Nicholas Christakis
Top Technology and Motivational Speaker, #1 Bestselling Author & Futurist
Erik Qualman delivers high-energy, interactive keynotes that equip audiences with practical strategies to lead and thrive in an AI-driven world. Blending real-world experience from Silicon Valley with cutting-edge insights on digital leadership and the future of work, he helps organizations turn disruption into a competitive advantage. With a proven track record of engaging millions globally and earning top audience ratings, Qualman ensures your event is both impactful and unforgettable.
We don’t have a choice on whether we digitally transform via AI. The choice is how well we do it. As a leading futurist, professor, and author, Erik Qualman is at the forefront of the AI revolution and the impact it’s having across all sectors.
The key is not only leveraging AI, social media, IoT, mobile, AI, and Blockchain, but more importantly, understanding how they work together to drive successful outcomes like winning customers, employee retention, and beyond. In short, it’s about getting to artificial relevance.
Key Takeaways:
This session will give you timeless tips on how to stay ahead today and tomorrow.
It seems impossible to focus in this unfocused world. Yet, the main difference between winners and losers in this era of quantum change and distraction is … Focus. Winners are constantly focusing on BIG things versus BUSY things. While it sounds simple, it’s not easy.
The #1 killer of promising careers, teams, and businesses is a lack of focus. We either try to do too much, get easily distracted, or put our time, treasures, and talent into the wrong buckets. Qualman shares insights from his #1 Bestselling book, The Focus Project, providing practical techniques to make focus a daily habit. Learning to focus in this unfocused world is a modern superpower. How and what we focus on today will determine our growth and success tomorrow.
Key Takeaways:
Going Big vs Busy
Leaders this digital decade are made—not born. We don’t have a choice on whether we transform, the choice is how well we do it. The key is understanding & never forgetting the powerful harmony between the offline and online. While technology changes every second; human nature never does.
Based on profound and practical research, Qualman showcases the 5 Habits that drive success & happiness for employees, partners, and customers. Qualman reveals new techniques including Posting-It-Forward, Being Flawsome™, Socialnomics™, 1 to 10, and other insights that will transform your audience & organization. Learn how to stay a year ahead of your competition but never a year ahead of your market.
Key Takeaways:
This entertaining, educating, and empowering experience will provide your audience with the tools and knowledge needed today, and tomorrow, to drive quantum growth.
To ensure you are the disruptor versus the disrupted, you must understand societal shifts and instill a culture of creativity around them. This session looks at key future trends and their impact on your organization. Qualman provides the roadmap for your organization’s continual transformation by fostering a culture of daily innovation. After all, most innovation is evolutionary versus revolutionary. Leap over the competition by landing on a foundation of progressive and practical innovation principles. Future forward.
Erik’s supporting books: Digital Leader, Socialnomics, What Happens in Vegas Stays on Youtube.
Based on his #1 Bestseller, Qualman dives into the powerful concept of Socialnomics. Word of Mouth is on digital steroids and has transformed into World-of-Mouth. Organizations must learn the new rules of social, mobile, and beyond or they will miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity to earn customers’ loyalty and drive long-term success. Socialnomics is the key to winning customers’ hearts, minds, and wallets.
Erik’s supporting books: Socialnomics, Digital Leader, How to Sell on LinkedIn
Erik Qualman is a globally recognized keynote speaker on AI, digital leadership, focus, and the future of work. He is a 5x #1 bestselling author and has spoken in over 60 countries and reached more than 60 million people while earning a 4.9 rating out of 5 for motivating his audiences. Qualman helps organizations turn change into a competitive advantage.
He is known for helping leaders and teams future-proof themselves in an AI-powered world—focusing not just on technology, but on the human behaviors that drive success.
A former Silicon Valley executive and sitting professor at Harvard and MIT’s edX Labs, he earned an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. Qualman currently teaches Digital Leadership & AI at Northwestern University. His work sits at the intersection of innovation, leadership, and emerging technology, with a practical focus on moving to action.
His high-energy, interactive keynotes move audiences to action—literally and figuratively. Attendees wear his signature green glasses as a reminder to focus on the future—thinking big versus busy—creating a memorable experience that blends insights with fun.
His work has been featured on 60 Minutes and in The Wall Street Journal and is used by organizations ranging from Google to the FBI. He was voted the 2nd Most Liked Author in the World behind the J.K. Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series. Qualman’s Socialnomics work has been deployed by Nordstrom to the National Guard to NASA. His commencement address on “Things Happen for You, Not to You” is one of the most-watched in the world on YouTube.
Qualman was dynamic and inspiring. We appreciated that he tailored his presentation to suit our agency and audience. He was excited to engage with the audience and he incorporated themes and talking points from earlier presentations into his block, which made his message even more relevant.
FBI
Equalman’s presentation was the most important presentation — in terms of immediate in how I approach my job — that I have sat through in 10 years!
ADP
Qualman’s messaging made a difference with our cast members. Our board even requested green glasses!
Disney
Equalman raised the bar to a new high that few will be able to match. His presentation delivered a perfect mix of thought leadership trends, and the building blocks required to thrive in this era.
Playstation
Erik is the kind of speaker that the audience can relate to immediately. He bridges exceptionally well the "tomorrow" issues with "what you can do about it today" ideas.
Starbucks