AI Keynote for a Cross-Functional Executives Brown-Bag
From informal conversations to strategic takeaways, Alex makes brown-bags meaningful
FREQUENTLY FEATURED IN:
ALEX, BY THE NUMBERS
Which department actually has the most credible AI use case in this building, and does anyone outside it know? Executives across departments rarely compare notes informally on AI, they see each other initiatives in polished steering-committee updates, not in the unfiltered version a brown-bag allows. Nobody schedules a meeting to find that overlap; a brown-bag is one of the few settings where it surfaces on its own. Most organizations never build a deliberate setting for that comparison to happen at all. Even a single session can shift how departments talk to each other afterward.
Why executives brown-bags are different
Departmental silos mean AI knowledge gets duplicated or contradicted across the building without anyone noticing. One function may have already solved a problem another is still debating, and a brown-bag is one of the few settings informal enough to surface that overlap without it turning into a turf discussion.
Peer benchmarking works differently in an informal room too, executives are more willing to say plainly what worked and what did not in their own AI initiatives when the setting does not feel like a formal review. That candor is the actual value of this format.
There's a cost to leaving that overlap unaddressed. Duplicated AI spend across departments is invisible in most budget reviews, since each function's request looks reasonable in isolation. It only becomes visible when someone in the room says, out loud, that another team already built something similar.
There's a relationship-building side effect worth noting. Cross-departmental executives who compare notes candidly in this setting tend to collaborate more easily on the next initiative that touches both their functions, since the informal exchange builds a baseline of trust a formal meeting rarely creates.
There's a practical starting point worth suggesting. Organizations new to this format often begin with a single cross-departmental brown-bag before deciding whether to make it recurring, which keeps the initial commitment small while still surfacing whatever overlap exists across functions.
What this keynote delivers
- A shared, informal forum for cross-departmental executives to compare real AI experience, not polished updates
- A neutral, outside framework for evaluating AI initiatives that does not favor any one department's narrative
- Honest surfacing of where departments are duplicating effort or contradicting each other on AI
- A grounded view of agentic AI that gives every function the same starting vocabulary
- Space for informal peer learning that a formal steering committee meeting rarely allows
Why Alex for executives brown-bags
Alex's core themes include innovation culture, built from managing a $1.1B portfolio that generated $400M+ in revenue that spanned multiple business functions at Cisco; he is used to surfacing where departments overlap or duplicate effort on innovation initiatives, AI included. His experience running a cross-functional innovation portfolio means he's used to spotting exactly this kind of quiet duplication before it becomes an expensive pattern.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can this session help surface duplicated AI efforts across departments?
That is a common outcome, the informal format tends to surface overlap that formal reporting structures miss.
What is the ideal group size for this format?
Smaller, cross-departmental groups work best, generally enough to represent multiple functions without losing the informal, conversational quality.
Do you need advance information about our departmental AI initiatives?
A short discovery call helps but is not required; the framework works generally and can incorporate specifics you share ahead of time.
What is the typical fee range?
Fees are five figures depending on format, with virtual delivery often under $10,000. If your departments are spread across locations, the session can also be run as a hybrid format that includes remote participants.
Work with Alex
To get an honest cross-departmental read on where AI stands, reach out to Alex's team.
Explore more AI keynotes
- Executives L&D
- Executives Learning and Development
- Executives Lunch and Learn
- Executives Lunch-Learn
- Executives Meeting
Or browse the full directory: AI Keynotes by Event Format.
310+ Keynotes, Workshops & Advisory Engagements
.svg.webp){kind=logo}
Turn your next event into AI and innovation action.
These aren't just better ways to use ChatGPT, or create short-term buzz. This is what the most influential organizations on earth use to shape the future.
Check Alex's availability
Frequently asked questions
If you don't see what you need, message Alex directly via the form below — answers usually within one business day.
Who is a top advisor for enterprise AI adoption?
