Location
United States
Areas of Expertise
Expert Bio Rob Nail is a technologist, engineer, serial entrepreneur, speaker, and impact-focused futurist best known for his more than eight years as Associate Founder and CEO of Singularity University (SU), where he helped shape the institution into a global leader for understanding and applying exponential technologies for transformation and positive impact. Now serving as a Global Ambassador for SU, Rob works with startups, Fortune 500 companies, NGOs, and government leaders to inform and inspire forward-thinking visions of the future while building actionable roadmaps to achieve them. His areas of passion include technological disruption, global entrepreneurship, social impact investing, the future of education, the transformation of work, artificial intelligence, robotics, and the ethics of technology. Earlier in his career, Rob co-founded Velocity11 in 1999, developing automation and robotics solutions for cancer research and drug discovery, which was acquired by Agilent Technologies in 2007. He also served as a public director at Harman International, where he contributed to the company's strategic direction and helped facilitate its landmark approximately $8 billion acquisition by Samsung, the company's largest acquisition in history, bringing Samsung into the autonomous vehicle market. Rob is a member of the MG100, Marshall Goldsmith's elite leadership cohort, serves on the board of Light&Motion, and is a co-founder and director of Alite Designs. He is an active angel investor and advisor, and holds degrees in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, and Manufacturing Systems Engineering from UC Davis and Stanford University.
Sessions The Future of Learning & Work - through an Exponential lens
During a time of crisis or disruption, those who are the most adaptable not only survive, but thrive. In this session, we explore the tech trends driving the shifts of learning and work, contemplate where we are headed long term, and identifying ways to "skate where the puck is headed" and find tremendous future opportunities for all lifelong learners and our kids.
Leading through the Age of Disruption
CEOs today must be the masters of many domains. It's no longer enough to just know one thing – you need to be a futurist, technologist, innovator, and humanitarian. In this session, we explore Exponential Thinking, critical trends and implications, success factors, and a case study on digital transformation.
Community and Diversity for Innovation and Impact
To solve problems that have never been solved before, you need a new approach. The fastest path to innovation is bringing diverse perspectives together in a safe environment to challenge the status quo. Learn about the formula Rob developed at Singularity University to bring together the most diverse group of entrepreneurs possible to tackle the biggest problems imaginable. This session will also explore insights for where we should be focusing next.
AI, Robotics, and a Future of Work
Automation, robotics, and AI will impact all jobs and the future of what work is. We will not be replaced by robots, we will be empowered by them, but we do need to learn how to work together. In this session, we will explore the latest tech trends automating our lives including examples of Rob's work with Soul Machines designing conversations for Digital Avatar assistants.
AR/VR and the promise and perils of the Metaverse
The hype of virtual reality has been pumping for 30 years, but is it finally time? In this session, we will explore the realities, implications, and scif potential of the Metaverse. We will also discuss some of the ethical considerations we should be designing for in our new immersive worlds.
Exploring possible Scifi Futures and Transformation of Humanity
In this session, we will explore the biggest tech trends that are disrupting our world today and use First Principles and Exponential Thinking to imagine where they will ultimately lead us in the future. Rob will share elements of his science fiction work-in-progress and provoke a discussion on what is unique to humankind, what values we share, and design guidelines we need in place to move towards a more positive future.
Using the Futures Wheel to make sense of the hype
In this workshop, individuals and teams will have fun and collaborate on making sense of the crazy hype of technologies with a tool that can quickly learn and bring back to their organizations. We will explore the basics of forecasting future trends and using the Futures Wheel to determine potential consequences of Tech trends, global events, and strategic decisions. Breakout groups will build Wheels on relevant topics and share out their biggest insights and surprises. For corporate teams, we can evaluate the top insights and develop action plans for bringing the biggest opportunities to life.
Disrupting yourself through Exponential Thinking and Innovation
In this workshop, teams will hone their mindset for innovation at an exponential pace and leave with an Opportunity Map of 10x Opportunities and Existential Threats. We will explore the basics of Exponential Technologies and their potential implications on our lives, businesses and society. We will zoom out to the potential future and back to today to identify our biggest opportunities and threats and develop a roadmap of critical next steps.
Being Human in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence enters our lives and businesses, our natural instinct is to fear the changes and hold on nostalgically to the ways of the past. In this session, we explore what is unique about humanity in an engaging discussion to shift our mindsets about the future and celebrate the opportunities and disruptions to come in this new partnership with technology.
Navigating the Coming Singularities
In this session, we explore the technological disruptions forecast to impact all aspects of our lives, businesses and society. We will zoom out to potential future scenarios and back to today to discuss our critical next steps for preparing for the extraordinary.
