AI, Automation & The Future of Your Industry

What Leaders Need to Know Now

For more than 20 years, Gene Marks has covered business technology for Forbes, reporting regularly on the latest advances in artificial intelligence, automation and enterprise software.

In this fast-paced, practical keynote, he separates AI hype from business reality and explains what is actually impacting industries like construction, manufacturing, distribution, retail and financial services.

Drawing from his interviews with Microsoft, Google, emerging AI firms and real-world companies implementing these tools, Gene outlines where AI is delivering measurable ROI – and where businesses are wasting time and money.

This keynote focuses on:

• AI risks and realities
• AI agents and automation in operations
• AI in sales, CRM, estimating, forecasting and finance
• AI in real life in your industry
• Workforce implications and leadership strategy
• AI governance, risk and data management
• Where to invest in 2026-2027 for competitive advantage
• What to expect in the next 12-24 months

From Washington to Your Workplace

Economic, Workplace, Technology & Policy Trends Impacting Your Industry

As a regular columnist to Forbes, The Hill and The Guardian, Gene Marks spends every week interviewing business leaders, economists, technology executives and policymakers to understand what is really happening in today’s economy – and how successful companies are responding.

Businesses across every industry continue to face rising labor costs, higher borrowing costs, insurance increases, supply-chain disruptions, rapid advances in AI and continued economic uncertainty.

Rather than focusing on politics, Gene delivers a practical business briefing filled with real-world strategies companies are using to control costs, improve productivity, increase profitability and prepare for what’s next.

This keynote focuses on:

• Navigating today’s higher-cost business environment
• Practical AI tools that improve productivity without increasing headcount
• Labor shortages and workforce costs
• Pricing, cash flow, financing and profitability
• Tax strategies, incentives, credits and government programs
• Economic and workplace trends leaders should actually pay attention to
• Supply chain, trade and regulatory developments
• Technology investments delivering measurable ROI
• What business leaders should expect over the next 12-24 months

THE GREAT WORKFORCE HANDOFF

How to Replace Retiring Talent, Transfer Critical Knowledge and Build the Next Generation of Your Workforce

Businesses across the country are approaching one of the biggest workforce transitions in decades. Experienced owners, executives, managers, salespeople, technicians and other key employees are retiring – and when they leave, decades of relationships, skills and institutional knowledge can leave with them.

At the same time, employers are competing for a younger generation of workers who have very different expectations about technology, career development, flexibility, communication and the workplace itself.

Business owner, CPA, author and nationally recognized business speaker Gene Marks will show business leaders how smart organizations are preparing for this “great workforce handoff” – and what they should be doing now to protect their businesses and position themselves for the next generation.

Drawing on the latest workplace trends and the hundreds of business owners and executives he speaks with each year, Gene will address some of the most pressing workforce questions facing employers today:

• What happens when your most experienced people walk out the door? How organizations can identify critical institutional and tribal knowledge before it disappears – and create practical systems for transferring that knowledge to the next generation.
• What does Gen Z really want from an employer? What younger employees value, where the stereotypes get it wrong, and how organizations can adapt recruiting, management and retention strategies without abandoning the culture that made them successful.
• Where will the next generation of skilled workers come from? Practical ideas for expanding the talent pipeline through apprenticeships, technical schools, community colleges, industry partnerships and alternative approaches to recruiting.
• How do you turn younger employees into tomorrow’s leaders? Strategies for mentoring, cross-training, career development and succession planning that give high-potential employees a reason to build their careers with your organization.
• Can technology help close the labor and knowledge gap? How AI, automation and digital tools can capture institutional knowledge, improve training, increase productivity and enable organizations to accomplish more in an increasingly challenging labor environment.
• What should business leaders be doing right now? A practical roadmap organizations can use to prepare for retirements, strengthen talent pipelines, retain their best people and begin transferring critical knowledge before it is too late.

This is not a presentation about Millennials versus Boomers or a list of generational stereotypes. It is a business presentation about continuity, productivity, succession and growth during one of the most significant workforce transitions employers have faced in decades.