Public Event

In Person

Weber Shandwick Futures:

Leadership in a World of AI-Driven Narrative Conflict + Misinformation

Jun

13

​Misinformation is one of the top risks for global leaders this year, as narratives used as weapons could disrupt elections worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. These threats also pose a significant danger to businesses, with top companies and brands seeing material impact. While misinformation is not a new problem for society, artificial intelligence, generative AI and social media are accelerating the chaos it causes with unprecedented speed and impact, normalizing polarization and divisiveness.

As a leader, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the impact of these increasingly pervasive online attacks.

We invite you to join our upcoming session, where Chris Perry, Chairman Futures at Weber Shandwick, Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird.AI and Andrey Simonov, Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, will discuss the methods, actors, and cases that highlight this challenge and provide insights on how to better prepare for them.

Our speakers have been at the forefront of combating fake news and the rise of mis- and disinformation, as well as helping corporations improve their preparedness since 2016. Perry recently published a book “Perspective Agents,” which investigates the implications of algorithms and AI on business planning, leadership, and resilience.

when

Thursday
June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

LoCATION

Betaworks • 29 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014

agenda

Speakers

Chris Perry

Chairman
Weber Shandwick Futures
Biography

Chris Perry is Chairman of Weber Shandwick Futures. He is responsible for the firm’s media lab, a unit that blends technology, cultural research, and new service development. The lab helps prepare leaders to respond to cultural changes and communicate in complex environments.

With 30 years at the forefront of media design, Perry works with Fortune 500 companies to implement cutting-edge intelligence and creative campaigns aimed at reducing risks and stimulating growth.

Perry’s insights and contributions are recognized in leading business and strategy publications, including Fortune, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Strategy + Business.

He shares insights on the changing nature of culture and communication on Substack, also titled Perspective Agents.

Wasim Khaled

CEO
Blackbird. AI
Biography

Wasim Khaled is the CEO and Co-Founder of Blackbird.AI, an AI-driven Risk and narrative Intelligence Platform dedicated to leading the global fight against disinformation and narrative attacks. A computer scientist by trade, Khaled has extensively studied information operations, computational propaganda, behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and their applications in defense, cyber, and risk intelligence. He has consulted and advised government agencies and Fortune 500 companies on the risks and mitigation strategies of escalating information warfare. He is a member of the Social Intelligence Lab, the Weber Shandwick Collective, and the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center. His work and insights have been featured in TechCrunch, WIRED, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, NPR, and NASDAQ. Before founding Blackbird.AI, he established LuxMobile, an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America, and was recognized as the Inc. 500 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year.

Andrey Simonov

Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business
Columbia Business School
Biography

Andrey Simonov is the Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. His research covers various topics related to the marketing and economics of media products, such as measuring advertising effectiveness, media persuasion, product design, and competition in media and digital product markets. Andrey’s papers have been published in top academic journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Quantitative Marketing and Economics, and Journal of Political Economy, and have received multiple awards and grants. Before joining Columbia, Andrey got a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, M.Phil. in Marketing and M.Sc. in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from Tilburg University (the Netherlands), and B.Sc. in Economics from Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia).

Sponsors

In Person
Public Event

Leadership in a World of AI-Driven Narrative Conflict + Misinformation

June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

Postponed: New Date TBA

RSVP

About

​Misinformation is one of the top risks for global leaders this year, as narratives used as weapons could disrupt elections worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. These threats also pose a significant danger to businesses, with top companies and brands seeing material impact. While misinformation is not a new problem for society, artificial intelligence, generative AI and social media are accelerating the chaos it causes with unprecedented speed and impact, normalizing polarization and divisiveness.

As a leader, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the impact of these increasingly pervasive online attacks.

We invite you to join our upcoming session, where Chris Perry, Chairman Futures at Weber Shandwick, Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird.AI and Andrey Simonov, Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, will discuss the methods, actors, and cases that highlight this challenge and provide insights on how to better prepare for them.

Our speakers have been at the forefront of combating fake news and the rise of mis- and disinformation, as well as helping corporations improve their preparedness since 2016. Perry recently published a book “Perspective Agents,” which investigates the implications of algorithms and AI on business planning, leadership, and resilience.

When

June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

Where

Betaworks • 29 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014
RSVP

Agenda

Speakers

Chris Perry

Chairman
Weber Shandwick Futures
Biography

Chris Perry is Chairman of Weber Shandwick Futures. He is responsible for the firm’s media lab, a unit that blends technology, cultural research, and new service development. The lab helps prepare leaders to respond to cultural changes and communicate in complex environments.

