Gerard Kunkel
Keynote Speaker: Media Futurist and Conversational AI Innovation Strategist; Design-Led Product and Experience Innovator
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Gerard Kunkel Biography
Gerard Kunkel is a cross-disciplinary executive and visionary thinker whose career spans design, media, technology and entrepreneurship. He has led innovation from both sides of the table as a senior leader inside global enterprises and as a founder building new ventures from zero.
Kunkel began his career as a designer, bringing creative discipline and human-centered thinking into industries hungry for new ideas. That design foundation evolved into an executive superpower as he transitioned into large-scale product leadership and strategic innovation.
As a senior executive at Comcast Cable Communications, Kunkel led key initiatives behind the award-winning Xfinity X1 entertainment platform. At Microsoft, he worked on next-generation consumer entertainment and device experiences that helped shape the company’s platform strategy. He has served as CEO and board member for multiple startups, pioneering advances in streaming media, interactive platforms and AI-driven consumer experiences. Kunkel’s products and designs have reached hundreds of millions of users globally.
Kunkel is the founder and CEO of Next Media Partners, a boutique advisory and product innovation firm trusted by major media companies, private equity firms and Fortune 500 brands. He and his team created Brand Genius, an agentic conversational AI platform that transforms advertising from passive impressions to two-way interactive experiences, enabling brands to have real conversations with real customers at scale.
Kunkel is also recognized as the first keynote speaker to integrate live conversational AI characters into major conference presentations, blending storytelling and real-time interactivity in a way audiences had not seen before and turning passive keynotes into participatory experiences.
He speaks frequently on the future of media consumption and the currency of consumer attention; how AI is reshaping marketing, advertising and customer engagement; leading innovation inside large organizations; and converting complex technology into human-centered experience.
Kunkel is known for blending design intuition, technical credibility and business execution into a compelling narrative of what’s coming next and how leaders can seize the opportunity.
Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Gerard Kunkel and other top speakers and celebrities.
Gerard Kunkel Speaking Topics
Media didn’t evolve because technology advanced — technology advanced because consumers demanded more control. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel traces the history, present, and future of media consumption through one driving force: choice. From the early days of broadcast television to today’s streaming wars, gaming ecosystems, creator platforms, and AI-powered personalization, audiences will learn how emotional drivers, behavioral science, and decision friction have determined every major winner (and loser) in media.
Gerard reveals the universal truth: the companies that thrive are the ones that make choice feel easy. Drawing from decades of executive leadership at Comcast (Xfinity X1), Microsoft, and multiple startup companies, he shares powerful frameworks for designing media experiences that reduce complexity, increase engagement, and build lasting loyalty in a world of infinite options.
To bring the future to life, Gerard integrates live conversational AI characters into the keynote. The AI is trained on the presentation content and interacts with Gerard and the audience in real time—offering insights, answering questions, and demonstrating what choice looks like in the era of agentic conversational media.
Key takeaway: When companies remove the friction of choice, they unlock attention, loyalty, and growth.
We live in a world where every product competes to be seen — not just used. From mobile apps to streaming interfaces to AI-driven experiences, the winners are those who communicate visually and intuitively. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel draws on his roots as a designer and decades of executive product leadership at Comcast and Microsoft to reveal how design is no longer just aesthetics — it’s strategy, differentiation, and the fastest path to adoption. Audiences will explore how visual product design changes user behavior, reduces cognitive load, and becomes the ultimate shortcut for consumer decision-making. Gerard reveals frameworks that empower teams to design for clarity, emotion, and delight — and to build products that are not only functional, but immediately understood.
Every presentation includes a live conversational AI character trained on the topic and woven into the storytelling. This brings a surprising and immersive dimension to the keynote, allowing participants to ask the AI questions in real time and see how design and AI are converging to shape the next decade of innovation.
The media landscape is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of television. Consumers are no longer passive viewers — they are active participants navigating infinite choice across video, social, gaming, streaming, and now interactive AI-driven experiences. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel takes audiences into the next era of media: one where consumer attention is the currency, and interaction is the new distribution model.
Drawing from his leadership building Xfinity X1, his work at Microsoft shaping future entertainment platforms, and his current product innovation in AI-driven advertising and brand spokespeople, Gerard illustrates how media companies and marketers can evolve beyond impressions and reach — toward real interaction and attributable outcomes.
The highlight of the keynote is a live conversational AI avatar, trained specifically for the event and its audience. The avatar joins Gerard on stage, answers questions, and demonstrates how media will shift from content you watch to experiences you participate in. This is not theory — it is the new media reality.
How do I book Gerard Kunkel to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gerard Kunkel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gerard Kunkel, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice.
