No conference without artificial intelligence (AI): Whether at the Longevity Investors Conference in Gstaad this September or the Token 2049 summit of the global Web3 scene in Singapore (with finews.asia reporting on-site) – artificial intelligence and AI agents have become a staple in every presentation.  

But what strategies set future-ready leaders apart? How can they inspire their teams to embrace AI while easing fears of being replaced by machines? Inge Van Belle addressed these questions in mid-October at the MMA Global marketing conference in Dubai.

«No More 9-to-5»

«If you think AI is something you can check off your to-do list by 5 p.m., you’re mistaken», joked Van Belle as she opened her keynote titled «Becoming AI-Fluent as an Organization» in front of more than 100 CMOs at the Grand Plaza Mövenpick in Dubai. Her lighthearted remark set the tone—while also highlighting just how deeply AI has already permeated the business world.

On a positive note, Van Belle, an executive search expert, emphasized that many leadership teams are recognizing the full scope of what’s often referred to as the «Fourth Industrial Revolution»—a term coined by WEF founder Klaus Schwab in connection with AI and Web3:
«About 70% of the leaders we surveyed believe their employees will need intensive upskilling to integrate AI effectively into their workflows. The AI FOMO is real.»

FOMO—Fear of Missing Out—describes the fear of missing key opportunities, especially in the tech space. These insights are based on a large-scale Korn Ferry survey of 2,950 decision-makers across three key regions: North America, APAC, and EMEA.

More Trust in AI Needed

Van Belle also pointed to a recent PwC study, which found that half of the CEOs surveyed expect productivity gains from AI within the next 12 months — for example, through automated product descriptions generated by tools like ChatGPT or Grok, or training videos featuring synthetic coaches instead of real instructors. The other half, who remain more skeptical, still need to be convinced of the added value AI can bring.

Inge van Belle at the MMA Global marketing conference in Dubai. (Image: Gérard Al-Fil)

«Leaders of Tomorrow»

«The leaders of the future are those who can effectively implement AI-driven processes—and make their adoption appealing to employees,» says Van Belle. This, she explains, requires a workforce that is properly trained and understands the benefits of AI agents—such as time savings and scalability—and embraces them as part of the company’s strategic direction.

To support this, Korn Ferry has developed a diagnostic tool that assesses an organization’s AI readiness and implementation capacity, offering guidance throughout the digital transformation journey, Van Belle adds.

The Bottom Line: AI is Reshaping the Conference Stage

Artificial intelligence will continue to dominate conference presentations—and increasingly shape them behind the scenes. Instead of relying solely on Microsoft’s standard PowerPoint software, presenters are now turning to free AI tools like SketchBubble AI or Wepik. The disruption is well underway.