Being Human in the Age of AI
As artificial intelligence finds its way deeper into our lives and businesses, our natural instinct is to fear the changes and hold on to the ways of the past. In this session, Rob will take participants on a fun and philosophical exploration of what is unique about humanity and what we really should be concerned about. Through a highly engaging and provocative discussion format, participants will be challenged to shift their mindsets about the future and to celebrate the opportunities and disruptions to come in this new partnership with technology.
Exponential Thinking & the Tech Trends that Change Everything
In this session, Rob will highlight the Exponential Technologies and trends that are driving disruptions across all aspects of our lives, businesses and society. Participants will explore and discuss the mindset and tools required to not just survive but thrive through the accelerating change we forecast. In this thought-provoking discussion, participants will explore visions for the potential future ahead, challenge their assumptions for what they believe is possible, explore bold visions of what they think they can achieve, and identify critical actions they must take today to be ahead of the curve.
Adaptability & Innovation Readiness
In this session, participants will experience the Adaptability and Innovation Readiness (A.I.R.) Assessment developed and used at SRI to understand an organization's capabilities to navigate rapid and disruptive change and lead through innovation. During the session, participants will get a teaser of the assessment and will self-assess and compare their A.I.R. capabilities across some of the 5 categories of Vision, Mindset & Culture, Ideation & Creation, Infrastructure, and Transformation. This session is ideal for executives looking to enhance their innovation systems or are struggling with topics like Intrapreneurship, Future Vision, Change Management, and how to work with External Ecosystems.
In a workshop format, participants will take a version of the A.I.R. Assessment, discuss and compare results, and develop a tailored Innovation Readiness Action Plan for improving their organization's capabilities.
Modern corporate lifestyle prioritizes productivity and efficiency, while human society needs a more human-centered, holistic approach. In this session, Rob will walk through a framework for operating as an Integrated Leader - aligning your pursuits of being a higher conscious human as well as a more impactful, high performance leader. This framework is used as a basis for Rob's coaching practice and elements have now been integrated to drive connection, growth, and engagement in Marshall Goldsmith's 100Coaches community among other organizations. Being an Integrated Leader means being a better role model for companies and for a better society. This session will be insightful and engaging for individuals concerned with burn-out, remote/hybrid work, happiness, finding purpose, navigating a second mountain, and envisioning a better future.
In a workshop format, participants will identify their level of competency in the zones of Being and Performance, explore stakeholders through a Personal Advisory Board, and develop a roadmap for personal and professional growth.
Navigating the Coming Singularities
In this session, Rob will lead a sweeping exploration of the technological disruptions that are forecast to impact all aspects of our lives, businesses and society. We will zoom out to potential future scenarios and back to today to discuss our critical next steps for preparing for the extraordinary. In this session, participants discuss the practical and philosophical aspects of technological change ahead and through a series of "what if" scenarios, will push the limits of what they imagine is possible.
Leading Transformation - Harman Case Study
In this session, Rob will present a first-hand account of Harman International and its final years of transformation before being acquired by Samsung - its largest deal in history. Through a case study format, participants will discuss the challenges and opportunities of a traditional public company navigating an exponential future. It is a tale of vision, courage, execution, and unexpected outcomes. Participants will discuss the relevance to every business today and the top recommendations for leaders embarking on massive transformation.
Intrapreneurship and Disruption from the Inside Out
Big companies should fear the little ones, or at least that is what Silicon Valley wants you to believe. In this provocative session, participants will explore the opportunities that big companies have to continue to dominate by leading innovation from inside and at the edges. Participants will learn about the five roles of the Intrapreneur – Futurist, Risk-Taker, Designer, Navigator and Change-Maker, and how an organization can support and empower them to drive innovation and disruption from within. This session is ideal for executives struggling to drive real innovation and change despite the substantial bureaucracy of an existing company. Rob will present examples of Intrapreneur successes and failure from projects at Singularity University and the Nomura-SRI-Innovation-Center.
Envisioning our Scifi Futures and the Transformation of Humanity
Despite the abundance of market research, forecasts, and ideas for the future, choosing what is important and relevant and then bringing a concept to life is an increasingly complex and challenging task. In this creative workshop, participants will explore the biggest tech trends that are disrupting our world today and use First Principles and Exponential Thinking to imagine where they will ultimately lead us in the future. Rob will share elements of his science fiction work-in-progress and provoke a discussion on what is unique to humankind, what values we share, and design guidelines we need in place to move towards a more positive future. Participants will leave this session feeling inspired and empowered to build a better future.
In a workshop format, participants will collaboratively explore themes relevant to the future of their lives, businesses, and society, using Strategic Foresight methodologies like the Futures Wheel and STEEP to explore future scenarios and implications and Science Fiction Prototyping to bring them to life through compelling and credible stories. Generative AI tools are introduced and integrated to rapidly develop and colorfully illustrate them.
