Alex Budak

Artificial Intelligence isn’t just transforming industries—it’s fundamentally reshaping society and redefining our roles within it. In this keynote, UC Berkeley faculty member and bestselling author Alex Budak explores the profound shifts AI is bringing to our workplaces, communities, and personal lives. Together, we’ll uncover specific ways AI is reshaping critical areas such as education, healthcare, and community engagement, highlighting exciting opportunities as well as significant ethical challenges. We’ll explore and practice Alex’s powerful “3 C” model—courage, connection, and contribution—as an essential framework to help us remain deeply human in an increasingly AI-driven digital world. Drawing from cutting-edge research, real-world examples, and actionable insights, you’ll learn how to thrive—and lead others—with humanity, empathy, and purpose amidst rapid technological change.

Key Takeaways:

• The Human-AI Partnership: Practical strategies for effectively collaborating with AI to foster innovation, enhance decision-making, and solve complex problems.
• Ethical Leadership in AI: Frameworks for making responsible, inclusive, and ethical decisions as AI increasingly influences every aspect of our lives.
• Staying Human with the 3 Cs: Techniques for cultivating courage, connection, and contribution, ensuring we remain deeply human and effective leaders alongside rapidly evolving technology.

If the word “leader” didn’t exist, what word would you use instead? For UC Berkeley faculty member and best-selling author Alex Budak, the future of leadership means each of us becoming a changemaker.

We can all lead change from wherever we are, and this actionable and inspiring keynote shares the research-backed steps to help individuals, teams, and organizations lead with courage, purpose, and impact. We’ll cover how to question the status quo (in ways that actually work); how to lead change through influence (not just authority); and how to inspire others with your vision (no matter your title).

Key Takeaways:

• The 5 influence superpowers and how to put each one into practice right away.
• How to lead with vision (even if you aren’t a CEO or senior leader).
• The secrets of leading change from where you are.

While there are countless strategies for change management, they are rendered totally ineffective if you and your team aren’t prepared to face change itself. In this keynote, together we will develop your “Change Fitness” – helping you build the core strength to adapt, thrive, and lead in dynamic environments. Just as you’d hit the gym to strengthen your body, we’ll exercise your mental agility and flexibility. Drawing from cutting-edge research in psychology, neuroscience, and organizational behavior, you’ll discover practical techniques to build resilience, cultivate grounded presence, and excel at seeing opportunity in change. You’ll gain powerful tools to boost your change fitness, enhancing your and your team’s ability to navigate and thrive in today’s evolving business landscape.

Key Takeaways:

• Developing Adaptability: Learn practical strategies to enhance your flexibility in the face of change, allowing you to pivot quickly and effectively in dynamic situations.
• Building Grounded Presence: Discover techniques to maintain composure and clarity amidst uncertainty, enabling more thoughtful and strategic responses to change.
• Activating “Possibility Intelligence”: Unlock your ability to see opportunities within challenges, transforming potential threats into avenues for growth and innovation.

Traditional markers of success like wealth, status, and achievement often leave us feeling emotionally and spiritually unfulfilled. Chasing happiness alone is a temporary high that inevitably fades. True fulfillment is a deeper, more sustained sense of satisfaction and meaning with one’s life that transcends momentary pleasures. In this talk, you’ll learn pathways to cultivate genuine fulfillment in ways true to who you are, and the person you hope to become.

Key Takeaways:

You’ll learn the 3 C’s of fulfillment:

• Character: Identify and develop the courage to live by your core values, enhancing your integrity and authenticity.
• Connection: Develop and nurture personal and professional relationships to share in the highs, lows, and everydays of life, fostering a sense of belonging and support.
• Contribution: When your time on earth has come to a close, reflect on how you have left the world a bit better than you found it, creating a lasting positive impact.