Session overview

Silicon Valley is not just building new tools — it is shaping a new operating model for the future. In this session, Danny Fortson, West Coast Tech Correspondent for The Sunday Times, will explore what makes the Silicon Valley “future machine” unique, how the current AI boom is unfolding on the ground, and what these shifts could mean for organisations, jobs and society.

From the plunging cost of intelligence and the rise of AI agents, to the move from “answer engines” to “action engines”, this session will cut through the hype and look at what is actually happening now — and what may be coming next. Danny will also explore why every company may need an agent / OpenClaw strategy, and what it means when businesses begin renting humans for AI work in the physical world.

Alongside the breakthroughs and opportunities, the session will bring these themes to life through case studies from healthcare, education, science and entrepreneurship, showing how AI is already reshaping how organisations operate and how value is created. Danny will also reflect on the wider implications, from the automation of entry-level work to the changing nature of human judgement, labour and commerce in an AI-shaped world.

Key takeaways

By attending this session, participants will:

• Understand what is driving the current AI boom and how it is showing up in practice
• Explore the shift from “answer engines” to “action engines” and why this matters for organisations
• Gain insight into why every organisation may soon need an AI agent strategy
• Hear real-world examples of how AI is being applied in healthcare, education, science and small business
• Consider some of the wider societal implications of AI, including its impact on jobs, cognitive work and commerce

Case studies will include:

• Northwestern University Hospital Group – how one of America’s biggest healthcare organisations is implementing AI
• The rise of the microbusiness – the story of a Kentucky electrician who used AI to build a business from scratch
• Education – the school with no teachers, and how AI is transforming education, for good and ill
• Biotech and science – how one company is using AI to discover drugs at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional pharma

About the speaker

Danny Fortson – West Coast Tech Correspondent, The Sunday Times

Danny Fortson is the West Coast Tech Correspondent for The Sunday Times, where he writes a weekly column, profile interviews and features on the most compelling tech stories of the day. He is also co-host of The Times Tech Podcast, a weekly interview show whose guests have ranged from Bill Gates and Sir Demis Hassabis to Al Gore.

He was named 2025 Business and Finance Journalist of the Year at the National Press Awards for his coverage of the Mike Lynch saga.

Who should attend?

This session is ideal for:

• CEOs, board members and senior leaders
• Strategy, innovation and transformation leads
• Digital, data and technology leaders
• Anyone trying to make sense of how AI is changing business, work and society