- Published author of 22 books on Data and AI, trusted for turning complexity into clarity
- Entertaining, high-energy speaker who makes technology engaging and practical
- Translates AI advancements into actionable insights and strategic frameworks for smarter growth
- Inspires audiences with real-world case studies and storytelling that show how to turn disruption into opportunity
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About Paul Zikopoulos
Download ProfileFor more than three decades at IBM, Paul Zikopoulos has helped global organizations solve some of their toughest challenges through emerging technologies. From developing and patenting AI products to advising NATO leadership on AI and data strategy, Zikopoulos has worked across the full spectrum of innovation, from creating new products to preparing organizations to use them effectively. He currently leads AI skills development across IBM’s 250,000-person workforce, bringing that same people-first approach to lively, highly visual presentations that keep human judgment at the heart of AI’s potential.
Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Zikopoulos helps leaders navigate the dizzying pace of AI advancement in plain and relatable terms. His sessions explore the most pressing questions at the forefront of modern business strategy, from the rise of autonomous AI agents and the new cybersecurity risks they introduce to the economic implications of increasingly powerful AI systems. Moving beyond the latest headlines and AI hype, Zikopoulos also explores the human side of adoption, showing leaders how to build the skills and culture that turn AI’s promise into business results. Through industry-specific examples and live demonstrations, he makes even the most technical subjects accessible, bringing an infectious enthusiasm and sense of discovery to every presentation.
Throughout his career at IBM, Zikopoulos has held leadership roles spanning software development, product management, and technical sales. Today, as Vice President of Skills Vitality, he leads efforts to develop the skills of IBM’s global workforce as technology changes how people work. A prolific writer, Zikopoulos has published more than 360 articles and 22 books, including AI Value Creators and The AI Ladder. His expertise has been sought by 60 Minutes, and he has been recognized among Analytics Insight’s Top 100 Global AI and Big Data Influencers. He also serves on the board of Coding for Veterans, which helps military personnel transition into civilian careers, as well as the advisory boards of Switch and Queen’s University’s Master of Management Analytics and AI program.
Video Gallery
Paul Zikopoulos Speaker Reel
Paul Zikopoulos: Ethics, Bias and Things That Go Bump in an AI Night
Paul Zikopoulos Speaker Reel
Paul Zikopoulos: Ethics, Bias and Things That Go Bump in an AI Night
Speech Topics
Download TopicsCompanies can invest millions in AI technology and still struggle to see meaningful returns. Building AI capabilities across an organization requires a sustained commitment to developing workforces, measuring progress, and making learning part of how people work.
Having led AI skilling initiatives across a 250,000-person organization, Paul Zikopoulos knows what it takes to turn training into measurable business performance. He shares the approach behind a large-scale transformation that delivered productivity gains significant enough to pay for the initiative itself. Leaders will learn how to build an enterprise-wide AI skills strategy, make continuous learning part of daily work, and develop the talent they already have rather than competing for increasingly expensive expertise.
The most dangerous AI error is often the one that looks completely believable. From fabricated legal citations to biased recommendations, AI can deliver inaccurate information with remarkable confidence.
Paul Zikopoulos examines what it takes to establish trust in AI systems while maintaining the governance needed to use them responsibly. Audiences will learn how to assess AI reliability, detect bias and model drift, and understand why explainability is becoming essential to regulatory compliance. As AI takes on a greater role in consequential business decisions, organizations need governance practices that make its outputs reliable, its decisions explainable, and its use accountable.
For years, AI helped cybercriminals launch more sophisticated attacks. Now, it’s learning to carry them out on its own. The same technology driving unprecedented productivity can also find weaknesses in your systems and exploit them before your security team has time to react. Suddenly, the 90-day patching window companies have relied on for years looks like an open invitation.
Paul Zikopoulos takes audiences inside this new era of AI-powered cyber threats, revealing how autonomous attacks are rewriting the rules of enterprise security. Leaders will discover why familiar defenses are falling behind, how AI can become one of their strongest security assets, and what needs to change to protect their organizations as threats accelerate. With business continuity and enterprise value on the line, cybersecurity is taking on a far more consequential role in corporate strategy.
AI feels free to the person using it. For companies footing the bill, it’s a different story. Every prompt, automated task, and overprovisioned resource carries a cost, and many organizations have little visibility into how quickly those costs add up.
As software shifts toward usage-based pricing, leaders need a new approach to managing IT costs. This keynote breaks down how to apply FinOps principles to gain visibility into AI spending and establish accountability through showbacks, chargebacks, and automated cost controls. Audiences will learn how to anticipate unpredictable expenses, make smarter budgeting decisions, and evaluate whether their AI investments are delivering enough value to justify the cost.
AI adoption is widespread, but relatively few organizations are realizing meaningful business value at scale. Many initiatives stall because companies struggle to identify where AI can make the greatest difference and what it will take to implement it successfully.
Built around Paul Zikopoulos’s AI Operating Model and decades of experience helping organizations implement emerging technologies, this customizable workshop gives leadership teams a structured approach to evaluating AI opportunities and translating their priorities into an actionable plan.
By the end of the workshop, participants leave with:
- An assessment of their organization’s AI readiness and the barriers limiting progress
- A prioritized portfolio of AI use cases evaluated for business value and feasibility
- A clearer understanding of the technical and operational requirements for successful implementation
- A framework for assessing potential AI initiatives and making informed investment decisions
- A preliminary action plan for advancing a high-impact AI initiative
Tailored to each organization’s industry and objectives, the workshop brings leadership teams together around the decisions that matter most for turning AI ambition into execution.
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