With 30 years at the forefront of media design, Perry works with Fortune 500 companies to implement cutting-edge intelligence and creative campaigns aimed at reducing risks and stimulating growth.

Perry’s insights and contributions are recognized in leading business and strategy publications, including Fortune, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Strategy + Business.

He shares insights on the changing nature of culture and communication on Substack, also titled Perspective Agents.

Wasim Khaled

CEO
Blackbird. AI
Biography

Wasim Khaled is the CEO and Co-Founder of Blackbird.AI, an AI-driven Risk and narrative Intelligence Platform dedicated to leading the global fight against disinformation and narrative attacks. A computer scientist by trade, Khaled has extensively studied information operations, computational propaganda, behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and their applications in defense, cyber, and risk intelligence. He has consulted and advised government agencies and Fortune 500 companies on the risks and mitigation strategies of escalating information warfare. He is a member of the Social Intelligence Lab, the Weber Shandwick Collective, and the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center. His work and insights have been featured in TechCrunch, WIRED, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, NPR, and NASDAQ. Before founding Blackbird.AI, he established LuxMobile, an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America, and was recognized as the Inc. 500 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year.

Andrey Simonov

Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business
Columbia Business School
Biography

Andrey Simonov is the Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. His research covers various topics related to the marketing and economics of media products, such as measuring advertising effectiveness, media persuasion, product design, and competition in media and digital product markets. Andrey’s papers have been published in top academic journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Quantitative Marketing and Economics, and Journal of Political Economy, and have received multiple awards and grants. Before joining Columbia, Andrey got a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, M.Phil. in Marketing and M.Sc. in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from Tilburg University (the Netherlands), and B.Sc. in Economics from Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia).

Sponsors

Proof of Full Vaccination Required

Betaworks requires all visitors to show proof of full vaccination to enter. No exceptions. Two ways that you can show proof:
  • Official vaccine card with at least 2 weeks having passed since the date of the last required dose (1 dose for J&J/AstraZeneca, 2 for Pfizer/Moderna)
  • An active digital pass such as the NY State Excelsior Pass or the CLEAR app

Jun

13

Public Event

In Person

Weber Shandwick Futures:

Leadership in a World of AI-Driven Narrative Conflict + Misinformation

​Misinformation is one of the top risks for global leaders this year, as narratives used as weapons could disrupt elections worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. These threats also pose a significant danger to businesses, with top companies and brands seeing material impact. While misinformation is not a new problem for society, artificial intelligence, generative AI and social media are accelerating the chaos it causes with unprecedented speed and impact, normalizing polarization and divisiveness.

As a leader, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the impact of these increasingly pervasive online attacks.

We invite you to join our upcoming session, where Chris Perry, Chairman Futures at Weber Shandwick, Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird.AI and Andrey Simonov, Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, will discuss the methods, actors, and cases that highlight this challenge and provide insights on how to better prepare for them.

Our speakers have been at the forefront of combating fake news and the rise of mis- and disinformation, as well as helping corporations improve their preparedness since 2016. Perry recently published a book “Perspective Agents,” which investigates the implications of algorithms and AI on business planning, leadership, and resilience.

when

Thursday
June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

LoCATION

Betaworks • 29 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014

agenda

Speakers

Chris Perry

Chairman
Weber Shandwick Futures
Biography

Chris Perry is Chairman of Weber Shandwick Futures. He is responsible for the firm’s media lab, a unit that blends technology, cultural research, and new service development. The lab helps prepare leaders to respond to cultural changes and communicate in complex environments.

With 30 years at the forefront of media design, Perry works with Fortune 500 companies to implement cutting-edge intelligence and creative campaigns aimed at reducing risks and stimulating growth.

Perry’s insights and contributions are recognized in leading business and strategy publications, including Fortune, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Strategy + Business.

He shares insights on the changing nature of culture and communication on Substack, also titled Perspective Agents.

Wasim Khaled

CEO
Blackbird. AI
Biography

Wasim Khaled is the CEO and Co-Founder of Blackbird.AI, an AI-driven Risk and narrative Intelligence Platform dedicated to leading the global fight against disinformation and narrative attacks. A computer scientist by trade, Khaled has extensively studied information operations, computational propaganda, behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and their applications in defense, cyber, and risk intelligence. He has consulted and advised government agencies and Fortune 500 companies on the risks and mitigation strategies of escalating information warfare. He is a member of the Social Intelligence Lab, the Weber Shandwick Collective, and the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center. His work and insights have been featured in TechCrunch, WIRED, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, NPR, and NASDAQ. Before founding Blackbird.AI, he established LuxMobile, an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America, and was recognized as the Inc. 500 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year.

