By Ford Saeks, CSP, CPAE
Everybody’s talking about AI. It’s the hot topic at conferences, the buzzword in boardrooms, and apparently the newest line item on speaker one-sheets across the country. The problem? Most of the content being delivered from the stage isn’t strategy—it’s a book report. Summaries of what ChatGPT can do, mixed with a few headlines from tech blogs, and packaged with a generic “AI is changing everything” slide deck.
That’s not insight. That’s infotainment.
Let’s be real—AI is fundamentally disrupting every industry. It’s already transforming operations, marketing, customer service, hiring, and decision-making. But if you’re not helping people implement, adapt, and profit from AI… then you’re just adding to the noise.
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: Search engines and SEO as we know them? Dead. Or at least on life support. The buying journey has shifted. Prospects aren’t “Googling” their way to your website like they did five years ago. AI is rewriting the rules of discoverability and decision-making. Tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and voice assistants are short-circuiting the traditional search journey by giving direct answers. You’re not competing with keywords anymore. You’re competing for attention and relevance in a new context.
If you’re still clinging to SEO as your lead-gen lifeline, you’re living in the past. Visibility today is about being known, being referred, and delivering value that cuts through the noise. The fastest path to relevance? Authority. Proof. Demonstrated results. That’s what meeting planners, franchise brands, and associations are really looking for.
Now let’s bring this back to our industry.
As professional speakers, this is a defining moment. We can’t afford to be behind the curve—or worse, pretending we’re ahead of it when we’re not. If you’re not using AI to improve your own business—your outreach, your CRM, your marketing, your content—you have no business teaching others how to do it. Harsh? Maybe. But it’s also true.
When I keynote on AI, I don’t just show up with a slide deck. I show real examples. I demonstrate tools live. I show how AI can reduce costs, save time, and actually drive measurable business growth—without sacrificing the human experience that builds loyalty and trust.
Because while everyone else is regurgitating trends, what clients want is clarity. What audiences need is application. What leaders crave is someone who can help them think better, act faster, and get results.
So, if you’re thinking about adding “AI” to your talk title because it’s trendy—don’t. Do it because you have something original to say. Do it because you’ve tested the tools. Do it because you’ve helped people get real outcomes.
This profession doesn’t need more bandwagon jumpers. It needs difference-makers.
If we’re going to keep the integrity of this business strong, especially in the Hall of Fame circle, we’ve got to lead from the front—not chase what’s popular. That means cutting through the hype, challenging assumptions, and delivering content that actually moves the needle.
AI isn’t just the future—it’s the present. But the real disruption isn’t the technology.
It’s the mindset.
—Ford Saeks, CSP, CPAE, MDSG
ProfitRichResults.com