program.

In addition, Neil partners with entrepreneurs to define their products, establish their target markets, and structure their companies. He is a member of several investor groups like the Tech Coast Angels, advises venture capital funds like Miramar and CerraCap, and helped create the UN’s Innovation Factory, a global program for social impact entrepreneurs. Neil also serves as a judge in various startup competitions and mentor in several incubator/accelerator programs.

Neil currently co-hosts AI for All podcast with Ryan Chacon where you’ll hear from AI companies, experts, researchers, academics and industry leaders on the latest advancements in all things AI, machine learning, data science, and robotics.

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Why Neil?

• Global Thought Leadership: As a UN AI Advisor, Neil plays an influential role in shaping ethical and strategic AI initiatives worldwide.
• Enterprise-Ready Expertise: He has helped Fortune 500 companies, startups, and public agencies adopt and scale AI-driven solutions.
• Strategic Relevance: Neil bridges the gap between technical capability and business impact, making his message highly relevant for decision-makers.
• Clear, Impactful Delivery: Audiences consistently praise his ability to make complex AI concepts understandable, inspiring, and actionable. He adapts his content to apply to any industry with high levels of customization.
• Consistent Thought Leadership: Neil regularly contributes insight across industries through major media and thought pieces, and publishes Disrupting the Box, a widely followed LinkedIn newsletter exploring AI’s cross-sector impact.
• Led AI strategy workshops for top banks and insurers in Australia and Singapore, focusing on marketing modernization and customer experience transformation.
• Supported smart city and sustainability initiatives in China, advising government and private sector leaders on AI infrastructure and data strategy.
• Collaborated with university innovation labs and business schools in Hong Kong and mainland China, fostering AI-driven entrepreneurship and corporate innovation.
• Delivered keynote sessions and advisory programs across Japan, Malaysia, India, and Thailand, focused on AI readiness and transformation planning for marketing and enterprise teams.

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Recommended Keynote or Workshop:

1) AI or Fall Behind: Why You're Failing to Unlock Value from AI

In today’s cutthroat market, AI is the edge that separates the disruptors from the disrupted. Yet, many companies stumble into the same traps, pouring resources into AI initiatives only to see little to no ROI. Sound familiar?

In AI or Fall Behind, I reveal the five critical pitfalls that sabotage AI success. You’ll discover why your competitors are thriving while your projects stall. However, I’ll show you the path to course correct, not only catch up but leapfrog past your competitors. This isn’t just a wake-up call. It’s your blueprint for meaningful AI transformation.

Plus, as a parting gift, I’ll give you a taste of the "secret sauce" to supercharge your company and ignite exponential growth. By the end, you won’t just be ready for AI. You’ll be leading the charge.

In this hands-on workshop, Neil Sahota introduces TUCBO™—a practical innovation framework designed to help organizations move from AI ideation to enterprise-wide execution. Participants will learn how to uncover, shape, and implement AI-powered solutions through five key stages:

1. Think Different – Generate disruptive ideas through strategic creativity
2. Understand Different – Vet concepts using expert feedback and real-world viability
3. Create Different – Turn abstract AI ideas into tangible, value-driven use cases
4. Be Different – Build buy-in, stand out in crowded markets, and drive adoption
5. Own Different – Operationalize change and sustain long-term impact

Designed for innovators, facilitators, and builders alike, this session empowers teams with the tools and mindset to lead AI transformation with clarity, agility, and purpose.

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^{"Your deep understanding of AI and its potential applications within our work provided us with a comprehensive perspective on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. The clarity with which you articulated complex concepts and your ability to connect them to real-world scenarios was particularly impressive and greatly appreciated by all in attendance." - Darrell Johnson, CEO, Orange County Transportation Authority}

^{"The presentation was great. Neil was able to take examples of what is happening in other industries and bring it back to what we should be looking at in our industry." - Kristin Keller, SVP Real Estate Lending, Amplify Credit Union}