Talks that change how people act.
The best keynotes don't just inform — they shift the frame. They give audiences a new way of seeing a problem they've been staring at, and a concrete sense of what they could do differently.
Aubrey speaks on the intersection of AI governance, responsible leadership, and the design of systems that are fair by intent, not just by statement. Her talks are grounded in real practitioner experience, informed by current academic research, and designed to be immediately actionable — not just intellectually satisfying.
Formats
Keynote — 45–60 min; conference, corporate offsite, leadership summit
Fireside chat — 30–45 min; interview-style, audience Q&A
Panel — Moderator or participant
Workshop — Half-day or full-day; see /work/develop for workshop programming
Virtual — All formats available online
Talk Topics
All talks can be customised to sector, audience, and event theme. The titles below are indicative of the core material — Aubrey works with event organisers to shape the framing and angle for specific contexts.
The Gap Between Your AI Ethics Policy and Your AI
Most organisations have published a set of AI principles. Very few have AI systems that consistently reflect them. This talk examines why the gap exists — structurally, not just culturally — and what it actually takes to close it. Designed for leadership teams, boards, and anyone responsible for AI governance. Leaves audiences with a practical framework for evaluating whether their current AI governance is substantive or performative.
Your Brain on AI — Cognitive Automation and the Future of Human Judgment
The conversation about AI and work focuses almost entirely on job displacement. It misses a harder question: what does cognitive automation do to human judgment, capability, and identity over time? This talk examines the psychological and organisational effects of delegating thinking to machines — and what leaders need to design for if they want organisations where humans still make the consequential decisions. For leadership teams, people functions, and anyone responsible for how AI tools are deployed at work.
Responsible AI Governance — What It Actually Requires of Leaders
AI governance has become a compliance exercise for most organisations: a policy document, an ethics board, a set of principles. This talk argues that real governance is a design problem — and that leaders who treat it as a checkbox will find themselves exposed when the system fails. Draws on current regulatory developments (EU AI Act, Australian AI governance expectations), academic research, and practitioner experience. For boards, C-suite, and senior leadership teams.
Designing Systems That Are Fair — Not Just Well-Intentioned
Most organisations that fail on equity don't fail because of bad values. They fail because their systems are designed in ways that produce inequitable outcomes regardless of intentions. This talk unpacks the structural mechanics of how that happens — in AI, in talent processes, in organisational design — and what it takes to build systems that are fair by design. Based on the Balanced Teams methodology developed at Atlassian and 15 years of systems design practice. For HR leaders, product teams, and senior leadership.
Ethics Under Pressure — Making Good Decisions When the Answers Aren't Clear
The ethics of leadership isn't tested when the answer is obvious. It's tested when the options are all bad, the timeline is short, and the stakes are high. This talk draws on applied ethics, organisational psychology, and real practitioner experience to give leaders a practical framework for making defensible decisions under genuine uncertainty. Grounded in The Ethics Centre's approach to ethical decision-making. For executive teams, boards, and senior leaders across all sectors.
Previous Stages and Media
Aubrey has spoken at events and appeared in media across Australia, the US, and EMEA — including for Atlassian, Culture Amp, Festival of Dangerous Ideas, Remarkable Tech Summit, and ReimagineHR. Her work has been featured in Wired, the Wall Street Journal, the Australian Financial Review, and elsewhere.