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Joel Pearson

Australia - NSW

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World's first Neuro Futurist, Neuroscientist, author, consultant, and Deputy Director of the UNSW AI.

While your competitors scramble to implement AI, most are missing the factor that actually decides success or failure: the human side of technological change. The organisations that thrive will not be the ones with the most advanced technology. They will be the ones that best understand the psychology of the AI revolution. Professor Joel Pearson is the world's first Neuro Futurist. He combines cutting-edge neuroscience with practical business strategy to help leaders lead through this shift rather than just survive it. Joel is an active optimist. By focusing on the human side of the AI revolution, and by scaling up the psychological toolkits people need to handle constant change and uncertainty, his mission is to improve and safeguard the quality of life of all Australians.

Joel is a rare combination: a neuroscientist, psychological scientist, and bestselling author who studied art and filmmaking before earning a PhD in neuroscience. That blend of creative insight and scientific rigour shapes how he approaches organisational challenges, turning complex brain science into frameworks leaders can actually use. He hosted the popular ABC Sydney radio show "The Brain Box," and his TEDxSydney talk has carried his thinking to audiences around the world.

Joel addresses the gap most AI rollouts miss: the human factor. He explains why most of us suffer from exponential blindness. Our brains are wired for linear change, so we badly underestimate how fast and how far AI will reshape work, education, and everyday life. He calls the full scale of this shift the everything disruption. But he does not leave audiences anxious. He shows why change initiatives fail, how to build psychological resilience during transformation, and how to turn the mental capacity AI frees up into sharper, harder thinking, what he calls cognitive upsizing. Audiences leave with practical tools to enhance creativity, improve decision-making, and embrace the AI revolution with real confidence.

This is not only a corporate message. Joel briefs state and federal politicians on human-centred AI change frameworks, has delivered keynotes for parliament, and has contributed to Australia's national AI planning. He brings the same psychological lens to public policy that he brings to the boardroom.

Leading global companies, including Google, Macquarie Group, EY, Pixar, Pinterest, and Miro, have engaged Joel to prepare their leadership teams for AI-driven transformation. His book, The Intuition Toolkit, has been translated into multiple languages and called "inspiring and deeply original" by Ed Catmull, co-founder of Pixar and former president of Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.

While others focus on AI capabilities, Joel focuses on human capabilities in an AI world. His presentations pair neuroscientific insight with practical implementation, giving leaders the psychological tools to build adaptive, resilient organisations that harness AI while protecting what humans still do best.

From Fortune 500 boardrooms to government policy discussions, Joel's work is shaping how organisations, and the country, prepare for an AI-driven future. His keynotes do not just inform. They change how leaders think about technology, change, and human potential.

Ready to prepare your organisation for the age of AI? Joel Pearson delivers the strategic insight and psychological frameworks your leadership team needs, not just to cope with the intelligence revolution, but to lead it.

Speaking topics

AI Augmented Leadership
Redefining Leadership in the Era of AI Transformation

Ready to lead your team into the AI revolution? The future is here, and it's accelerating faster than ever-adapt now or risk being left behind. Leaders who fail to adapt risk being left behind as competitors leverage these advances for gains in productivity, efficiency, and improved decision-making. The time to adapt is now-AI is evolving too quickly to wait.

In the AI era, leaders must urgently adapt, unlearn what's comfortable, and adopt a beginner's mindset-Shoshin. The pace of change waits for no one. Expertise can be a barrier to innovation, trapping us in outdated thinking. To lead effectively, we need cognitive flexibility: the ability to unlearn, adapt, and see challenges with fresh eyes.

AI isn't here to replace leadership-it's here to enhance it. This keynote will give you a distinct competitive advantage in leading with authenticity while leveraging AI as an ally-boosting productivity, offering sharper insights, and helping you become more emotionally intelligent. The leaders of tomorrow will blend AI with authenticity, empathy, and vision, driving a future where human-centred values lead to exponential change.

Walk away with practical strategies to cultivate curiosity, build flexibility, get out of your comfort zone and thrive as an AI-augmented leader. This is about thriving, driving change, and shaping a more human, innovative, and impactful world.

This keynote is for executives ready to embrace the thrill of discovery and lead with curiosity. You'll gain practical frameworks to step boldly out of your comfort zone and adapt to the challenges of the future. Success isn't about having all the answers-it's about asking the right questions.

Getting AI Ready
Future-Proofing Your Business: Thriving Amid AI Disruption.

The age of artificial intelligence is upending everything we know - from education and business operations to careers and the very fabric of our economy. This seismic shift towards advanced AI poses immense challenges but also transformative opportunities. In this thought-provoking keynote, Joel dives deep into the psychological impacts of generative AI and robotics that most leaders overlook.

