Speaking Topics
Most commonly requested topic
Keynote Title: How to do more with less
With two ongoing wars, collapse of big companies, and inflation, the economy today is going through a turbulent time. How do you survive? How can you have a turnaround as a business? Companies no longer have the luxury to spend money on low return projects. In this keynote, Sharon will teach businesses how to do more with less. We'll dive deep into the transformative effects of AI on business and explore the tremendous opportunities and challenges it presents. You'll discover how businesses of all sizes can leverage AI to gain a competitive edge, streamline processes, automate tasks, and make data-driven decisions that drive growth and profitability. Those who listen to this keynote will come out ahead.
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Session takeaways:
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Understand the difference between hype and reality when it comes to AI and its potential for business.
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Learn about practical and impactful use cases of AI in various industries and business functions.
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Gain insights into how AI is being used to streamline processes, optimize operations, and drive revenue growth.
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Discover the key challenges of AI adoption in business and how to overcome them, such as data quality, privacy concerns, and organizational change management
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Learn about the skills and competencies needed to succeed in the age of AI, and how to cultivate them in yourself and your team.
Why Sharon
Deep Expertise
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Unlike some speakers who simply report on the latest trends, Sharon has worked in the trenches in one of the largest ecommerce and AI companies in the world. She has built marketplaces, presented to Heads of State, and advised CEO's on digital strategies. She is regarded as an expert in her field, highly sought after by intelligence agencies, investment institutions, brands and retailers.
She has a talent for breaking down complex concepts in digital ecosystems into simple to understand and relatable language, enabling her audience to instantly connect with her material.
Industry-specific AI Keynotes
AI Agents: The Future of Intelligent Automation and Business Transformation
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Artificial intelligence is moving beyond simple automation to create intelligent AI agents capable of reasoning, decision-making, and autonomous action. These agents are redefining industries, from customer service to supply chain management, by enhancing efficiency, personalization, and innovation. Acclaimed speaker and author Sharon Gai explores how AI agents will reshape business strategies, streamline operations, and elevate customer experiences. Leaders who harness AI-driven automation will gain a competitive edge in an increasingly digital and dynamic marketplace.
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Keynote Takeaways:
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• Understand the evolution of AI agents and their impact on business processes
• Explore how autonomous AI can enhance decision-making and reduce operational bottlenecks
• Learn how AI agents are transforming customer service, marketing, and enterprise automation
• Identify ethical considerations and risks in deploying AI-driven agents
• Discover strategies for integrating AI agents into your business for long-term growth
The Future Consumer: Navigating the Age of Hyper-Personalization, AI, and Invisible Payments
By 2030, AI won’t just enhance software—it will replace it. We’re entering an era where AI agents perform the tasks apps used to handle, embedding commerce, communication, and decision-making into everyday interfaces. Payments, once driven by manual input and app-based workflows, will become ambient—handled by AI that knows what you want, when you want it, and how you prefer to pay.
Sharon Gai, drawing on her experience at Alibaba where she witnessed software giving way to ecosystems powered by data and automation, takes audiences on a journey into this AI-first future. In this world, personalization is no longer a feature—it’s the interface. The consumer of tomorrow will expect seamless, ethical, and predictive engagement across every touchpoint, with payment logic embedded into LLMs, voice assistants, and smart devices.
But as AI eats software, it also creates new threats: opaque decision-making, AI-powered fraud, and the erosion of user control. Sharon unpacks the double-edged sword of invisible commerce—where trust must be rebuilt even as friction disappears. This keynote arms leaders with the insights needed to stay relevant in a world where apps are vanishing, and AI is the new operating system of consumer experience.
Session takeaways:
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· How AI is replacing traditional apps and becoming the new interface and how payments will become invisible, automatic, and embedded.
· Learn what the future consumer expects: speed, personalization, and zero friction.
· Identify the risks of AI-driven commerce, including fraud and loss of control.
· Prepare your business for a world where AI, not software, runs the experience.
China’s rise in AI: From the world’s factory to the world’s AI lab
After nearly four decades as the “factory of the world,” China today is stepping into a new role in the global economy: as a hub for innovative applications of artificial intelligence. Sharon was in Hangzhou when China's 6 AI Dragons were founded.
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DeepSeek: An artificial intelligence company that struck a nerve with Wall Street
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Unitree Robotics (also referred to as YuTree Technology): Specializes in robotics, particularly known for their robotic dogs and humanoid robots
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Game Science: A game development company that created the globally successful AAA game "Black Myth: Wukong
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BrainCo (also known as Qiangnao Technology): brain-computer interface technology
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Manycore Tech (also called Yundepth or Yundenchu Technology): Develops quadruped robots and works on spatial intelligence
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DEEP Robotics (also referred to as Qunhe or Qunke Technology): Specializes in quadruped robots and interactive 3D data capabilities
Why was the country able to develop so quickly? What principles can we borrow from innovations in the east to apply to the west? And more importantly, how should a company prepare for and navigate this new world? As someone who is able to understand both eastern and western perspectives, Sharon Gai, has worked at the top companies of US and China. Her keynote shows culture fluid perspectives and case studies in innovation from both regions and strategies for organizations to adopt to navigate this new AI world.
