Maurice Conti

Futurist, C-Suite Innovation Executive
Maurice Conti
  • Leading AI authority who held executive roles at Alpha and Autodesk, and has advised Nike, Disney, and Google on their innovation programs
  • Throughout his career, has spearheaded “moonshot” projects that benefit hundreds of millions of people and are developed to be forces for good
  • Called a “benevolent mad scientist” who helps organizations understand what’s coming in the future, and why it matters
  • His TED Talks have received more than 12 million views

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Maurice Conti is among the architects of the cutting-edge emerging technologies that are evolving humanity and the world around us: Artificial Intelligence, immersive reality (AR/VR/XR), advanced robotics and manufacturing, and technology for sustainability. He is a rare blend of hands–on practitioner and big thinker.

He is a sought-after and trusted advisor to the leadership teams of global companies, including Amazon Web Services, Lululemon, Mercedes AMG, NielsenIQ, Ralph Lauren, and Blackline Systems, on how to think about and deploy AI for the benefit of people and business. Working at the intersection of disruptive innovation, emerging technologies, and the future of work, cities, mobility, and climate, Conti is a vocal champion for the creation of technologies whose foundations are rooted in positive, human-centered purpose.

Exclusively represented by Leading Authorities speakers bureau, Conti takes audiences on a provocative and illuminating deep dive into how technology is changing the ways we live, work, and conduct business. He offers future-focused insights and actionable strategies to help organizations across industries understand what’s coming in the future, why it matters for them, and how to prepare for, and thrive, in this unprecedented era of disruption and transformation. More than 12 million people have watched his popular TED talks, and his engaging speaking style, deep subject-matter expertise, and relatable insights are based on decades of work “in the trenches” with leading brands, including Nike, Tesla, Disney, Amazon, Airbus, and Ford.

Previously, Conti served as the chief innovation officer at Alpha, a long-term innovation organization created by Telefonica to conceptualize and carry out breakthrough moonshot projects. Before that, he was the director of applied research and innovation at Autodesk, where he led new product ideation, prototyping, and development. Among his expansive portfolio of innovative impact, he and his teams built and improved upon various AI, robotics, and fully immersive virtual reality products, and he also owns various patents in these areas. His teams also developed moonshots in clean energy, education, sustainability, food, and cybernetics. Conti’s outstanding track record for building unusually diverse, high-performing, risk-taking teams and leading them to impactful, large-scale results precedes him. He focuses on fostering a culture of trust, daring, and pride in exceptional performance — an approach he has fine-tuned from his experiences working in design teams and collaborating with global organizations on pushing successful disruptive innovation projects to reality.

In addition to his standing at the forefront of tech and innovation, Conti is an explorer of geographies and cultures. He has sailed around the globe once and has been halfway around twice. In 2009, he was awarded the Medal for Exceptional Bravery at Sea by the United Nations, the New Zealand Bravery Medal, and a U.S. Coast Guard Citation for Bravery for risking his own life to save three shipwrecked sailors.

With visions of a world where humans and machines are empowered to work together to solve business and society’s most pressing challenges, Conti continues to help organizations bring to life a positive, successful, and sustainable future.

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Speaker Video

The Incredible Inventions of Intuitive AI | Maurice Conti | TEDX

The Promise of Man + Machine

Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Business, Work, and Society. As leaders and their teams continue to wrap their heads around the possibilities of AI, as well as the implications for the future of work, Maurice Conti, a renowned innovation executive and AI pioneer, addresses the pressing issues that organizations will need to tackle as they navigate the future of their businesses. In this forward-looking keynote, Conti explains what generative AI is and how it’s transforming businesses, reshaping industries, and driving society forward. He also showcases some of the most intriguing and innovative examples of how organizations are harnessing AI to add value for their people and their customers and examines the profound ways in which AI will impact the workplace experience and open doors for new levels of innovation and collaboration. For anyone thinking about how they should be investing in AI, what the risks and opportunities are, and the practical applications for using AI to address their unique business challenges, Conti’s insights provide guidance for next steps to take to begin answering those questions.

No Margin for Error: Business Lessons from a Do-or-Die Rescue Mission. While sailing around the world with his wife and two young children, Maurice Conti found himself the recipient of a middle-of-the-night mayday call from three shipwrecked sailors in the South Pacific. In his edge-of-your-seat retelling of the harrowing events of that fateful night, Conti weaves in inspiring lessons on calculated risk-taking, decision-making under pressure, and preparing for the unpredictable. Conti’s actions during the rescue–which earned him several medals and awards for bravery–and his insights on lessons learned will leave anyone tasked with creating successful outcomes in volatile and ever-changing business environments inspired and equipped with a new framework to take on current challenges.

10 Mantras for Disruptive Innovation. Drawing upon his two-decade career collaborating with global enterprises and governments to evolve their products, services, and businesses, futurist, innovation executive, and business advisor Maurice Conti shares 10 actionable mindsets and strategies for how any organization can dramatically increase its rate of idea generation, as well as the likelihood that its innovation initiatives will succeed. Conti’s straightforward and proven frameworks are backed by the results of his work with companies such as Nike, Tesla, Disney, and Amazon to develop and launch breakthrough initiatives, and are designed to help teams work through innovation stalls. Leveraging 20 years of hands-on experience advising the world’s most innovative companies, he brings a clear understanding of the challenges, opportunities, and methodologies needed for any organization to succeed in large-scale innovation. 

Moonshot Thinking: The Guiding Light of Innovation. Throughout his career, renowned futurist and innovation executive Maurice Conti has spearheaded several “moonshot” projects that empower teams to develop the technology of the future without the pressures of near-term profitability. In this thought-provoking keynote, he walks audience through what “moonshot thinking” is and how organizations can develop a collective designer’s mindset to innovate, fend off corporate antibodies, and create a tangible impact that will position their businesses for sustained success and continued innovation.  

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