Available to book

Tech futurist & spatial AI strategist

Cathy Hackl

Future Trends

Artificial Intelligence

Future of Work

Global tech futurist and CEO Cathy Hackl helps Fortune 100 leaders navigate the post-LLM era and the shift toward spatial, embodied, and physical AI. Cathy has advised leading brands including Nike, Walmart, and Louis Vuitton and was named a Top 25 AI Visionary by Newsweek.

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Trusted by OrlandoiX & Immersion, Facebook Reality Labs, Rockwell Automation

Cathy Hackl

United States

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$26k–50k

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United States

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+44 203 835 2929

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Cathy Hackl's biography

Futurist

Visionary

Female CEO

Women in Tech

Digital Expert

Business Consulting

Innovator

Thought Leader

Influencer

At a glance

CEO of Future Dynamics, Co-Founder of Journey, Futurist-in-Residence at Nokia
Author of 5 books including Spatial Computing: An AI-Driven Business Revolution
First person to ring the NASDAQ bell in both physical and avatar form

Cathy Hackl has spent over a decade being early — on spatial computing, on AI hardware, on smart glasses, on gaming and world models, on robotics and on intelligent agentic systems. The author of five books, she draws on earlier roles at Amazon Web Services, Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE to connect where technology is heading with decisions organizations need to make now. In 2022, Cathy became the first person to ring the NASDAQ opening bell simultaneously in physical and avatar form on live television. Named a Top 25 AI Visionary by Newsweek, recognized by Ad Age and Vogue Business as a top innovator, and featured on the cover of Forbes LatAm's 100 Most Powerful Women, Cathy is one of the world's most credible voices on what comes after the LLM era. She has been featured on CNBC's Squawk Box, 60 Minutes, CNN, Good Morning America, GQ, Time, The Economist, and Bloomberg, and hosts Adweek's TechMagic podcast. Cathy is CEO of Future Dynamics, Co-Founder of Journey, Futurist-in-Residence at Nokia, and External Advisor to BCG's Frontier Tech Group. Based between Washington, D.C. and Dubai, she advises global leaders, governments, and Fortune 100 companies on navigating the shift toward spatial, embodied, and physical AI, bringing a rare, real-time vantage point on how technology, policy, culture, and capital converge across the U.S., Middle East, and global markets. Cathy has advised Nike, Walmart, Ralph Lauren, Louis Vuitton, and Clinique and has spoken at Harvard Business School, MIT, SXSW, Comic-Con, WEF, CES, and MWC, among others. Audiences leave Cathy's sessions with a clearer picture of where technology is taking their industry, practical strategies for evaluating emerging tools and platforms, and a more grounded understanding of how human behavior is shifting in a rapidly changing world. Her presentations are built on over a decade of hands-on advisory and executive work across tech and business, not abstract forecasting. Book Cathy Hackl to give your audience a highly credible, specific view of what comes next.

Cathy's showreel and videos

Topics, sessions and talks

The Shift To Spatial AI, World Models, And Embodied Intelligence

Cathy Hackl maps what happens after large language models — and it's not a screen. As AI moves from conversational interfaces into the physical world, spatial systems that understand geometry, depth, and motion are redefining computing itself. Cathy examines the shift from cloud-based AI to edge and on-device intelligence embedded in wearables, smart glasses, and robotics, using case studies across gaming, simulation, and luxury retail. Leaders leave with a strategic lens for navigating a world where intelligence becomes ambient, spatial, and always-on.

Beyond Generative AI: The Rise Of Spatial Intelligence And World Models

While large language models have reshaped content and knowledge work, Cathy Hackl argues the more significant shift is still coming. Spatial AI and world models don't just generate — they simulate environments, reason about physics, and act with autonomy. Cathy unpacks how industries from robotics to mobility to luxury retail are building competitive advantage on geospatial data and edge computing. Leaders gain the frameworks to identify where spatial intelligence unlocks new value — and to stop building AI strategies constrained by screen-first thinking.

