AI is not just changing productivity. It is redistributing power. Organisations are splitting between those who are AI-augmented and those who are not. Confidence gaps widen. Capability gaps follow. Culture fractures quietly.

At the same time, generational transitions are reshaping how change is received. Younger employees question authority differently. They assess credibility through transparency and fluency, not tenure.

In this keynote, Eliane Miles connects customer shifts, generational psychology and AI adoption to the future of leadership. She outlines how to close capability gaps before they become cultural divides, communicate change in ways that build trust, and lead multi-generational teams through technological acceleration.

The future of leadership is not technical mastery. It is clarity, credibility and disciplined decision-making under pressure.

Customers are no longer navigating markets alone. They are navigating them with algorithms, peers, and AI.

Discovery is now intermediated. AI-assisted search, algorithm-curated recommendations and platform filters increasingly determine what customers see before they ever reach your brand.

At the same time, authority is flattening. Generational shifts are dismantling traditional hierarchies of expertise. For Gen Z in particular, peer recommendation, creator influence and expert opinion carry equal weight. Trust is earned horizontally, not hierarchically.

In this keynote, Eliane Miles examines how discovery, comparison and trust formation are evolving, and what this means for visibility, credibility, and brand positioning. The question is no longer, "How do we adopt AI?" The real question is, "How are our customers changing, and are we structured to meet them there?"

Leaders will leave with a clear lens for evaluating visibility, authority, and trust in an AI-mediated marketplace.

In 2026 disruption is no longer episodic. It is structural. AI-mediated engagement, demographic transitions, generational change, workforce challenges, and declining trust are converging all at once. 

In this keynote, culture analyst and business strategist Eliane Miles delivers an evidence-informed environmental scan of the five forces reshaping customer behaviour, workplace expectations, and strategic decision-making:

• AI-mediated decisions: AI-assisted discovery reshaping visibility, relevance and trust
• Demographic compression: Ageing populations and workforce strain reshaping demand and growth
• Generational acceleration: Gen Z expectations redefining loyalty, work, and brand trust 
• Capability inequality: The AI divide creating productivity gaps and cultural tension
• Trust as economic currency: Transparency and values alignment driving competitive advantage. 

This session translates macro shifts into clear implications, equipping leaders to move from reaction to response, from noise to narrative, and from complexity to confident decision-making.