Book Jon Whittle for your next event

Technology is awesome, but humans are better.

Profile

Professor Jon Whittle has been at the forefront of artificial intelligence for thirty years.

His career started at NASA where he helped the agency put artificial intelligence into space. He went on to lead over 500 AI, robotics and cybersecurity experts as head of Australia’s national centre for data and digital technologies, Data61.

Jon has written two highly successful books, including AI for Business: A Guide to AI Adoption, a how-to guide for organisations looking to leverage the power of AI.

He is the host of the award-winning podcast, CSIRO Presents Everyday AI, which is an accessible guide to how AI is transforming healthcare, education, the creative industries, and the nature of life itself.

Jon is a passionate advocate for placing people at the centre of the AI revolution. He has advised governments on how to implement AI ethically and responsibly, and he is a global thought leader on what it means to be human in an AI world.

Jon is an experienced organisational leader and board director, having led teams in government, academia and industry. A global citizen, he has lived and worked in the UK, the USA, the UAE, Europe and Australia, including spending seven years working at the heart of Silicon Valley in the early days of AI.

Jon also has a background in theatre, having performed professionally as an actor, including as part of the Royal Shakespeare Theatre’s Dell performances, and his plays have won awards, including at the San Francisco Fringe Festival.

Jon marries his theatrical performance skills, his deep technical expertise, and his ability to translate complex concepts for business and general audiences to any presentation he gives.

Expertise

Talking Points

Being Human in an AI World

AI is bringing massive benefits to society in advancing scientific discovery and curing diseases. But it also brings risks, including impacting mental health and degrading the environment. This talk examines how society is changing due to AI and how we can all retain the essence of what it means to be human in an AI world.

Key Takeaways:
- Audience members will have a more holistic understanding of AI's impact on society.
- They will learn that they can use their own agency to steer how AI is implemented in a human-centred way in their own organisations

Getting AI Right

AI offers many benefits to organisations: productivity, cost reduction, adding customer value, and growth. But most organisations are still struggling to go from pilots to production. This talk examines how organisations can be successful with AI, offering concrete guidance based on scientific literature and hundreds of engagements with businesses adopting AI.

Key Takeaways: Concrete recipes for how to make AI successful in your organisation.

The Future of Technology

Technology is developing at a faster rate than ever before. How will that affect how we live as a society? This talk is a tour de force through emerging technologies of our age: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, robotics, and neurocomputing.

Key Takeaways: The Audience will be inspired by the art of the possible in a future society with rapid technological advancements

Leadership in the Age of AI: What Works and What Doesn't

This keynote synthesises the latest research on what works and what doesn't when it comes to enterprise-wide AI adoption. Most organisations are stuck in AI pilot mode, struggling to translate isolated use cases into ROI at scale. Based on evidence from studies with over 50 businesses, this talk covers what works, common mistakes, and how to set your organisation up for success.

Key takeaways:
- AI Transformation isn't a technology problem; it's a human one. Evidence shows that 77% of factors determining AI adoption success are non-technical: leadership, culture and trust
- Budget properly for AI transformation: for every $1 you spend on the technology, you need to spend $10 on the human side
- AI Adoption is a team sport: it needs to be led by non-technical leaders working alongside technical leaders. Don't simply delegate it to the tech team!