We've made the mistake of ignoring the human psyche when adopting disruptive technologies before - think social media's unexpected and devastating effects. This time, we cannot afford to be caught off guard as AI triggers a tsunami of change. Joel provides an unflinching look at the uncertainties ahead while arming audiences with science-backed strategies to navigate turbulence, overcome fear, and position their organisations for success.

Learn about an AI-specific change model - to help your organisation become AI-ready. If you are introducing any AI products, then an AI-readiness plan for your people is a must!

In this paradigm-shifting talk, you'll discover:

• Profound ways AI will reshape industry, work, and society

• Why uncertainty ignites existential dread and anxiety (and how to counter it)

• Dangerous AI misconceptions that undermine readiness

• Human vulnerabilities exposed by AI

• A Blueprint for cultivating resilience and "future-proof" mindsets

Whether you lead a Fortune 500 company or an entrepreneurial startup, this keynote is a must for anyone committed to thriving rather than just surviving the AI revolution. Unlock the psychological tools to ride the wave of technological and human disruption with confidence.

Intuition: The Sixth Sense of Success
The Sixth Sense of Success: How Elite Leaders Make Split-Second Decisions That Win

In today's high-stakes, fast-paced business world, intuition is no longer a mystical idea-it's a groundbreaking capability, validated by cutting-edge neuroscience and ready to revolutionize how your team makes decisions. Based on the transformative insights from my book The Intuition Toolkit, this keynote will captivate and energize your team with a fresh, science-backed approach to harnessing intuition as a strategic advantage.

Discover how intuition, when cultivated with precision, becomes a game-changer in professional judgment and decision-making. This keynote introduces the Five Rules of Intuition, distilled from rigorous research and delivered with actionable clarity. Represented by the acronym SMILE.

This is more than a presentation-it's a call to action. Grounded in the latest discoveries in neuroscience and cognitive psychology, this keynote will take your team beyond theory and into practical strategies for unlocking intuition's full potential. Imagine your organization navigating uncertainty with confidence, seizing opportunities others miss, and transforming high-pressure decisions into competitive advantages.

Step into the new age of intuition science. By integrating these principles into your corporate strategies, you'll empower your team to think faster, act smarter, and achieve unprecedented results. Book this keynote and give your organization the tools to elevate its decision-making, embrace innovation, and redefine success.

Mastering Discomfort
Mastering Discomfort: The Key to Personal and Professional Success

Break past your limits and begin a transformative journey with 'Mastering Discomfort', an interactive keynote designed for individuals looking to boost performance, take smart risks, and thrive in a constantly changing environment.

This keynote explores why we naturally seek comfort and provides a framework for turning discomfort into a tool for personal growth. You will learn about the dual role of stress, understanding when it can be beneficial, and gaining techniques to use it effectively. The focus is also on developing emotional awareness to manage stress and achieve optimal mental performance.

Using insights from modern neuroscience, the keynote explains the principles behind resilience and grit and offers methods to train the mind to face and handle uncertainty with confidence. Prof. Pearson will guide the audience through these ideas while also sharing practical, evidence-based strategies to push beyond comfort zones.

Participants will leave with tools and techniques to face challenges, spark creativity, and adapt to the ongoing changes brought by AI, ultimately driving significant personal and professional growth.

This keynote is ideal for professionals who want to set and achieve ambitious goals, improve their problem-solving skills, and excel in environments that require adaptability and risk-taking. Equip your team with the skills to embrace change, reach new levels of achievement, and lead with resilience and foresight.

Testimonials

Joel spoke to our global senior leadership team on embracing the AI revolution, which was thought-provoking, insightful, and empowering. Joel masterfully simplified complex concepts, leaving the audience informed, inspired, and keen to take action for themselves, their teams and community. Sparking high engagement amongst our leaders, Joel's session was a highlight of our week together.
Pepperstone

Joel's fascinating keynote on intuition has sparked ongoing discussions on how our experienced director group can tap into all of the information they possess for better risk judgements
Macquarie Group

Joel was great to work with. Really professional...His session was the first to book out, Overall performance 5/5!
Toyota

It was a pleasure working with Joel for 2 National Disability Conferences. His session on the psychological landscape of the future was extremely engaging and left all our attendees wanting more. I highly recommend Joel as a speaker.
National Disability Service

Joel's address...was truly engaging, insightful and thought provoking, and left us all in equal parts excited about and terrified of what the AI revolution might bring in many aspects of our life. It was very well received and a real sign of the chord it struck with the audience was the conversation and debate it prompted afterwards. I'd highly recommend him.
Sharp & Carter

Joel was great to work with. Really professional and easy to brief in. he was prompt onsite and very self-sufficient with his content and presentation. His session was the first to book out completely which was fantastic to see.
George P Johnson