Andrey Simonov

Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business
Columbia Business School
Biography

Andrey Simonov is the Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. His research covers various topics related to the marketing and economics of media products, such as measuring advertising effectiveness, media persuasion, product design, and competition in media and digital product markets. Andrey’s papers have been published in top academic journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Quantitative Marketing and Economics, and Journal of Political Economy, and have received multiple awards and grants. Before joining Columbia, Andrey got a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, M.Phil. in Marketing and M.Sc. in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from Tilburg University (the Netherlands), and B.Sc. in Economics from Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia).

Sponsors

6/13/2024

Betaworks

Leadership in a World of AI-Driven Narrative Conflict + Misinformation

Presented by

​Misinformation is one of the top risks for global leaders this year, as narratives used as weapons could disrupt elections worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. These threats also pose a significant danger to businesses, with top companies and brands seeing material impact. While misinformation is not a new problem for society, artificial intelligence, generative AI and social media are accelerating the chaos it causes with unprecedented speed and impact, normalizing polarization and divisiveness.

As a leader, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the impact of these increasingly pervasive online attacks.

We invite you to join our upcoming session, where Chris Perry, Chairman Futures at Weber Shandwick, Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird.AI and Andrey Simonov, Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, will discuss the methods, actors, and cases that highlight this challenge and provide insights on how to better prepare for them.

Our speakers have been at the forefront of combating fake news and the rise of mis- and disinformation, as well as helping corporations improve their preparedness since 2016. Perry recently published a book “Perspective Agents,” which investigates the implications of algorithms and AI on business planning, leadership, and resilience.

speakers

Chris Perry

Chairman
Weber Shandwick Futures
Biography

Chris Perry is Chairman of Weber Shandwick Futures. He is responsible for the firm’s media lab, a unit that blends technology, cultural research, and new service development. The lab helps prepare leaders to respond to cultural changes and communicate in complex environments.

With 30 years at the forefront of media design, Perry works with Fortune 500 companies to implement cutting-edge intelligence and creative campaigns aimed at reducing risks and stimulating growth.

Perry’s insights and contributions are recognized in leading business and strategy publications, including Fortune, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Strategy + Business.

He shares insights on the changing nature of culture and communication on Substack, also titled Perspective Agents.

Wasim Khaled

CEO
Blackbird. AI
Biography

Wasim Khaled is the CEO and Co-Founder of Blackbird.AI, an AI-driven Risk and narrative Intelligence Platform dedicated to leading the global fight against disinformation and narrative attacks. A computer scientist by trade, Khaled has extensively studied information operations, computational propaganda, behavioral science, artificial intelligence, and their applications in defense, cyber, and risk intelligence. He has consulted and advised government agencies and Fortune 500 companies on the risks and mitigation strategies of escalating information warfare. He is a member of the Social Intelligence Lab, the Weber Shandwick Collective, and the U.S. Department of State’s Global Engagement Center. His work and insights have been featured in TechCrunch, WIRED, The New York Times, Bloomberg, Fortune, NPR, and NASDAQ. Before founding Blackbird.AI, he established LuxMobile, an Inc. 500 Fastest Growing Company in America, and was recognized as the Inc. 500 Asian Entrepreneur of the Year.

Andrey Simonov

Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business
Columbia Business School
Biography

Andrey Simonov is the Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School. His research covers various topics related to the marketing and economics of media products, such as measuring advertising effectiveness, media persuasion, product design, and competition in media and digital product markets. Andrey’s papers have been published in top academic journals including Marketing Science, Journal of Marketing Research, Quantitative Marketing and Economics, and Journal of Political Economy, and have received multiple awards and grants. Before joining Columbia, Andrey got a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, M.Phil. in Marketing and M.Sc. in Econometrics and Mathematical Economics from Tilburg University (the Netherlands), and B.Sc. in Economics from Lomonosov Moscow State University (Russia).

Schedule

No items found.

WHEN

Thursday, June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

WHERE

Betaworks
29 Little West 12th Street
New York, NY 10014

Agenda

Tools
For
Thinking

How New Technologies are Changing How We Create, Share, and Build Knowledge

When

June 13, 2024
6:00 pm

Where

Betaworks • 29 Little West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014
Proof of Full Vaccination Required

RENDER is Over, but Camp is just beginning

We had some great speakers and participants turn out for Render, and we all got to participate in very interesting conversations. You can find recordings of all of our sessions below. If you're working on a Tool for Thinking and want to participate in our upcoming accelerator program, you can learn more here.

