Ten years from now, we'll interact with the world via smartglasses that provide us with contextual and relevant inputs powered by AI. How can designers and developers start thinking about and building for this future to make sure it benefits humans? How can we make sure this technology is evenly distributed and not hamstrung by infrastructure failures? And in an "always-on" meta-physical world, how do we find time to disconnect and think?

About the Speaker:
Cortney Harding is an in-demand expert in helping businesses harness the power of artificial intelligence, spatial computing, and virtual reality. She has created AI-powered conversational avatars for companies like Amazon, Delta, and McDonalds, and virtual reality training scenarios around topics like child abuse, workplace exclusion, mental health, Black maternal mortality, and racial bias for companies like Lowe’s, Walmart, PWC, Target, and more. She routinely leads workshops for Fortune 100 companies and universities on how to use AI and VR in education and training.

Her work as been honored on numerous occasions. As an executive producer on JFK Memento, she was nominated for an Emmy and the piece won the audience award for best XR at SXSW and Best in the World at the QLD XR Festival. Her work has also been honored as the Best VR/AR of 2019 at Mobile World Congress, a SXSW Innovation Award Finalist, and a Top HR Product by HR Executive. Her latest book, "The Spatial Race," was released in October 2025.

She is currently a member of the Fast Future Executive faculty and a co-author the "Fast Future Blur" (Wiley, 2024). She has taught at CalTech, NYU, Barnard, North Carolina State University, and New Mexico State University, as well as co-writing and co-teaching the Coursera course "What is the Metaverse?" on behalf of Meta.