The Hardware Renaissance: Why AI's Next Moat Is Physical And Embodied

The software era of AI dominance is ending. Cathy Hackl makes the case that as foundational models commoditise, the defining competitive advantage shifts to proprietary hardware ecosystems — smart glasses, spatial sensors, robotics, and AI-native wearables that capture unique multimodal data and create defensible feedback loops. Drawing on examples from gaming, mobility, and enterprise systems, Cathy offers a practical framework for evaluating hardware strategy: build, partner, or invest. Investors and enterprise leaders walk away with clarity on why the future of AI is wearable, embedded, and physical.

From Digital Transformation To Spatial Transformation

Digital transformation gave organisations the cloud, optimised data, and AI-assisted workflows. Cathy Hackl argues that era is already giving way to something more profound: spatial transformation. Persistent intelligent systems, on-device AI, and AR/XR interfaces are converging into a unified ecosystem that changes how people work, learn, shop, and collaborate — in real space, in real time. Cathy unpacks the leadership, infrastructure, and talent implications of this shift, equipping transformation leaders to move from incremental AI adoption toward building organisations that operate beyond the screen.

Attention Economy To Intimacy Economy: Designing Human-Centered AI

Digital platforms spent decades optimising for attention. Cathy Hackl asks what comes next — and the answer demands a fundamentally different design philosophy. As AI systems become companions, collaborators, and decision-making partners embedded in smart glasses and spatial interfaces, the stakes shift from engagement metrics to trust architecture and emotional intelligence. Cathy introduces the Intimacy Economy framework, exploring how design choices in AI-native products shape human behaviour, deepen or diminish connection, and determine long-term adoption. Product leaders and founders leave equipped to build technology that scales intelligently without sacrificing the human at its core.

Why we recommend booking Cathy

Named a Top 25 AI Visionary by Newsweek and featured on the cover of Forbes LatAm's 100 Most Powerful Women, Cathy combines years of hands-on executive work at AWS, Magic Leap, and HTC VIVE with active advisory roles at Nokia, BCG's Frontier Tech Group, and her own firm. That combination of real operating experience and current market access means leadership audiences get analysis rooted in where technology is actually heading, not where it has been.

Check Cathy's availability

Trusted by OrlandoiX & Immersion, Facebook Reality Labs, Rockwell Automation

Testimonials

As a notable tech leader and futurist, we invited Cathy Hackl to keynote the Nevada Governor's Global Tourism Summit. Her talk was informative, engaging and really showcased how Nevada can be a leader when it comes to tourism innovation.

Brenda

Acting Director, Nevada Department of Tourism & Cultural Affairs

Cathy is knowledgeable, engaging and passionate about the field of technology and social media. I came away with so much information that I am excited to move forward and try new ways to get information out through a variety of tools and platforms.

Nutan

Executive Producer, US Department of Defense

The best speaker of future technology! Her talk was phenomenal. It truly brought forth the reality of the future of marketing and opportunities. She did a great job at explaining the things to come and providing useful information to take back to our business.

Event Attendee,Social Media Marketing World

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What topics does Cathy Hackl specialise in?

Cathy Hackl specialises in discussing artificial intelligence, spatial computing, emerging technologies and more.

What is Cathy Hackl's speaking style like?

Cathy delivers energetic, engaging talks that simplify complex technology trends. Audiences appreciate her practical insights, clear explanations, and passion for innovation, leaving inspired and equipped with actionable strategies.

How can I book Cathy Hackl for my next event?

Email cathy.hackl@getapeptalk.com or call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience. As speaker agents, PepTalk can secure Cathy Hackl for commercial and corporate events, conference keynotes, leadership talks, celebrity brand endorsements & partnerships, personal appearances, and motivational speaking engagements. We can assist with enquiries about Cathy Hackl's speaking fees, availability, and booking process for private business functions, industry conferences, and team events. Please note, for media interviews, autographs, charity appearances, or personal matters, we recommend contacting Cathy Hackl directly.

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