Opening and Closing Sessions
Prepare to Be Inspired
Opening and Closing Sessions
Opening Keynote: This Is Your Brain On… How the Brain Interprets Data, Adapts to AI, and Responds to Emerging Sensory Technologies
Monday, June 1st
8:00 a.m.-9:30 a.m. CT
David Eagleman
Our world is becoming more technologically advanced. What if the key to success is already inside our heads? Through his unparalleled understanding of the human brain, David Eagleman gives the AIHA Connect 2026 audience us the knowledge and tools we need to maximize our brains’ potential and thrive in the world of tomorrow. As one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists and host of the #1 Science Podcast, Inner Cosmos, Eagleman unlocks new senses for humans, like feeding data into a vest worn by a drone pilot. He argues that, by making sense of the magic of the mind, we can unleash our fullest potential.
David Eagleman is one of the world’s foremost neuroscientists, a bestselling author, and an entrepreneur who is creating the technologies of tomorrow, today. He is the writer and presenter of the international PBS series, The Brain with David Eagleman, as well as The Creative Brain on Netflix.
Using his vast knowledge of brain plasticity, David is developing sensory substitution devices through his startup company, Neosensory, giving people the ability to hear and see through technology.
David is also the host of one of the top science podcasts in North America, Inner Cosmos. It has reached the #1 spot on the Apple most-listened science podcasts ranking, as well as the top 10 most-listened overall. In it, David explores all of the ways our brains interact with the world around us. Whether it’s the relationship between ourselves, AI, and education, or human creativity, or the neuroscience of leadership, David makes sense of the inner workings of our brains and gives us a deeper understanding of ourselves.
David is also the bestselling author of several books. His most recent book, Livewired: The Inside Story of the Ever-Changing Brain, explores the brain’s remarkable ability to rewire itself throughout our lives. In The Runaway Species: How Human Creativity Remakes the World, he explores the human brain’s unique ability to innovate and celebrates the inventive spirit that defines humanity and its ability to continually reshape the world. The Brain: The Story of You, which accompanies the PBS series of the same name, delves into the complexities of the human brain and how it shapes our identity. His first bestseller, Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain, delves into the workings of the unconscious mind, revealing the hidden aspects of brain function that influence our thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions.
He was the writer and host of PBS’ Emmy-nominated series, The Brain with David Eagleman, as well as the host and writer of Netflix’s The Creative Brain. He was also the scientific advisor on HBO’s Westworld.
He’s been named Science Educator of the Year by the Society of Neuroscience, the Director of the Center of Science and Law (a national non-profit institute), and a research fellow in the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies at Stanford University.
David has written for The Atlantic, The New York Times, The Economist, Time, Discover, Slate, Wired, and New Scientist. He’s been a guest on the Colbert Report and has been profiled in The New Yorker.
Closing Keynote: The Future of Work
Wednesday, June 3rd
3:30 p.m.-4:45 p.m. CT
Tom Koulopoulos
Companies are struggling to navigate a perfect storm of economic, workforce, and market disruption, the likes of which we have never seen on such a large and prolonged scale. However, that doesn’t mean that it can’t be done, only that we need to be creative and courageous enough to change the way we approach much of what we’ve come to accept as the way we work and run our businesses. In this keynote, Koulopoulos provides a roadmap for navigating the future of a workplace where humans and digital workers will work side by side, marketplaces where friction is virtually eliminated, the role that AI will play in reimagining work, and the critical issues of managing Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
This is a watershed moment in history; some companies will reinvent themselves and the way they engage with employees, customers, and partners, while others will be quickly left behind. Simply put, there is opportunity in the uncertainty. The takeaway will be a positive and realistic look at how to reimagine the work.
