Robbert van Empel
Speaker on AI, author and futurist
Robbert van Empel is a speaker who brings AI from an abstract subject to something you can get started with tomorrow. As a writer and futurist, he follows where technology is moving; as a speaker, he translates that into what it means for work, leadership, and society. His keynotes are built on live demos, humor, and examples that resonate with audiences. No jargon and no vague future scenarios, but seeing what AI can do today and understanding where the limits lie. He has written, among other works, The Great Change, Ask AI, and The AI Basics Guide for Teachers, and speaks for companies, governments, schools, healthcare organizations, and management teams. Always ending with the same question: what will you do differently on Monday?
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Biography
Speaker, writer and futurist
Robbert van Empel helps organizations understand what artificial intelligence means for work, leadership, innovation and society. His strength lies in the translation: making complex technological developments understandable, practical and human-centered, for audiences without technical backgrounds who don't need one either.
Show instead of tell
During his keynotes, Robbert works with live demos, humor, and relatable examples. He shows what AI can already do today and how organizations can handle it wisely. The result is an energetic, accessible session in which the audience not only understands what's happening better, but also feels inspired to get started themselves.
Author on major change
Robbert has written, among other works, The Big Change, Ask AI, and The AI Basic Guide for Teachers. His books return to the same premise as his stage presentations: technology is the means, the human is the subject. What is changing, and what does that mean for the way we work and learn?
From boardroom to classroom
He speaks for businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, healthcare organizations and management teams. His lectures combine future vision with practical application: what is changing, what does that mean for people and organizations, and what can you do differently tomorrow? That last question always gets an answer from him.
Expertise
Generative AI in Practice
ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude, Gemini: Robbert knows the tools and, more importantly, their limitations. He shows you how to deploy them for writing, summarizing, analyzing and brainstorming, and where they become unreliable. That honesty about what AI cannot do is precisely what an audience needs in order to use it responsibly.
Strategy and leadership
For boards and executives, it's not about which tool you choose, but about which direction you set. Robbert helps management teams ask the questions that come first: which processes does this affect, which competencies will you need, which choices are you making now so you won't regret them in two years?
AI agents and automation
The chatbot was just the beginning. Systems that independently perform tasks and support processes are the next step. Robbert explains how this technology works, where organizations are already benefiting from it, and what conditions you need to establish before letting a system act autonomously.
Ethics, reliability and human control
As AI becomes more powerful, the question of who remains responsible becomes increasingly important. Robbert addresses privacy, the reliability of outcomes, and the importance of human judgment in the process. Not as an afterthought warning, but as an integral part of every story about what is possible.
Themes
Making AI understandable
An accessible introduction to AI and generative AI, with tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot, Claude and Gemini. What can AI do, what can't it do, and what's really true about all the stories?
Smarter Work with AI
How professionals can use AI directly in their daily work: writing, summarizing, analyzing, brainstorming, planning, customer communication and decision-making.
The Future of AI and Work
The bigger change behind the technology. What does AI mean for roles, organizations, leadership, creativity and human craftsmanship?
AI for Leadership and Strategy
For boards, executives and management teams who want not only to understand the tools, but to provide direction on AI within their own organization.
AI agents and automation
The next step after the chatbot: AI systems that perform tasks independently, support processes and take work off your hands. What's already possible, and where do you start?
Responsible and human-centered use
On reliability, privacy, ethics and human control. How do you keep thinking critically in a world where AI becomes increasingly powerful?
Why Robbert
Author with a distinct vision
With books such as The Great Transformation and The AI Basics Guide for Teachers, he substantiates his narrative with years of thought leadership. You're not booking a news summary, but someone with a distinctive perspective.
He shows it, live
No slides full of promises, but demos on stage. The audience sees with their own eyes what works, what goes wrong, and where the limits are — that convinces faster than any explanation ever could.
Future vision and Monday morning
Robbert sketches where things are heading, but doesn't stop there. Every session concludes with what the audience can do themselves once they leave the room.
Accessible to every audience
From executives to teachers and from care workers to civil servants: he adapts language and examples to his audience and consistently avoids jargon.
The human remains the subject
Robbert's focus is on what technology does to work, craftsmanship and responsibility. This approach makes his story relevant to people who don't see themselves as 'tech enthusiasts'.
Energy and humor
A topic that creates tension for many people, he brings to light with pleasure. The audience doesn't listen out of obligation, but because it's enjoyable.
