Greg Williams

We are living in a new age of uncertainty. Putin’s war in Ukraine, supply chain bottlenecks, global semiconductor competition, the challenge of Sino-US relations, sluggish growth, constrained labour supply, populist demagoguery, economic inequality and the urgency of the climate crisis are all challenges that must be addressed in the same moment.

If, as the entrepreneur and investor Marc Andrreessen has observed, “software is eating the world” then it’s not just every company that’s become a technology company, it’s every industry and every aspect of government. The world isn’t flat any longer, it’s a giant technology stack. Every facet of our world, from weapons systems to the latest viral dance sensation is rooted in digitalization and the innovations driven by governments, entrepreneurs and investors who have created new products and services based on software and enormous data sets.

Governments from Washington, D.C. to Wellington, Brussels to Beijing must embrace technology, not just for service delivery and economic advantage, they must build it into their geopolitical and diplomatic strategies. We are at a moment as significant as the fall of the Berlin wall in November 1989: technology has shifted from a cross-border leveller to being a blunt instrument of corporate and state influence. We have entered a new era in which nation states are cooperating on many of the great global challenges while, ironically, also competing for the tools that will solve those challenges. Today, technology is shaping geopolitics — and geopolitics is shaping technology.

In this fascinating and timely talk, Greg will explore:

• Why competition for semiconductors is reshaping the global economy
• How technology companies have grown as powerful as nation states
• Why the reshaping of supply chains is driving new trends in ‘friendshoring’ and ‘reshoring’
• How policymakers are building new alliances based on shared values around technology development
• Why the technologies of the future, such as quantum computing, will offer those who develop them fastest significant economic and military advantages.
• How competition for the resources that underpin modern electronic devices are transforming the globe
• What the 2024 election cycle will mean for technology and geopolitics

Generative AI — exemplified by tools such as ChatGPT, DALL-E, Midjourney, and Stable Diffusion — represents a significant advancement in artificial intelligence with far-reaching implications for organisations, industries, and all aspects of our daily lives. In this talk, emerging trends analyst and WIRED magazine deputy global editor Greg Williams explores the implications of these new technologies, discussing the challenges, opportunities, and ethical considerations surrounding AI integration in our businesses and society. He emphasises the urgent need for stakeholders in business, government, and society to comprehend and adapt to the rapid evolution of AI to ensure continued innovation, growth, and success.

As WIRED magazines deputy global editor Greg Williams highlights, organisational disruption is inevitable and it’s important for leaders and their teams to embrace change if they are to thrive in this ever-evolving landscape. In this fascinating talk, he examines the emerging trends and technologies that are reshaping how we live, work, and do business — including artificial intelligence, virtual reality, automation, software integration, demographic shifts, mission-driven enterprises, and geopolitical transformations. The insights he shares are intended to introduce organisations to the art and science of foresight, while also supporting them in unlocking the opportunities to capitalise on emerging opportunities to drive their businesses forward.

Despite the initial flattening effect of digitisation on global economics, recent geopolitical shifts — like US-China tensions, European populism, Brexit, and nationalist movements — have led to a fragmentation of the internet and supply chains. Emerging trends analyst and WIRED magazine deputy global editor Greg Williams presents that today’s interconnectedness between technology, politics, and international affairs necessitates international cooperation and policy alignment to address emerging challenges that are shaping economies and geopolitical landscapes, like information warfare, facial recognition, digital currencies, privacy, anti-trust, and ethical AI implementation.

The modern shift to hybrid and fully remote work has sparked a fundamental reassessment of business practices and workforce efficiency. Many organisations have found that productivity either remains steady or increases in remote work setups. This shift, enabled by technology and human adaptability, is likely to redefine traditional work norms and locations for the foreseeable future. However, crucial questions remain about the future of workplaces, team dynamics, innovation, and idea generation in this new paradigm.

In this presentation, Greg will share insights and best practices for organisations to optimise this new way of working for maximum engagement and productivity. He will discuss:

• Why purpose must be at the core of everything your organisation does
• Why organisations need to press reset with their people
• Why futureproofing your business is more important than ever
• How to integrate increased automation within organisations
• Moving KPIs from productivity to adaptability
• How organisations should think about innovation as they look toward the future

Managers face new challenges in fostering successful teams amid the evolving workplace landscape, requiring decisive decision-making to adapt effectively. The current choices made by organisations will significantly shape their futures, necessitating leadership in place of mere management. As Greg Williams emphasises, this period of disruption also offers valuable opportunity for organisations to redefine their purpose and adjust priorities. Drawing from his conversations with global business leaders across various industries he offers insights and best practices on the following areas of importance to business leaders:

• Leading and communicating with distributed workforces
• How principles and values will replace hard objectives
• Why trust, empathy, and agility will be the most powerful currencies for successful leaders
• How leaders can best position teams to drive innovation in the new era of work
• Driving cultural change through collaboration and technology adoption
• Why now is the time to launch new products and services

Every organisation operates within the digital realm, presenting both vast opportunities and considerable vulnerability due to increased connectivity. Every second of every day, businesses are exposed to various risks — from personal data breaches to societal infrastructure compromises and state-sponsored attacks on civic institutions. As technology evolves, so do the methods of hackers, criminals, and foreign actors. WIRED magazine deputy global editor Greg Williams, who is also renowned for curating the publication’s annual Security conference, analyses the digital threat landscape, while sharing practical resources and strategies any team can implement to ensure airtight security of their systems, and prepare to respond in the event that their systems become compromised.

Today’s leaders are urged to balance the prioritisation of purpose and shareholder interests — a shift embraced by a wide spectrum of businesses, from startups like Warby Parker to corporations like Unilever. The trend towards being mission-driven is gaining momentum, with pressure mounting on institutional investors to prioritise decarbonisation and employers recognizing employee welfare as an investment. In this compelling presentation by Greg Williams, he explores this accelerating trend, and offers insights into why organisations that prioritise long-term thinking, meaningful goals, and positive societal impact are positioned to succeed and outpace those that don’t.