Mike Walsh

Founder & CEO of Tomorrow and Business Consultant

Mike Walsh

Founder & CEO of Tomorrow and Business Consultant

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Biography

Mike Walsh is a futurist for leaders, internationally renowned for his visionary and pragmatic insights on how organizations can leverage AI for reinvention. A regular columnist for the Harvard Business Review, a strategic advisor to Fortune 50 corporations, and a global nomad - he is the author of three bestselling books, most recently: The Algorithmic Leader: How to be smart when machines are smarter than you. He has a rare talent for connecting emerging technologies, cultural shifts, and commercial strategies — crafting insights that bridge the present to the future with clarity, relevance, and a compelling touch of wit.

At the heart of Mike Walsh's work is a singular focus on redefining leadership for the AI age. Unlike other futurists who concentrate on predicting technological advances or broad societal trends, Walsh zeroes in on how leaders must fundamentally reimagine their role in a world where machines are increasingly capable of making complex decisions. His key insight is that traditional leadership approaches, built for an analog era of predictable business cycles and hierarchical organizations, are no longer sufficient. Instead, leaders must develop new capabilities to harness data and AI while maintaining their essential human judgment and ethical principles.

Walsh believes that the real challenge isn't just understanding the technology itself, but rather how leaders can adapt their decision-making, develop new mental models, and reshape their organizations to effectively combine human and machine intelligence. His emphasis on the human dimension of technological change makes his insights particularly valuable for business leaders navigating digital transformation.

On a personal note, Mike’s ethnic background is as diverse as his experiences. Born in Australia to parents of mixed Asian and European heritage, he has lived, worked, and traveled across many countries, embracing a truly global perspective.

A prolific writer and sought-after commentator, Mike’s insights have been featured in leading global publications such as Inc. Magazine, BusinessWeek, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal. As a regular contributor to the Harvard Business Review, he tackles cutting-edge leadership themes ranging from data-driven decision-making and agile organizations to algorithmic management and AI ethics. Through his popular podcast Between Worlds, Mike engages with bold thinkers, innovators, and disruptors from across industries. He also produces The Future is Elsewhere, a YouTube series offering fresh perspectives from dynamic locations like Seoul, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Istanbul, bringing global trends and future forward ideas to life.

Mike is an accomplished author with three published books and a fourth on the way, focused on the future of AI Agents, set to release in early 2026. His most recent work, The Algorithmic Leader, provides an optimistic and practical roadmap for harnessing AI, automation, and algorithms to transform leadership and reshape organizations. The book has achieved global success, with translations available in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, Polish, and Russian. In his 2014 release, The Dictionary of Dangerous Ideas, Mike foresaw groundbreaking innovations such as micro satellite networks, cryptocurrencies, remote work, life extension technologies, self-driving cars, drones, digital biology, digital activism, and the commercialization of space. His debut book, Futuretainment, published by Phaidon in 2009, earned the prestigious Art Director’s Club design award in New York. It accurately predicted the impact of smartphones on media and marketing, as well as the rise of social media, digital influencers, streaming platforms, and the emergence of the Metaverse.

Speaker Videos

The Futurist For Leaders | Mike Walsh | Keynote Speaker

The Future Of AI Agents | Mike Walsh | Futurist Keynote Speaker

The AI-Powered Decade Ahead | Mike Walsh | Futurist Keynote Speaker

Welcome to the Age of Algorithm

The Metaverse is the Next Universe

The Algorithmic Leader

New Rules for a New World

After COVID-19, Where Do We Go From Here?

The Secret Behind Successful Digital Transformation

Leadership in a Time of Crisis

Why Leaders Need Digital Ethics

AI in Daily Life

How AI Will Change What You Do

See Fewer Videos

Speech Topics

New Rules for a New World

COVID-19 is not only changing our way of life, it will hasten the arrival of a radical new future of work. While for many of us working from home has been a new and unexpected challenge - that is just the start of a much bigger transformation set to reshape the nature of business itself. In order to survive, every organization will have to virtualize.

Whether it be serving customers through digital channels or leveraging AI, algorithms and automation to ensure business continuity - we are likely to experience in the next twelve months, a decade’s worth of change. Not every business will make it, but those that do will never be the same again. And for leaders, now more than ever, is a time to upgrade their capabilities, embrace new technologies, and reimagine what they do.

