David Chalk
David Chalk isn’t just speaking about artificial intelligence—he has spent more than three decades building and anticipating the technologies that are transforming how we live and work.
One of Canada’s most accomplished technology visionaries, David has founded more than 15 successful companies spanning artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital media, and enterprise innovation. Throughout his career, he has consistently been ahead of the curve, helping organizations understand and embrace transformational technologies long before they became mainstream.
Today, as artificial intelligence reshapes every industry, David helps leaders cut through the hype to understand what AI means for their organizations, their people, and their competitive future. His presentations deliver practical insights and strategies that help audiences confidently navigate one of the most significant technological shifts of our time.
Speaking topics
- The Great AI Reset: Why This Moment Changes Everything
There has never been a moment in human history quite like the one unfolding before us. Artificial intelligence is not simply another technological advancement—it is a force multiplier that is fundamentally changing how we work, think, create, and compete. The opportunities ahead will belong to those who understand not only what AI can do, but how to harness it with confidence, purpose, and responsibility.
The question is no longer whether AI will transform your industry—it already is. The question is whether you and your organization will help shape what comes next or struggle to catch up.
In this compelling keynote, David Chalk demystifies artificial intelligence by explaining how today’s AI models learn, reason, and generate responses in ways that are practical, accessible, and immediately applicable. Audiences will gain a clear understanding of AI’s capabilities, limitations, and the critical issues of governance, privacy, security, and trust that every leader must understand.
But this presentation goes far beyond understanding the technology.
What becomes possible when the world’s knowledge is available at your fingertips in an instant? What happens when AI becomes a trusted partner that amplifies human creativity, expertise, and decision-making rather than replacing it? And what new opportunities emerge when individuals and organizations learn to leverage its full potential?
David will challenge audiences to think differently about the future—not as something happening to them, but as something they can actively help create.
Attendees will leave with more than knowledge. They will leave with clarity, confidence, and a practical framework for thriving in the age of artificial intelligence.
This is what levelling up looks like.
- Cybersecurity in an AI-Driven World
Artificial intelligence is changing cybersecurity faster than most organizations can keep pace. The same technology that is revolutionizing business is also creating entirely new opportunities for cybercriminals—making attacks more sophisticated, more convincing, and more difficult to detect than ever before.
At the same time, AI is becoming one of the most powerful tools available to defend against these emerging threats.
So, how do leaders embrace the extraordinary opportunities of AI without exposing their organizations to unnecessary risk?
In this timely and eye-opening keynote, technology visionary David Chalk explores the new reality of cybersecurity in an AI-driven world. Audiences will discover how artificial intelligence is transforming both sides of the cybersecurity equation, from deepfakes, social engineering, and intelligent cyberattacks to the AI-powered tools that are helping organizations predict, prevent, and respond to threats in real time.
More importantly, David cuts through the fear and confusion surrounding AI to provide practical insights every leader needs to understand. He reveals where organizations are most vulnerable, what questions leaders should be asking, and how to build a culture of security, governance, and trust as AI becomes embedded in every aspect of business.
The future will belong to organizations that innovate with confidence—not fear. Understanding how to leverage AI securely may be one of the most important leadership challenges of our time.
The question isn’t whether AI will change cybersecurity. It’s whether you’ll be prepared when it does.
- Neurodiversity and ADHD in the Workplace
What if some of your organization’s greatest strengths are hiding in plain sight?
Today’s workplaces are increasingly recognizing that people think, learn, and solve problems differently. Neurodiversity isn’t something to accommodate—it’s something to understand, support, and leverage. When individuals are empowered to work in ways that align with how they think best, organizations benefit from greater creativity, innovation, and resilience.
As one of Canada’s most accomplished technology entrepreneurs and innovators, David Chalk has spent his life living with ADHD. The very traits that can create challenges in the workplace—hyperfocus, risk-taking, unconventional thinking, spontaneity, and boundless curiosity—have also fueled his success as the founder of more than 15 companies and a lifelong technology visionary.
In this candid and inspiring keynote, David shares his personal journey of living and succeeding with ADHD while offering practical insights into the value neurodiverse individuals bring to teams and organizations. He explores both the challenges and strengths of ADHD and provides actionable strategies for creating workplaces where neurodiverse employees can thrive.
