Heather McGowan

Human Advantage in the Age of AI

One of Forbes’ Top Futurists and LinkedIn’s #1 Global Voice for Education, Heather E. McGowan is a globally recognised future-of-work strategist, keynote speaker, and two-time bestselling author trusted by organisations including Google, Microsoft, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin, and the U.S. Army. Her keynote “The Augmented Imperative” cuts through AI hype to make the case that thriving alongside AI isn’t about having the right answers — it’s about asking better questions and distinguishing what to automate from what to augment, using AI as a collaborative partner rather than a replacement. Drawing on her bestselling books The Adaptation Advantage and The Empathy Advantage, she shows leaders how to activate distinctly human capabilities — curiosity, adaptability, and empathy — as a competitive advantage in an era of accelerating technological change. Often quoted in The New York Times, with Thomas Friedman calling her an “oasis” of insight, she has also been named a Top 30 Business Book author and works across corporate, government, and academic audiences.