Core Themes of HumanX: An Overview
From the moment of its conception, HumanX has been more than just another run-of-the-mill conference–it’s a complete and utter shift, redefining what’s possible for leaders, creators, and strategists navigating the AI frontier. Grounded in evidence-based research and use cases, our programming is informed by extensive conversations with industry leaders and market analyses conducted in tandem with HarrisX. It is through these conversations that we uncovered the essential themes that executives need to master today—not just to survive, but to thrive in the AI realm.
Each HumanX theme is crafted to address the very real pressures and opportunities that leaders are facing in 2024 and 2025, from the challenge of staying competitive against lightning-fast disruptors to the need for disciplined, high-impact AI investments. That’s why we built HumanX—to bring together the sharpest minds and most actionable insights, helping others cut through the noise and make decisions that lead to measurable results.
These central themes are a culmination of our belief that AI can be more than technology and can create meaningful impacts across all sectors. This is HumanX.
1. The AI Marathon: Keeping Pace When Kids in Garages Can Instantly Upend Your Entire Business
The AI Marathon asks executive leaders: Are you ready for the next wave of disruption, or will you be caught off-guard?
The rapid advancement of AI has lowered the barrier to entry so much that two developers in a garage could unseat entire businesses, and we’ve seen that happen. Business leaders who are resistant to adopting AI leave themselves at serious risk of becoming obsolete in this ever-changing environment–especially as AI begins to eliminate industry barriers. AI companies that were once niche players in tech are now building tools that compete directly with legacy businesses in finance, healthcare, and manufacturing.
To stay competitive in this market, business AI shouldn’t be an if but a when.
2. Ready, Fire, Aim
Ready, Fire, Aim challenges executives to ask: are we investing in AI projects that directly contribute to our strategic goals, or are we just keeping up appearances?
It’s tempting for today’s businesses to jump headfirst into brand new, consumer-facing AI products. Customer service, engagement, and experience are often the first areas where businesses apply AI, and with good reason: personalized interactions, real-time insights, and seamless customer journeys have become essential in today’s market. However, customer service isn’t necessarily the highest-ROI use case for every organization. This is where many companies fall into the trap of “Ready, Fire, Aim.” By rushing into customer-facing AI projects without a structured roadmap, executives risk missing opportunities for AI to create value in other parts of the business—where its impact could be even greater.
“Ready, Fire, Aim” is about balancing immediate wins with a long-term perspective on AI. For many companies, AI-driven customer engagement will be a valuable entry point, offering a quick ROI while building foundational AI capabilities. But the goal is to look beyond these initial wins and create strategic plans to apply AI with purpose and with ROI in mind.
3. AI as a Catalyst for Industry Transformation: Setting North Stars for Innovation
AI as a Catalyst for Industry Transformation challenges senior decision makers to look beyond their current sector to try new things.
As AI adoption accelerates, certain industries are taking bold, transformational steps that are redefining innovation. Healthcare, finance, entertainment, and manufacturing are on the cutting edge, leveraging AI to push boundaries, reimagine their core functions, and even vertically inspire other industries to push the envelope.
At HumanX 2025, we’ll explore how top leaders in these high-impact industries are using AI to unlock growth, create entirely new business models, and set new benchmarks for customer value and operational efficiency.
4. Workforce Transformation: From the Tippy Top to the New Hire
Workforce Transformation asks: Is your workforce prepared to work with AI, or are you still relying on yesterday’s skills for tomorrow’s challenges?
AI isn’t just a technological shift—it’s a fundamental transformation in how work gets done, touching every level of an organization. In 2024, it’s clear that every employee—from the C-suite to entry-level hires—needs some level of AI literacy to remain relevant. But this transformation also goes beyond learning new skills; it’s about cultivating a workplace that, from every level, embraces change and evolves as AI does.
5. Let’s Not Get Sued or Do Something Stupid, Okay?
Let’s Not Get Sued or Do Something Stupid urges executives to think hard about AI governance and risk management.
With great power comes great responsibility–and AI is no exception. Generative AI and similar technologies are raising complex issues around bias, transparency, and accountability, and regulators are watching closely. Thus, it is imperative that companies craft rigorous governance and policy around responsible, ethical usage of AI within the workplace.
6. Putting a SUV Motor in a Ferrari
Putting a SUV Motor in a Ferrari challenges executives to confront the hidden costs of legacy systems.
Many companies are trying to bolt advanced AI onto outdated legacy systems, creating significant friction and limited results. When AI runs on insufficient infrastructure, it’s like putting a SUV engine in a Ferrari—neither performs as expected, and the potential is wasted. For AI to truly deliver, organizations must invest in modernizing their data architecture, integrating legacy systems, and ensuring clean, scalable data.
To learn more about HumanX’s unique programming and how it will help you excel with AI, visit https://www.humanx.co/who-attends or download our event brochure.