Audiences will gain a deeper understanding of ADHD in the workplace, learn how to better support neurodiverse talent, and discover why thinking differently is often the catalyst for innovation and breakthrough ideas.
Attendees will leave with practical tools, greater empathy, and a renewed appreciation for the extraordinary potential that emerges when organizations embrace different ways of thinking.
Because sometimes the people who think differently are the very people who help us see what’s possible.
Video clips
Speaker testimonials
“His presentation was excellent! Very compelling. I’m now very curious about the work he is doing, but also his previous experience developing machine learning/AI technology. Again, kudos for bringing in such a high caliber speaker”
“He was very passionate. I found him to be clear with his presentation and enjoyed his style. I found his pace very good for me. A really good speaker.”
Myself … and many others loved his presentation. I would definitely recommend him to others.
LOVED your sessions and the impact you made was profound. I was gratified to see you were engaged with our attendees who wanted to speak more with you
I appreciate the time you took to prepare, and to present to our specific audience.
I’ll be recommending you to others looking for an educational and inspiring approach to AI introductions.
The event was a success, so much so the attendees are asking for him to come back, and for longer! David exceeded our expectations and our employees were very engaged and had lots of questions for him.
About David? What can I say, his performance was outstanding. The audience loved him. It was an amazing and inspiring speech. His knowledge, experience, and the way he shared his insights were truly valuable to all attendees. Everyone was involved, wanted to know more, David didn’t have time to take a break as everyone asked him additional questions. It was extremely pleasurable to listen to him. His presence and engagement made our event special. It was openminded and a great intro to workshop we later had.I hope we will have the opportunity to collaborate again in the future. I fully recommended David Chalk to keynote on the topic of AI and also any New technology / Humanoids and Sustainability related with AI
Thank you so much for joining us at the Working Symposium, and for delivering such a profoundly moving and inspiring speech. Your personal story of combating exclusion, overcoming challenges with dyslexia, and transforming differences into strengths resonated deeply with everyone in the room. Your courage and authenticity reminded us of the boundless potential within each of us to rise above obstacles and create meaningful change. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room. You set the tone for a day of creativity and force for good.
Having you at Stanford as our dream guest of honor was an absolute privilege. Your presence elevated the entire event, and your powerful words sparked not only creativity and determination but also a renewed commitment to inclusion and equity. You showed us all that embracing differences is the key to innovation, empathy, and progress.
Thank you, once again, for gracing us with your time, energy, and deeply personal insights. It was truly an honor to have you with us, and your presence will remain a cherished part of this journey.
With heartfelt gratitude,
Thank you for your wonderful presentation at our Curriculum Implementation Day. I asked you to create a sense of awe and to be inspiring and you certainly were both. I also asked you to explain what AI is and what it is not and, again, you did it. There is a real buzz in our staff to learn more and to use AI appropriately. It was an absolute pleasure to have you part of our special day.
David was incredibly professional and brought a wealth of insight and expertise to the Prairie Business Summit. His keynote offered a compelling and accessible look into the future of technology, and he had a real knack for making complex ideas feel relevant and actionable. He left attendees genuinely inspired, with many commenting on how much they learned and how thought-provoking his session was. His contribution added real depth to the event and aligned perfectly with the kind of forward-looking conversations we’re aiming to foster
We wanted to express our sincere appreciation for your outstanding contribution to the Tico Blockchain Conference. Your participation greatly enriched the event, and we are thrilled to provide you with some feedback on your involvement. Your presence on the panel and your insights significantly elevated the quality of the conference. We all left with the distinct impression that there wasn’t a single question for which you didn’t possess the answer :). Your valuable contributions showcased not only your expertise but also your brilliance as both an individual and an expert in the field. Throughout the event, we received numerous positive comments from the audience regarding your expertise and presentation style. Your ability to address complex topics with ease, clarity and enthusiasm was particularly well-received, and your warm and approachable personality made a lasting impression on everyone. Given the tremendous value you brought to the conference, we would be delighted to invite you to future events. Thank you for being an invaluable part of our conference’s success.
It was great. David was the highlight of the event and extremely generous with his time. There was a buzz about AI for the entirety of the event. I would highly recommend him to other groups.
I just wanted to reach out and see if you would pass along to David how much our MISA group enjoyed his Keynote. He delivered a great speech so thank you again for getting him booked for us! I for one certainly enjoyed his approach to cybersecurity, and I know it resonated with a lot of people there.