Mike Walsh’s inspiring new keynote presentation will offer audiences an insight into the organizations and leaders that are successfully navigating this period of change, and how to create a playbook for their own transformation. Becoming future-proof is more than just about getting through the current crisis - it is about being ready for the new world that awaits us on the other side.

In this keynote, attendees will learn:

Why there is no such thing as digital disruption, just digital delivery
Why there is no remote work, just work
Why AI is not there to destroy your jobs, but it will change them

What Leaders Need To Know About The Metaverse

The Metaverse is more than a gold rush - it will be an alchemical transformation in how the world works. Over the next few years, we will see a rapid convergence between the digital and real world driven by increasingly sophisticated devices, decentralized blockchain protocols and AI platforms capable of generating persistent, immersive and collaborative experiences indistinguishable from reality.

With a pragmatic focus and a playbook style approach, Mike Walsh's new keynote presentation will not only demystify the Metaverse technologies and concepts, but will provide personalized insights into where the commercial opportunities will lie for customer engagement, workplace collaboration and the creation of entirely new virtualized products and services.

The time for action is now. Whether a media company or retail brand, financial services or manufacturing operation - the question for leaders is no longer what is the Metaverse, but rather what is our plan for action?

Attendees will learn:

How to position your organization for success by anticipating your future customer needs, collaborating with rivals and startups, and experimenting with new models of value exchange
Why digital twins, distributed workplaces and autonomous organizations will be essential components of the enterprise Metaverse, and what this means for the future of your business
How leaders can navigate the 3 challenges of privacy, power and policy as they take their first steps developing their own Metaverse strategy

The Algorithmic Leader

We live in an age of wonder - cars that drive themselves, platforms that anticipate our needs, and robots capable of everything from advanced manufacturing to complex surgery. Automation, algorithms and AI are transforming not only business but every facet of daily life. While many fear that robots will take their jobs, the rise of machine intelligence begs a more important question: what is the true potential of human intelligence in the 21st century?

In this dynamic keynote, Mike Walsh, futurist and author will present a vivid portrait of a brave new world orchestrated by machines that think, and how tomorrow's leaders can upgrade their capabilities to survive and thrive in an age of accelerating technology.

Audiences will walk away with an insight into the companies, technologies and global forces shaping the age of machine intelligence, as well as a set of tailored next actions on how to redesign their organizations, reimagine their roles and reinvent the way they make decisions.

In this keynote, attendees will learn:

Why competing in an age of AI requires a radically new approach to delivering data-driven experiences and personalized services.
What it takes to accelerate your journey to becoming an AI-powered organization, and how to lead a successful process of digital transformation.
How to unlock the new skills, capabilities and mindsets that your leaders will need to survive and thrive in the future

The AI-Powered Decade Ahead

AI should change what we do, not just how we do it. Over the next decade, we have a unique opportunity to fundamentally reimagine customer experiences, redesign how organizations work, and rethink how to solve problems more effectively. This is a defining moment for leaders, and our biggest risk is not machines taking over, but rather leaders lacking ambition when it comes to the future. Many are already focused on deploying new tools and applications, rather than embracing a more expansive vision for what might be possible.

Futurist Mike Walsh offers a compelling roadmap to 2035, exploring how AI, algorithms and automation will fuel a Fifth Industrial Revolution. Technology is only part of the story; real transformation requires a new cultural operating system. The next decade will not simply be about smarter workplaces or more efficient industries. It will be a decade of reinvention, where the foundations of the modern world are reengineered through next-generation AI infrastructure and new ways of getting things done.

AI Agents: Unleashing the Digital Workforce That Will Change Our Organizations Forever

As AI evolves from simple automation to autonomous decision-making, we stand on the brink of the most profound organizational transformation since the Industrial Revolution. This shift, driven by the emergence of AI agents capable of independent thought, decision-making, and action, will redefine everything from personal interactions to the very fabric of how businesses operate. AI Agents are not just the next step in digital transformation; they will also have significant economic and societal impacts. The question is no longer if AI will transform organizations but how quickly leaders can prepare to harness its full potential.

