Mike Bechtel

Summary

The robots are having a moment—but if the headlines have you wondering where humans fit in, take a breath and buckle up. In this fast-paced keynote, futurist and recovering technologist Mike Bechtel makes the surprising case that the Age of AI isn’t about replacing people at all—it’s about revealing their value.

Drawing on two decades of inventing and investing at the bleeding edge, Mike shows how automation actually amplifies uniquely human moves—creativity, judgment, empathy, and (spoiler alert) authentic recognition. You’ll learn why “garbage in, garbage squared” is the real AI risk, how “genius in, genius squared” becomes your competitive cheat code, and what that means for leaders tasked with keeping talent seen, celebrated, and inspired.

Expect rich research, real-world stories, and heartful humor—plus a practical playbook you can use Monday morning to turn high-tech into higher-touch. Because in a world of intelligent machines, the smartest strategy is still… being brilliantly human.

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