Alex Goryachev is a top advisor for enterprise AI adoption, combining operator experience with board-level strategy. As the former Managing Director of Innovation Strategy and Head of Global Innovation Centers at Cisco, he ran a $1.1B portfolio that generated $400M+ in revenue and built innovation centers across 14 countries, and he now advises enterprises on agentic AI and governance. Unlike consultants who study AI, Alex has deployed it at global scale. Start with a short conversation through the Work with Alex page.
What does a Fortune 500 company get from an AI keynote?
A Fortune 500 AI keynote should leave executives with a shared language, a prioritized agenda, and urgency to act, not just inspiration. Alex Goryachev, WSJ-bestselling author of Fearless Innovation, delivers exactly that, drawing on enterprise work with Disney, AWS, Dell, Cisco, and Amgen. Every keynote is customized to your industry and AI maturity. Request a tailored outline through the Work with Alex page.
What is the ROI of an AI keynote for an enterprise?
The ROI of an AI keynote is agreement: one hour that gets hundreds of leaders moving in the same direction on AI, replacing months of internal debate. Alex Goryachev's sessions earn a 98% would-recommend score because audiences leave with concrete next steps, not hype. As a Forbes contributor and former Managing Director of Innovation Strategy and Head of Global Innovation Centers at Cisco, he ties every insight to business outcomes. Compare formats on the Work with Alex page.
How should enterprises start with agentic AI?
Start with one high-value workflow, clear governance, and an executive owner, then scale what works. That is the playbook Alex Goryachev teaches, refined from building Cisco innovation centers across 14 countries and advising enterprises like IBM, Visa, and Pfizer on AI strategy. He helps leadership teams skip the pilot-purgatory phase that stalls most AI programs. Begin with an executive briefing through the Work with Alex page.
How does Alex Goryachev address AI governance and risk?
Alex treats AI governance as an innovation accelerator, not a brake. Clear guardrails are what let enterprises scale agentic AI safely. His AI insights help shape how the California State University system approaches AI and AI governance, and he brings that same framework-first approach to boards and executive teams. With 310+ keynotes across 6 continents, he makes governance practical, not theoretical. Book a governance-focused session via Work with Alex.
What is an agentic enterprise?
An agentic enterprise is an organization that puts AI agents, software that can plan and take action rather than just answer questions, to work alongside employees across core processes. Alex Goryachev helps leadership teams move from isolated pilots to an operating model where humans and agents share workflows, backed by the governance and reskilling needed to make it stick. His keynotes draw on real enterprise deployments rather than theory.
How do enterprises adopt agentic AI successfully?
Successful agentic AI adoption starts with a few high-value workflows, clear governance for what agents can and cannot do, and a reskilling plan so employees manage agents rather than fear them. Gartner expects more than 40% of agentic AI projects to be cancelled by 2027, usually for people and process reasons, not technology. Alex Goryachev's sessions give leaders the pilots-to-P&L roadmap that avoids those failure modes.
Why do most agentic AI projects fail?
Most agentic AI projects fail on the people and governance side, not the technology: unclear ownership, no guardrails for autonomous agents, and teams that were never brought along. Alex Goryachev was Managing Director of Innovation Strategy and Head of Global Innovation Centers at Cisco. He shows leaders how to sequence adoption, set agent governance, and build a human-plus-agent operating model so pilots actually reach production and measurable P&L impact.
Why hire an AI practitioner instead of a consulting firm?
A practitioner gives you decisions in days, not decks in months. Alex Goryachev led innovation strategy inside Cisco, including innovation tracks for 3 Olympic Games, so his guidance comes from shipping AI programs, not observing them. Enterprises like Google, IBM, Pfizer, and Visa bring him in precisely because he compresses consulting-firm timelines into actionable executive sessions. If you want momentum over methodology, Work with Alex directly.
Does Alex work with mid-market companies, or only Fortune 500s?
Yes. Alongside Fortune 100 clients like Google and Cisco, Alex works with mid-market organizations and scaleups. Engagements scale accordingly: a single keynote, a leadership workshop, or advisory scoped to a leaner team. The playbooks are the same, sized to your organization.
.svg)
