AI keynotes and talks
I give talks on AI at industry conferences, organisations' own conferences and offsites, member networks and leadership groups.
Most of each talk is live. I open ChatGPT and Claude on stage and work through real tasks, the kind of work the people in the room actually do. It's the part audiences remember, and it answers a lot of questions quickly: what these tools can do, where they fall down and whether any of it matters for them.
I keep it grounded. It's about what's possible right now and what people might sensibly do about it, with no futurism for its own sake.
Fitting it to the audience
Before a talk I find out who'll be in the room: their industry, their roles and how much they've used AI already. A room of CEOs gets a different talk from an industry conference or a member network.
Where I can, I use examples from the audience's own industry, so the demonstrations look like their work rather than mine.
The bigger picture
Not every audience wants a demonstration. Some want to understand the industry itself: where these models came from, who builds them and how the money works, how much of the coverage is hype, and where I think it’s heading. I cover the risks people ask about, including AI being used to build better AI, misuse by bad actors, and the difference between closed models from the big labs and open-weight models, many of them from China. It suits boards, conferences and leadership groups who want the context before the detail.
The practical bits
- Keynotes run about 50 minutes. For conferences that want a deeper dive, I also run workshop-style presentations of up to three hours.
- Any audience size, and the fee doesn't change. The biggest so far was about 1,200 people.
- In person around Australia, or online on Zoom or your own platform.
- Everyone in the room gets the full presentation and the interactive notes afterwards.
- I also run breakout sessions and panels, on their own or alongside a keynote at the same event.
- For banks, law firms and advisory firms, I run morning client briefings for their own clients.
A bit about me
I've been doing this since late 2022 and have given about 255 workshops and talks since then, across Australia and Europe. I also speak regularly to Vistage CEO groups, and was their Speaker of the Year in 2024.
Organisations I've spoken for include NAB, Canon Medical, Ubisoft, Tourism Western Australia, YMCA Australia, the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney, the Outdoor Media Association and the Recruitment, Consulting and Staffing Association.
If a talk leaves your team wanting more, I also run in-house workshops.
Talk topics
Every talk is built for the room, but these are the topics I'm asked for most. Each works as a 50-minute keynote, or as a half-day or full-day masterclass for a conference, offsite or leadership day that wants to go deeper.
What AI really costs, and what it's worth
Subscriptions, API and self-hosting, explained in business terms rather than technical ones. Where the money goes, what you're actually paying for, and how to think about return on investment without getting lost in the weeds.
From a few enthusiasts to the whole organisation
Most organisations have a handful of keen users and everyone else watching. Why adoption stalls, what leaders and HR can do about it, and how to write policies that enable people rather than block them.
The gap between what AI can do and what we use it for
The tools have raced ahead of how most people use them. I show what's sitting unused: projects, skills, scheduled tasks, and the work people don't realise they can hand over.
Context is everything
The best results don't come from a clever prompt. They come from treating the model as a collaborator and building up context with it as you go. It's a change in mindset, and it changes everything else.
Agents without the hype
An agent isn't magic. It's parts put together: a schedule, connections to your systems, skills, judgement and constraints. What's genuinely working now, and what's still a demo.
Your brand, not the internet's average
Left to its defaults, AI pulls everything towards the bland middle, and audiences can tell. How to keep your voice, your look and the trust you've built intact, so AI works to your brand rather than wearing it down.
Have something else in mind? Tell me what you want the audience to walk out with and I'll build the talk around it. Request a quote.
Planning an event?
Ten quick questions show how I'd approach your keynote, conference session or briefing, and answer the questions organisers usually ask before booking. It takes about three minutes.
Plan your eventFAQ
Booking a speaker
Will you speak for free in exchange for exposure?
No. All speaking engagements are paid.
Does audience size affect the quote?
No. The fee is the same whatever the audience size. The largest audience so far is 1,200.
Are quotes all-inclusive?
Yes. Quotes cover the speaker fee, travel to and from the venue, and any accommodation and meals needed. I'm based in Melbourne.
Do you travel outside Australia?
Yes.
Do you need a deposit?
No. But if you cancel after confirming a date, 20% of the quote is charged.
How can we pay?
By Visa, Mastercard or AMEX, or by invoice on 30-day terms.
How do we get a quote?
Fill in this online form and you'll hear back within two business days. Quotes are valid for 30 days.
Presentations
Can you talk about the AI industry rather than demonstrate?
Yes. Some audiences want the context rather than the demonstration: how the industry works, how much of it is hype, where it's heading and the risks worth taking seriously. See the bigger picture.
What topics do you speak on?
What AI costs and what it's worth, getting a whole organisation using it, the gap between what AI can do and what people use it for, working with it as a collaborator, agents, and keeping your brand intact. See talk topics. I can also build a talk around a brief of your own.
Do you speak at internal conferences and offsites?
Yes. As well as industry and association conferences, I speak at organisations' own conferences, offsites and leadership days. With one organisation in the room, I can build the session around your own work.
How long should the session be?
Keynotes run about 50 minutes. For conferences that want a deeper dive, I run workshop-style presentations of up to three hours.
Do you need a brief?
Yes. Tell me what you want the audience to think and feel when they walk out.
Can you present online?
Yes, on Zoom or your own platform.
Can we record the presentation?
Yes, for internal use only. Please don't post recordings publicly without my permission.
Can we get a copy of the presentation?
Yes. It's usually available within 24 to 36 hours of the session, depending on my schedule.
Can you run extra sessions while you're there?
Yes. Breakout sessions, panels and workshops can be added to the quote. Since I'm already at the event, the extra cost is modest.
AV requirements
What AV equipment do you need?
Projection, audio and a lapel mic for larger rooms. For smaller rooms I can bring my own projector and speakers at no extra charge. No flipchart needed.
Can you use our computers?
No. I always present from my own laptop, and can connect to most AV systems: HDMI, USB-C, VGA, Bluetooth and wireless.
Do you need an internet connection?
Yes. Presentations are built on live demonstrations, so I need a stable connection of at least 10Mbps. In most Australian locations I can bring my own 5G hotspot as a backup.
Looking for something else?
Can you run a workshop for our team?
Yes. See Team learning.
Can you brief our clients rather than speak at an event?
Yes. Banks, law firms and advisory firms bring me in for morning client briefings. See Client briefings.
What participants thought
I would recommend Tim's training sessions to anyone. The content was relevant and tailored to the audience. Tim's delivery was very clear and concise and made for an enjoyable training experience for our team.
We regularly schedule Tim to run half-day workshops for our business forum to update us on the latest developments in business technologies. The forum is comprised of owners and CEO’s of both local SMEs and international subsidiaries. Tim’s deep knowledge of the segment and his easy presentation style make these sessions highly engaging.