How much does it cost to book Gerard Kunkel for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Gerard Kunkel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gerard Kunkel are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gerard Kunkel, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
What topics does Gerard Kunkel speak about?
Gerard Kunkel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Art & Design, Thought Leadership, Disruptive Thinking, Modern Media, Futurism, News & Media and Customer Experience.
Where does Gerard Kunkel travel from?
Gerard Kunkel generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.
Who is the agent for Gerard Kunkel?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Gerard Kunkel for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gerard Kunkel for your next private or corporate function.
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
Gerard Kunkel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Art & Design, Thought Leadership and Disruptive Thinking. The estimated speaking fee range to book Gerard Kunkel for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $20,000 - $30,000. Gerard Kunkel generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Dave Jorgenson, Janett Haas and Ian Beacraft. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Gerard Kunkel for an upcoming event.
SPEAKING TOPICS
Gerard Kunkel Speaking Topics
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At the Speed of Choice — Understanding How and Why Consumers Choose Media
Media didn’t evolve because technology advanced — technology advanced because consumers demanded more control. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel traces the history, present, and future of media consumption through one driving force: choice. From the early days of broadcast television to today’s streaming wars, gaming ecosystems, creator platforms, and AI-powered personalization, audiences will learn how emotional drivers, behavioral science, and decision friction have determined every major winner (and loser) in media.
Gerard reveals the universal truth: the companies that thrive are the ones that make choice feel easy. Drawing from decades of executive leadership at Comcast (Xfinity X1), Microsoft, and multiple startup companies, he shares powerful frameworks for designing media experiences that reduce complexity, increase engagement, and build lasting loyalty in a world of infinite options.
To bring the future to life, Gerard integrates live conversational AI characters into the keynote. The AI is trained on the presentation content and interacts with Gerard and the audience in real time—offering insights, answering questions, and demonstrating what choice looks like in the era of agentic conversational media.
Key takeaway: When companies remove the friction of choice, they unlock attention, loyalty, and growth.
-
Designing Products for the Visual World
We live in a world where every product competes to be seen — not just used. From mobile apps to streaming interfaces to AI-driven experiences, the winners are those who communicate visually and intuitively. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel draws on his roots as a designer and decades of executive product leadership at Comcast and Microsoft to reveal how design is no longer just aesthetics — it’s strategy, differentiation, and the fastest path to adoption. Audiences will explore how visual product design changes user behavior, reduces cognitive load, and becomes the ultimate shortcut for consumer decision-making. Gerard reveals frameworks that empower teams to design for clarity, emotion, and delight — and to build products that are not only functional, but immediately understood.
Every presentation includes a live conversational AI character trained on the topic and woven into the storytelling. This brings a surprising and immersive dimension to the keynote, allowing participants to ask the AI questions in real time and see how design and AI are converging to shape the next decade of innovation.
-
The Future of Media — What Happens When Attention Becomes the Economy?
The media landscape is undergoing its most profound transformation since the invention of television. Consumers are no longer passive viewers — they are active participants navigating infinite choice across video, social, gaming, streaming, and now interactive AI-driven experiences. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel takes audiences into the next era of media: one where consumer attention is the currency, and interaction is the new distribution model.
Drawing from his leadership building Xfinity X1, his work at Microsoft shaping future entertainment platforms, and his current product innovation in AI-driven advertising and brand spokespeople, Gerard illustrates how media companies and marketers can evolve beyond impressions and reach — toward real interaction and attributable outcomes.
The highlight of the keynote is a live conversational AI avatar, trained specifically for the event and its audience. The avatar joins Gerard on stage, answers questions, and demonstrates how media will shift from content you watch to experiences you participate in. This is not theory — it is the new media reality.
VIDEO
Gerard Kunkel Videos
FAQS
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How do I book Gerard Kunkel to speak at my event?
Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Gerard Kunkel for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Gerard Kunkel, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice. -
How much does it cost to book Gerard Kunkel for a speaking engagement?
Speaking fees for Gerard Kunkel, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Gerard Kunkel are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $20,000 - $30,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Gerard Kunkel, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent. -
What topics does Gerard Kunkel speak about?
Gerard Kunkel is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Art & Design, Thought Leadership, Disruptive Thinking, Modern Media, Futurism, News & Media and Customer Experience. -
Where does Gerard Kunkel travel from?
Gerard Kunkel generally travels from New York, NY, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. -
Who is the agent for Gerard Kunkel?
AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Gerard Kunkel for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Gerard Kunkel for your next private or corporate function. -
What is a full-service speaker booking agency?
AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Gerard Kunkel or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us. -
Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?
If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.
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