In this provocative keynote, Mike Walsh draws on cutting-edge research and real-world case studies to illustrate a future where companies reconfigure themselves as networks of billions of AI agents capable of tackling problems at a speed and scale unimaginable today. Walsh will present a compelling vision for how leaders can reimagine their operating models, governance frameworks, and workforce strategies to unlock unprecedented levels of agility and performance. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and a roadmap for integrating AI agents into their organizations, empowering them to thrive in an age of unparalleled innovation and disruption.

The Future Favors The Bold

In a world reshaped by technological breakthroughs, shifting customer behaviors, geopolitical tensions, and the rise of machine intelligence, success belongs to those who dare to adapt, experiment, and learn at scale. Incremental improvements won't cut it. Progress demands radical reinvention—bold ideas that challenge convention, create new markets, and combine technologies in unexpected ways.

Transformation is not a checklist; it’s a journey paved by courageous decisions. It could mean championing a provocative idea, breaking a long-held rule, or hiring someone who challenges deeply held assumptions. The future isn’t an upgrade of the familiar—it’s an entirely new frontier. In an age of uncertainty, only bold leaders and even bolder teams will shape what comes next.

Testimonials

"Amazing! Mike was the perfect anchor to bring the conference to a high energy, thought-provoking close. He had the attention of everyone in the audience. The post-conference survey has shown Mike was one of the most valuable speakers. When I went through the search for the conference speaker, I was thrilled to put his name in front of the General Manager of my business unit. Mike had another company that was looking at him for the same date but we swooped in and put a firm commitment on his calendar. I feel sorry for the other company that let him slip away. Thanks Mike!"

- Compuware

"Mike’s presentation for the L’Oreal Professionnel Artists, Educators and Corporate Team at Foundation 2021 was INCREDIBLE. Mike’s presentation for the L’Oreal Professionnel Artists, Educators and Corporate Team at Foundation 2021 was INCREDIBLE. Mike, we can’t thank you enough for connecting with us to understand the needs of the beauty industry and our team and the future!!! Your segment was one of the group's favorite and you really got everyone thinking about how they can future proof their businesses and embrace what is coming next. Thank you for your amazing knowledge, passion and connection. We absolutely recommend you and your content to the beauty industry - it was just what we needed right when we needed it!"

- Asst. Vice President of Training, L’Oreal Professionnel USA

"Mike's session definitely resonated with our partners and helped challenge their assumptions about the future and to “think bigger” -- specifically around “how to make culture the operating system” and to consider whether they are “probabilistic” or “deterministic” in their decision-making. Again, we sincerely thank Mike for sharing his insights and we appreciate him helping us to build transformative leaders."

- EY Inclusiveness Leadership Program

"Fantastic! It touched on two key aspects of my current professional role (ethnographic research in the tech space) and analytics/data/dashboards."

- Qualcomm

"Excellent presentation – challenges status quo and our ability to react and if possible predict where and what customers’ needs are."

- Financial Center FCU

"All I can say about Mike is that he “Rocked the House.” They loved him!!! He did a fantastic job for us. I saw him two years ago in Denver at PCMA and then again in Boston. I knew he would be a perfect fit for our group."

- The American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council

"Mike Walsh is very engaging, with the perfect blend of serious content and light humor. His insights into our next generation of customers and employees was compelling and right on the mark. His “mind grenades” were great takeaways that I will absolutely use at my 1,800-person company immediately. I believe his content would be useful in almost every environment from a small start-up to a large, established business or government agency."

- Forfeiture Support Associates (FSA) LLC

"It’s nice to hit the pause button and reflect on us as individuals, the industry, and the world. I don’t get to do this enough leading the busy life I do, so your address gave me some reflective time and an interesting perception on our journey as a society. I loved the mind grenade concept, and loved the to-do’s associated with each of them."

- Microsoft

"Very insightful and full of powerful content. Great way of engaging people in the topics and I really found the “next actions” as a very useful tool to turn the ideas into concrete follow-up to drive change."

- China of Mercedes Benz Financial Services

"Very well done! The cultural/anthropologic dimensions as related to technology innovation is a fantastic theme to explore and to get people to ponder more in thinking about people’s behaviors, the root of them, and how this impacts their adoption and use of technology (nudges us out of the US centric context)."

- Raytheon

"Very insightful. Loved the discussion of the future of mobile, integration of social media, and the need to identify how to best use the telemetry from this to drive sales and customer satisfaction."

- Verizon Wireless