Talks
10x your staff: Boost productivity with AI
45 - 60 minutesBigger than the computer and the internet
Artificial intelligence is going to dramatically increase productivity — even more than the advent of the computer and the internet. Robbert demonstrates why this comparison is no exaggeration, and what it means that a shift of this magnitude is now unfolding within just a few years instead of decades. Through live demonstrations, he makes tangible what is already possible today, so the audience can see for themselves where this leap comes from.
Where the Real Profit Lies
Most organizations look for profit in minutes: writing an email faster, summarizing a report automatically. Robbert shows that the biggest leap lies elsewhere. AI doesn't just save time—it creates thinking space. Teams explore scenarios faster, test ideas that would otherwise have stayed on the shelf, improve documents, and make knowledge accessible that was previously held by just one person. This reduces repetitive tasks while bringing better ideas to results faster.
From Loose Experiments to Structure
At many organizations, AI remains confined to a few enthusiastic colleagues experimenting with it. This means the benefits remain incidental and disappear once those colleagues move on to other roles. Robbert clarifies how you transition from isolated experiments to structural implementation: which processes to tackle first, how to share knowledge within your team, and which decisions determine whether AI takes root or fades away. Your audience will leave with a concrete picture of the next step forward.
The Great Transformation: Your Guide to a New Era
45 - 60 minutesThe water is boiling
The world as you know it is over. In this keynote, based on his book of the same name, Robbert shows you that the water is boiling. Not with a doomsday narrative, but with the sober observation that the temperature has been rising for years and that we've started to normalize it along the way. His goal is simple: he wants you to jump out of the pan before it's too late.
Why a New Era Demands New Choices
Robbert puts the rise of AI into perspective: where we come from, what is truly shifting now, and why this is more than the next technology wave. Through live demos and relatable examples, he shows what is already possible, so the audience can experience firsthand the scale of this change. Those who meet the new reality with old assumptions inevitably make wrong choices.
Jumping, and where to
Awareness without actionable perspective only creates unrest. Robbert therefore concludes by addressing what this means for your organization, your role, and your expertise. What choices are now on the table, which ones can't you postpone, and what can you do differently by Monday? The audience leaves the room shaken awake, but most importantly with direction.
Guide for Leaders: Your Blueprint for AI Success
45 - 60 minutesExponential growth requires direction
The potential of AI is growing exponentially. For leaders, it is essential to understand this evolving environment, because without that understanding, decisions about strategy and investments fall into a void. Robbert sketches where the technology stands now, how rapidly the playing field is shifting, and which developments executives must take seriously — without needing to understand the technology yourself.
From Tools to Strategy
The question is not which package you purchase, but which place AI gets within your organization. Robbert addresses the questions that precede this: which processes does this impact first, which competencies will your team need, where do the risks lie, and which frameworks do you establish? This creates a blueprint that extends far beyond a pilot project in a single department.
Adoption is people's work
Most AI initiatives don't fail because of technology, but because of the people who have to work with it. Robbert shows how to bring employees along instead of overwhelming them, how to take resistance seriously without slowing down change, and what role leaders play in this themselves. Human leadership hasn't become less important in an AI era – it's become decisive.
AI and the environment: the real impact
45 - 60 minutesBeyond the one-sided image
What is the true impact of AI on our environment? This question is surrounded by polarized narratives: one camp claims that every prompt costs the planet dearly, while the other dismisses these concerns as noise. Robbert steps out of these trenches and starts with the question of what we actually know, where the numbers come from, and which assumptions are hidden within them.
The figures, and where they come from
This keynote reveals the actual figures behind AI's energy and water consumption: what does it cost to train a model, what does daily use cost, and how does the data center compare to the rest of energy demand? Robbert explains how these numbers come about, so the audience can weigh the figures themselves in the future rather than simply accepting them.
In proportion to your own day
The most enlightening part is the comparison. Robbert places the footprint of AI alongside other everyday human activities, from flying and driving to streaming and food consumption. Not to minimize the problem, but to bring perspective: where does the real benefit lie, which choices make a difference, and which discussions consume energy without solving anything.
Reviews
“Robbert presents AI insights at processor speed, with surprising lightness and practical applicability – complexity unraveled and AI made usable.”
“What an inspiring contribution to the NOB inspiration days. Robbert's practical tips have been able to inspire people and schools worldwide.”
“What an inspiring keynote Robbert delivered. Everyone I spoke to thought it was fantastic. Robbert's enthusiasm was contagious. Thank you so much!”
“That was incredibly enjoyable. I particularly appreciate that Robbert provides a practical application of the whole thing, which colleagues can actually work with. It helps that Robbert comes from education himself and developed it in practice.”