Session Takeaways:
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How the government shaped the AI ecosystem in China
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Explore China's role in the global AI landscape
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Discover emerging sectors and industries in China that offer lucrative business opportunities for international companies
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Gain insights into strategies for managing risks and establishing successful long-term partnerships in the Chinese market
Future of Work
The Red Pill or Blue Pill: Navigating the Dichotomy in AI
AI is no longer a futuristic concept reserved for science fiction movies. It's already here, and it's rapidly changing the way businesses operate, compete, and grow. From machine learning to natural language processing, AI is revolutionizing the way we work, transforming the very fabric of industries across the globe. In this keynote, we'll dive deep into the transformative effects of AI on business and explore the tremendous opportunities and challenges it presents. We will discover how businesses of all sizes can leverage AI to gain a competitive edge, streamline processes, automate tasks, and make data-driven decisions that drive growth and profitability. We will also unravel the intricate web of anxiety, social isolation, and job displacement that may arise from these technological advancements. You will leave this keynote with a new mindset, with insights and perspectives that will enable you to navigate the complex landscape of AI, make informed decisions, and position your organization for success in the future. Now the question is, will you take the red pill or blue pill?
Session takeaways:
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How companies like OpenAI, Microsoft, and Nvidia can shape our lives in the next decade
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Understand the difference between hype and reality when it comes to AI and its potential for business.
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AI’s impact on local communities and how to use it to develop local economies
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Learn about the skills and competencies needed to succeed in the age of AI, and how to cultivate them in yourself and your team
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Examine the potential negative consequences of AI on mental health, including increased anxiety, social isolation, and job displacement
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A new mindset to adopt to navigate new technologies that impact our economy
Leadership in an AI Age: Redefining Teams and the Future of Work
In the age of artificial intelligence, leadership is undergoing a seismic shift. Soon, when organizations request additional "headcount," they might be submitting that request to the IT department instead of HR. Why? Because AI agents—autonomous, intelligent digital coworkers—are becoming key players in the modern workforce.
In this forward-thinking keynote, we explore the future of work where AI agents integrate seamlessly with human teams, transforming the way we lead, collaborate, and scale. These agents are more than automation tools—they are strategic partners capable of decision-making, communication, and execution at speeds and scales never before possible.
Perfect for executives, HR leaders, and digital transformation strategists, this session delivers a powerful framework for AI-powered leadership, preparing you to manage hybrid teams of people and AI, rethink talent acquisition, and design adaptive organizations for a future that’s already unfolding.
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Key Takeaways:
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What AI agents are and how they're reshaping the workplace
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How to lead hybrid teams made up of both humans and intelligent AI systems
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Why "headcount" may evolve into "compute power" in tomorrow’s org charts
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Strategies for incorporating agents into workflows to drive productivity and innovation
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Leadership skills needed to thrive in an AI-first, automated business environment
Generalist or Specialist? Navigating the New Rules of Work in the Age of AI
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As AI reshapes work and creativity, where do humans fit in? Using the S-curve principle from biology and technology, this keynote helps audiences identify where they are in their personal growth: just starting, rapidly evolving, or ready for reinvention.
We’ll unpack how transformer models work—not as thinkers, but as prediction engines—and contrast them with deeply human traits: originality, adaptability, and the ability to learn how to learn. With real AI-generated art, films, and designs, we’ll explore: what can machines do—and what can they never replace?
And one big question looms: In the future, is it better to be a specialist or a generalist?
Key Takeaways:
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Pinpoint where you are on your own S-curve—and what that means for your career.
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Understand how AI thinks—and why creativity, intuition, and critical thinking still matter.
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Explore the human skills that machines can’t master: originality, adaptability, and systems thinking.
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Learn why the future favors not just experts or jacks-of-all-trades, but adaptive minds that can bridge both.
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Ecommerce and Retail
Advancing E-Commerce: Using AI and Automation to Revolutionize the Customer Experiencee
The rules of e-commerce are changing and being rewritten every day. To remain competitive, marketers must become “Culture Fluid” - more agile, innovative, and resistant to forces outside their control. Acclaimed speaker and author Sharon Gai discusses how AI and automation technology is revolutionizing e-commerce at every level from personalization and customer experience through improved customer service. Understanding these developments will allow marketers to thrive and remain competitive in an increasingly AI-driven retail landscape.
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Keynote Takeaways:
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Discover trends in AI that will improve customer experience and foster loyalty
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Learn about AI-driven tools, leading to cost savings and increased efficiency
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Explore frameworks for analyzing disruptive technologies in the retail industry
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Gain clarity and direction on immersive and interactive shopping experiences, setting businesses apart from competitors
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What brands can learn from ecommerce in China, the world’s largest consumer market
One in two retail transactions in China is done online making the Chinese ecommerce market the most advanced in the world. Livetreaming, social commerce, and virtual influencers are occurring on a daily basis in China. Naturally, local platforms such as Tmall, JD and now Tik Tok are changing the way consumers interact with brands online. Evolving from a sales channel, to a marketing channel and now to an entertainment channel, these ecommerce platforms have evolved how brands are discovering their consumers online. This keynote will go over some of the most recent trends to emerge from ecommerce in China.
Session takeaways:
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A deep understanding of the innovations coming out of Chinese technology companies and the impact they are having on the global market
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Frameworks to think about innovation
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Be able to analyze and evaluate the strategies and business models of these companies and to apply them to different situations and projects around the world.
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Check her availability
Sharon is available for virtual and in person presentations
