Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Zack Kass is an AI strategist, futurist, and former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT. As a leading voice in the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, Zack has advised Fortune 500 companies, governments, and nonprofits on how to navigate technological change with both foresight and humanity.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Zack shares what most people get wrong about AI, the traits that will define those who thrive in the years ahead, and why designing for what machines can’t do may be the single most important business (and life) strategy of our time.
Expect to learn:
— Why personal agency and adaptability are now essential skills
— What AI can’t do—and why that’s where the opportunity is
— How to prepare for a future where work no longer defines identity
— The importance of learning how to learn (and how to actually do it)
— Why “the future belongs to those who obsess”
And more.
You can explore Zack’s writing and newsletter at https://www.zackkass.com.
---
Zack Kass is one of the world’s foremost authorities on applied AI, transforming the technology's immense power into business strategies and applications that expand human potential.
For the last 16 years, Zack has been at the forefront of AI. Most recently, he served as OpenAI's Head of Go-to-Market responsible for building out the sales, solutions, and partnerships teams. Zack played a key role in early efforts at commercializing AI and large language models, channeling OpenAI’s innovative research into tangible business solutions while also serving as a personal adviser to many executives deploying the technology across their companies.
Today, Zack’s mission is to help businesses, nonprofits, and governments navigate the rapidly evolving AI environment. His thought leadership has been featured in top publications, such as Fortune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider. Zack continues to advise Fortune 1000 board rooms, including Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Samsung. He is also an Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and Chair of Ruder Finn’s AI Advisory Council.
---
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:10 - The Next Human Renaissance
03:40 - How to Thrive in the AI era
07:01 - Designing connection with AI
09:34 - Why Human Insight Matters
12:56 - Learn How to Learn
22:36 - The Future of Education
26:34 - Overcoming Too Much Choice
30:16 - Work, Purpose and Identity
36:05 - The Power of Community
42:21 - Rethinking Local Leadership
48:46 - AI Learning & Zack’s new book
---
Interview Link:
— Zack’s website - zackkass.com
Zack Kass is an AI strategist, futurist, and former Head of Go-to-Market at OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT. As a leading voice in the responsible integration of artificial intelligence, Zack has advised Fortune 500 companies, governments, and nonprofits on how to navigate technological change with both foresight and humanity.
In this wide-ranging discussion, Zack shares what most people get wrong about AI, the traits that will define those who thrive in the years ahead, and why designing for what machines can’t do may be the single most important business (and life) strategy of our time.
Expect to learn:
— Why personal agency and adaptability are now essential skills
— What AI can’t do—and why that’s where the opportunity is
— How to prepare for a future where work no longer defines identity
— The importance of learning how to learn (and how to actually do it)
— Why “the future belongs to those who obsess”
And more.
You can explore Zack’s writing and newsletter at https://www.zackkass.com.
---
Zack Kass is one of the world’s foremost authorities on applied AI, transforming the technology's immense power into business strategies and applications that expand human potential.
For the last 16 years, Zack has been at the forefront of AI. Most recently, he served as OpenAI's Head of Go-to-Market responsible for building out the sales, solutions, and partnerships teams. Zack played a key role in early efforts at commercializing AI and large language models, channeling OpenAI’s innovative research into tangible business solutions while also serving as a personal adviser to many executives deploying the technology across their companies.
Today, Zack’s mission is to help businesses, nonprofits, and governments navigate the rapidly evolving AI environment. His thought leadership has been featured in top publications, such as Fortune, Newsweek, Entrepreneur, and Business Insider. Zack continues to advise Fortune 1000 board rooms, including Coca-Cola, Morgan Stanley, and Samsung. He is also an Executive-in-Residence at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce and Chair of Ruder Finn’s AI Advisory Council.
---
Timestamps:
00:00 - Intro
01:10 - The Next Human Renaissance
03:40 - How to Thrive in the AI era
07:01 - Designing connection with AI
09:34 - Why Human Insight Matters
12:56 - Learn How to Learn
22:36 - The Future of Education
26:34 - Overcoming Too Much Choice
30:16 - Work, Purpose and Identity
36:05 - The Power of Community
42:21 - Rethinking Local Leadership
48:46 - AI Learning & Zack’s new book
---
Interview Link:
— Zack’s website - zackkass.com