Virtual Keynote Feedback 2021: David was an excellent keynote for our audience. We had great feedback and it was a perfect way to kick off our 14th CMS.
Virtual Keynote Feedback 2021: On behalf of the SIGMA and SAP-ERP teams I would like to thank you for your participation to our Gathering yesterday. Your presentation was very much appreciated and I would like to share with you some comments from the audience made through the Chat function: “David Chalk provide us information that we cannot avoid because our fear!” …
“Thank you, amazing presentations!! Kudos to organisers, I cannot wait for the next one!” …
“Mind blowing !!! Thank you David !!!” …
“This was a very impressive presentation! Wow! Thank you so much! You are very inspiring! …
“This is an amazing presentation. For many of us it is an eye opener and good learning piece.” …
“THANK YOU!! That was so engaging, you had my attention the entire time!” …
“Thank you David and to the organizers. Your presentation is eye-opening and extremely helpful and encourages each one of us to achieve success, conquer our fears and contribute to our future.” …
Your presentation did resonate with us and you made important links between our transformation Journey and the future of technology by emphasizing on the fact that we must prepare through continuous learning in order to stay relevant and experts in our field in this fast evolving digital environment!
On behalf of Unifor and Unifor National Skilled Trades Council we would like to thankyou for your speaking engagement to our conference. Our delegates were thoroughly engaged and left the conference with more awareness of present and future technology, which was perfectly themed to our conference. Our members were excited to hear your views on autonomous vehicles as well as questioning whether to own a bedroom television. Thank you for your insight and taking the time to answer questions and engage with our members after your address and wish you all the best.
David was powerful. Very himself on stage. His message resonated deeply with our clients. Great lessons and insights, and he spoke from experience which was evident. Would I recommend David? For audiences like ours which included business people and entrepreneurs, absolutely. He over-delivered, was very warm and welcoming and really spent the time to get to know many of our clients and add value on and off the stage. The standing ovation said it all really.
Where have you been all this time, I have looked everywhere for someone to partner with who is articulate and has such knowledge that they can clearly explain anything on technology. I have come across no one like you. The way in which you tie your explanations to people’s lives stems in large part I believe from the learning disabilities. It gives you a strong empathetic tie with your audiences. Congratulations David!
Thank you very much for the wonderful keynote you gave for our conference. We had many people tell us how inspiring your keynote was ! I wish you all the best and thank you again!
Thank you for recommending David Chalk as our opening keynote for the ORCA CON, September 14, 2018 event. Please relay to David that we have received excellent feedback on his session. His information was riveting and attendees found the content extremely forward-thinking! One attendee noted “PS. Btw, I also thought the keynote was one of the best ever. Better than a Stephen King novel”. Again, thank you and thank David on ORCA’s behalf!
At the end of a long day of listening to speakers, I thought I would end the day early and skip this last session, which was David’s. Luckily, I stayed and listened to the best session of the day. Many of my colleagues came out of the session with a whole new attitude.
He is the sharpest listener and speaker I have ever come across.
David’s presentation was by far the best keynote we’ve had for this event. His knowledge, experience and perspective on the event topic was extremely thought provoking and created great conversation during and after the event. We would definitely recommend David.
We would like to extend a heart-felt thank you to you and Mr. Chalk. The Symposium went really well and we had over 100 advisors attend the event! We have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from our advisors for Mr. Chalk’s presentation, it’s a very exciting speech indeed!
David’s presentation last week in Gatineau was absolutely fantastic!
David’s lecture was very relevant for the agenda: the message was relevant, the lecture well prepared (tailored to the audience) and delivered with authority and passion. David has had extraordinary experiences and his expertise/knowledge was clearly evident. More importantly I would underscore his presentation style, personable approach and engagement with the audience as well as with individuals who approached him for further discussion following the session. There were many positive comments and we are indeed appreciative of your recommendation as well as David’s willingness to step up. Your office was excellent to work with – and we would be pleased to recommend David Chalk as a speaker or your firm anytime.
I just wanted to pass along a quick email to thank you for speaking at the TIANS Nova Scotia tourism summit. Here we are two weeks later and my mind is still spinning. I have earmarked your recommended reading. I believe your presentation was by far one of the best we have seen at the conference and really appreciate you being there.