Speaking & Keynotes
Keynotes on Leading People Through the Age of AI
Darryl Michael Speach brings three decades of building human capability at scale — and the ideas behind The Phantom Workforce — to stages, leadership offsites, and conferences. His talks leave audiences not just informed, but ready to lead. Darryl delivers keynotes both virtually and in person, tailored to your audience and event.
What Darryl Speaks About
Darryl’s keynotes translate the age of AI from a technology story into a leadership one. Audiences leave understanding the forces reshaping their industries and — more importantly — the human choices that determine who thrives. Every talk is grounded in real experience building leaders and workforces across Disney, financial services, entertainment, healthcare, and hospitality, and in the ideas at the heart of The Phantom Workforce.
Signature Keynotes
The Phantom Workforce — Leading the Invisible Team That Will Define Your Future
Your competitors are quietly building a phantom workforce — the capacity a company adds without adding people. This keynote reveals the forces driving AI adoption and the leadership choices that determine whether it shrinks an organization or amplifies it.
How Human-Centered Organizations Win in the Age of AI
The advantage in the AI era won’t go to the organizations with the best technology, but to the ones that bring out the best in their people. This talk shows leaders how to build the human systems — behavior, culture, and capability — that turn AI into lasting results.
The New Experience Economy — Leading Human Potential in the Age of AI
As routine work becomes abundant and cheap, the human capacities customers actually value — judgment, trust, taste, and care — become the differentiator. This keynote explores how leaders unlock human potential to compete in a new experience economy.
What Building Leaders at Disney Taught Me
Three decades of building leaders — beginning at Disney — distilled into the enduring principles of service, storytelling, and human capability that still decide which organizations win, even in the age of AI.
Formats & Booking
Darryl speaks in formats ranging from a conference keynote to a leadership-team session or offsite anchor, delivered virtually or in person and tailored to your industry and audience. Keynotes pair naturally with the AI Experience Institute™ workshops when an organization wants to move from an inspiring keynote to durable leadership capability.
Speaking fees are provided following a brief consultation, so the engagement can be scoped to your event, format, and audience. Tell us about your event and we will follow up personally with availability and a tailored proposal.
Why Darryl
As a Disney Master Facilitator who went on to build corporate universities and lead learning across Disney, New York Life, Creative Artists Agency, Majid Al Futtaim, Centene, and Qiddiya/SEVEN, Darryl has spent his career making complex ideas land with real audiences and turn into action. He is the author of The Phantom Workforce and the founder of the AI Experience Institute™.
Bring This Conversation to Your Stage
Tell us about your event, your audience, and your theme, and we will follow up personally to discuss fit, format, availability, and fees.