Building Bicycles for the Mind

​Misinformation is one of the top risks for global leaders this year, as narratives used as weapons could disrupt elections worldwide, according to the World Economic Forum. These threats also pose a significant danger to businesses, with top companies and brands seeing material impact. While misinformation is not a new problem for society, artificial intelligence, generative AI and social media are accelerating the chaos it causes with unprecedented speed and impact, normalizing polarization and divisiveness.

As a leader, it is crucial to understand how to mitigate the impact of these increasingly pervasive online attacks.

We invite you to join our upcoming session, where Chris Perry, Chairman Futures at Weber Shandwick, Wasim Khaled, CEO of Blackbird.AI and Andrey Simonov, Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business at Columbia Business School, will discuss the methods, actors, and cases that highlight this challenge and provide insights on how to better prepare for them.

Our speakers have been at the forefront of combating fake news and the rise of mis- and disinformation, as well as helping corporations improve their preparedness since 2016. Perry recently published a book “Perspective Agents,” which investigates the implications of algorithms and AI on business planning, leadership, and resilience.

Speakers

Howard

Rheingold

Author
Tools for Thought
@hrheingold

Chris

Perry

Chairman
Weber Shandwick Futures
@cperry248

Wasim

Khaled

CEO
Blackbird. AI

Andrey

Simonov

Gary Winnick and Martin Granoff Associate Professor of Business
Columbia Business School
@andsimonov

Schedule

11:30 AM
Doors Open
12:00 PM
Welcome
with MC
12:10 PM – 12:20 PM
How Do We Define Tools for Thinking and Why Do They Matter?
Join Jerry Michalski and John Borthwick as they talk about their interest in tools for thinking, and what excites them the most about the future of the category.
12:20 PM – 12:50 PM
Inflection Points for Tools for Thinking
What are the key inflection points that will supercharge Tools for Thinking in the near future? How will new technologies, user metaphors, and funding models change how people build these tools? John Borthwick will be discussing how the landscape is changing with the co-founders of Readwise, Daniel Doyon & Tristan Homsi.
12:50 PM – 1:00 PM
Q+A
1:00 PM – 1:15 PM
Demo: Protocol Design for Tools for Thinking
Gordon Brander will be presenting a brief demo on Subconscious and the Noosphere, products he and his team are working on to allow Tools for Thinking to become interoperable and better connected.
1:15 PM – 2:00 PM
Lunch and Networking
2:00 PM – 2:45 PM
The History and Future of Software as Tools for Thinking
Some of the earliest examples of software explored by pioneers like Doug Engelbart, JCR Licklider, Alan Turing, and others were at their core technologies that help magnify, inspect, and spread our ideas. Jerry Michalski will be sitting down (virtually) with Howard Rheingold, author of Tools for Thought, to explore the history and future of "mind-amplifying technology".
2:45 PM – 3:00 PM
Q+A
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM
Tools for Thinking Product Demos
We’ll hear from builders and thinkers deep in the space and get to take a look at what they’re working on. We’ll be checking out Plexus, Re:Collect, Jerry’s Brain, Subconscious and more. 
4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
Leveraging AI and ML in Building New Tools for Thinking
Alice Albrecht and Linus Lee will be sitting down with Chris Pedregal to discuss their work in leveraging AI and Machine Learning for creating new kinds of tools for thinking.
4:45 PM – 5:00 PM
Q+A
5:00 PM – 5:30 PM
Idea Dimensionality and Representing Semantic Meaning
How do ideas - and the human brains that make and hold them - interact?  Get prepared for meta! Esther Dyson and Jerry Michalski, will discuss the idea of how people work together to shape, compare, intertwine and ultimately produce multi-faceted ideas and multi-dimensional idea spaces.  As David Waltz (Thinking Machines) once said, “Words are not in themselves carriers of meaning, but merely pointers to shared understanding.” Watch and lob questions as the two of them try to build and share the idea of how better ideas can be developed through collaboration.
5:30 PM – 5:45 PM
Q+A
5:45 PM – 7:00 PM
Closing and Happy Hour

Proof of Full Vaccination Required

Betaworks requires all visitors to show proof of full vaccination to enter. No exceptions. Two ways that you can show proof:
  • Official vaccine card with at least 2 weeks having passed since the date of the last required dose (1 dose for J&J/AstraZeneca, 2 for Pfizer/Moderna)
  • An active digital pass such as the NY State Excelsior Pass or the CLEAR app