Adam Riess
2011 Nobel Laureate in Physics | Bloomberg Distinguished Professor, Johns Hopkins | Discoverer of Dark Energy | Leader, SH0ES Team
AI Keynote Speaker; Author and Former Executive at Alibaba
AI speaker Sharon Gai is a Chinese-born Canadian keynote speaker and expert in AI and innovation, helping organizations do more with less through AI-driven strategies. A former Head of Global Key Accounts at Alibaba, she has advised global brands, governments, and heads of state, spoken at over 100 conferences worldwide, and authored two books on AI and e-commerce. Her Culture Fluid methodology bridges Eastern and Western markets, offering practical insights on AI, innovation, and global business transformation.
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AI speaker Sharon Gai is a dynamic Chinese-born Canadian speaker and expert in AI and innovation, with over a decade of experience in e-commerce, digital marketing, branding and AI. She helps organizations do more with less using AI, and her early immigration experience honed her adaptability and creativity, allowing her to bridge Eastern and Western markets effectively. Sharon holds an Honors Bachelor’s degree in International Development from McGill University and a Masters in Information Management from Columbia University.
Speaker Sharon Gai previously served as the Head of Global Key Accounts at Alibaba and as General Manager at a billion-dollar e-commerce unicorn. During her tenure, she advised brands and heads of state on digital strategies using programmatic marketing and AI. In addition, she has worked with global organizations such as Walmart, LVMH, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, and Lenovo, alongside TEDx, Singularity University, UBS, Nestle, Deloitte, and more. She has also been featured on CNN, Bloomberg, Reuters, ABC, CCTV, CBC, TechCrunch, Retail Asia, and The Next Web.
As a keynote speaker, Sharon has addressed over 100 conferences, including Shoptalk and Ecomworld, reaching over 40,000 attendees. She has also presented to governments on China’s tech industry advancements. She is the author of two books: Ecommerce Reimagined: What We Can Learn in Retail and Ecommerce from China and How To Do More with Less Using AI, which further showcase her insights.
Recognized globally for her impact, Sharon is a RETHINK Retail Top Retail Expert (2026), a Top AI Leader (2026), and a LinkedIn Community Top Voice (2024).
Her Culture Fluid methodology captivates audiences of all ages and backgrounds. Ultimately, she offers a fresh perspective to the speaking world, effectively bridging different cultures, age groups, and corporate environments.
When it comes to AI, we are often told two conflicting stories: that it will lead to mass unemployment, or that most AI initiatives fail. So which is true? In this keynote, Sharon Gai cuts through the noise to offer a clear, grounded perspective on how AI is actually reshaping the way we work. Drawing on real-world case studies and global insights, she explains how organizations and individuals can use AI pragmatically—without hype, fearmongering, or unrealistic promises. Rather than choosing between blind optimism and outright pessimism, Sharon provides a balanced framework for understanding what AI can and cannot do today. Whether you are an employee concerned about your career, a parent thinking about the next generation, or a leader managing tight budgets and lean teams, this keynote equips you with the mindset and strategies needed to stop worrying and start preparing—so you can confidently do more with less.
AI is transforming the workplace at an unprecedented pace, redefining roles, workflows, and expectations while unlocking new opportunities for productivity and innovation. But how can leaders and teams integrate AI effectively without losing the human element that drives creativity and trust? In this session, Sharon Gai explores how AI will reshape the future of work over the next decade, from the evolution of job roles to the rise of human–machine collaboration. Drawing from her firsthand experience at Alibaba’s headquarters in Hangzhou, where she witnessed the seamless transition from human-led processes to AI agents, Sharon shares practical insights into what successful adoption really looks like. This keynote shows how organizations can harness AI as a partner rather than a replacement, empowering people to focus on higher-value work while remaining agile, ethical, and competitive in a rapidly changing world.
By 2030, AI will no longer simply enhance software—it will replace it. We are entering an era where AI agents take over tasks once handled by apps, embedding commerce, communication, and decision-making directly into everyday experiences. Payments, once manual and app-driven, will become ambient and invisible, managed by AI systems that anticipate preferences, timing, and intent. Drawing on her experience at Alibaba, where she observed software give way to data-driven ecosystems, Sharon Gai takes audiences into this AI-first future where personalization is no longer a feature but the interface itself. At the same time, she unpacks the risks that come with invisible commerce, including opaque decision-making, AI-driven fraud, and the erosion of user control. This keynote equips leaders with the insights needed to navigate a world where friction disappears, trust becomes paramount, and AI—not software—becomes the operating system of consumer experience.
In an environment defined by economic uncertainty and rapid technological change, enterprise sales teams face increasing pressure to grow while doing more with fewer resources. While many organizations recognize AI’s potential, the path to meaningful implementation often remains unclear. This keynote cuts through the complexity, offering a practical roadmap for using AI to transform enterprise B2B sales strategies. Sharon Gai explores how AI is reshaping the sales landscape, from lead generation and qualification to deal execution, while also addressing the critical question of how human roles evolve alongside AI agents. Drawing from global success stories and emerging research, she shows how sales leaders can balance automation with human judgment in high-stakes environments. Designed to both inspire and equip, this session provides the clarity and confidence sales leaders need to thrive in the post-AI era.
AI has rapidly proven its power in what is known as Narrow AI—executing specific tasks with speed and precision—but this is fundamentally different from the promise of General AI. As organizations increasingly delegate repetitive and analytical work to machines, the real challenge becomes how humans adapt and stay indispensable. In this high-energy keynote, Sharon Gai introduces a new mindset for navigating the AI-driven age, one that emphasizes cultural intelligence, adaptability, and the uniquely human skills technology cannot replicate. Designed for leaders who want to future-proof their organizations and careers, this session demystifies what is really happening in the AI landscape and what it means for business today. Rather than focusing on catching up with AI, Sharon shows how to stay ahead by sharpening the human advantage—so individuals and teams remain relevant, competitive, and resilient in a world shaped by intelligent machines.
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