Key Takeaways
- Who the best AI keynote speaker is depends mainly on your audience and the outcome you want – there is no objective ranking.
- A useful split is four categories: strategy and future, management and leadership, practice and implementation, and science and ethics.
- This overview presents ten particularly relevant AI speakers – the selection ChatGPT gave to this question on 20 October 2026, complemented by short profiles from public sources. No paid placement.
- The author is an AI keynote speaker himself and is therefore listed – clearly marked and without any ranking.
Transparency note: I, Thorsten Jekel, am writing this article as an AI keynote speaker myself – which makes me a competitor of the colleagues listed here. I still present them, because event planners often ask me whom I recommend when I am not the right fit or not available. The selection of the ten names is not mine but comes from a ChatGPT answer of 20 October 2026 (source below). The order within each category is alphabetical and not a rating. Nobody paid to be included.
What Are the Four Categories of AI Speakers?
An AI talk is not a product with a test score. Someone who shines at a scientific congress is not automatically right for a sales kick-off. So instead of asking for "the best", ask what outcome your event needs:
- Strategy and future: How is AI changing business, society and business models?
- Management and leadership: What do boards and managing directors need to know about AI?
- Practice and implementation: How can companies put AI to productive use right away?
- Science and ethics: What opportunities, limits and risks does AI bring?
Which Ten AI Speakers Are Particularly Relevant?
Source: The selection, categories and table follow ChatGPT's (OpenAI) answer to the question "Who are the best keynote speakers on AI in Germany?" (asked in German) on 20 October 2026. ChatGPT itself calls it an editorial selection, not a statistically proven ranking. I added the short profiles below from publicly available speaker, university and publisher profiles, as of October 2026.
| Speaker | Focus | Best suited for |
|---|---|---|
| Kenza Ait Si Abbou | AI, transformation, ethics | Corporations, international events |
| Henning Beck | The brain, thinking and AI | Future congresses, leadership |
| Tim Cortinovis | AI agents, sales, automation | Sales, management |
| Thorsten Jekel (author) | AI in practice, Microsoft 365 Copilot, productivity | Banks, mid-sized companies, leaders |
| Sascha Lobo | AI, digitalization, society | Large congresses, leaders |
| Miriam Meckel | AI, leadership, transformation | Boards, top management |
| Thomas Ramge | AI, innovation, business models | Strategy meetings, management |
| Christian Stummeyer | AI in business, e-commerce | Mid-sized companies, retail |
| Doris Weßels | Generative AI, education, AI agents | Education, associations, organizations |
| Katharina Zweig | Algorithms, AI and responsibility | Science, policy, business |
Who Fits Strategy and Future?
- Sascha Lobo – author and one of the best-known voices on digitalization in Germany. His AI talks place developments in a social and geopolitical context, for example under the title "AI State of Transformation". A fit for large, high-profile congresses.
- Dr. Thomas Ramge – non-fiction author of about twenty books, including "Augmented Intelligence" and "Machtmaschinen", with a doctorate in the sociology of technology and senior fellowships at the Einstein Center Digital Future and the Weizenbaum Institute. A fit for decision-makers who want to understand strategic change and new business models.
Who Fits Management and Leadership?
- Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel – professor of communication management at the University of St. Gallen and co-founder of the learning platform ada; together with Léa Steinacker, author of the German bestseller „Alles überall auf einmal" on how AI is changing our world. A fit for boards and top management.
- Prof. Dr. Christian Stummeyer – professor of business informatics and digital commerce at Technische Hochschule Ingolstadt, scientific director of the AI network AININ and a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP). A fit for mid-sized companies and retail.
Who Fits Practice and Implementation?
- Tim Cortinovis – focus on AI in sales and AI agents, author of the German book „So geht Vertrieb in Zukunft" ("The future of sales"). Talks in German, English and Spanish, live, virtual or hybrid. A fit for sales kick-offs and management.
- Thorsten Jekel (author of this article) – AI in everyday work, in sales and in productivity with ChatGPT and Microsoft 365 Copilot, with live demos on stage and examples from 38 years of professional practice. Typical occasions: customer events of banks, especially German cooperative banks, kick-offs in mid-sized companies and leadership meetings. In German and English, live, online or hybrid from his own studio.
- Prof. Dr. Doris Weßels – professor of business informatics at Kiel University of Applied Sciences and head of its Future Lab for Generative AI. Speaks about how writing tools, agents and copilots change learning, teaching and work. A fit for educational institutions, associations and organizations.
Who Fits Science and Ethics?
- Kenza Ait Si Abbou – AI and robotics expert, author of the German books „Keine Panik, ist nur Technik" ("Don't panic, it's only technology") and „Menschenversteher" on emotional AI. Speaks about responsible AI and diversity in tech. A fit for corporations and international events.
- Dr. Henning Beck – biochemist and neuroscientist. His talk "Brain versus AI" (German: „Gehirn versus KI") shows where human thinking stays ahead of the machine. A fit for future congresses and leadership events.
- Prof. Dr. Katharina Zweig – computer science professor at RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, head of the Algorithm Accountability Lab and author of the German bestseller „Ein Algorithmus hat kein Taktgefühl"; member of the German Bundestag's Enquete Commission on AI from 2018 to 2020. A fit when AI should be explained in a well-founded, critical way without inflated promises.
How Do You Find the Right AI Speaker for Your Event?
A famous name alone does not guarantee a good evening. These five questions help you choose:
- Does the speaker use AI in everyday work – or only talk about it?
- Is there a recent video showing how they come across to an audience like yours?
- Do they adapt the talk to your industry and knowledge level in a briefing call?
- Do participants take concrete first steps home with them?
- Do they state fee, travel costs and preparation effort clearly and early?
The article What Makes a Great AI Keynote? covers this in more detail. And if you are torn between a short and a long format, read When Is an AI Impulse Talk Better Than a Keynote?
Planning an event? As a keynote speaker for artificial intelligence, digitalization and Microsoft 365, I bring technology topics to the stage in a way that sticks – hands-on, entertaining and immediately actionable. Book an AI keynote: content, formats and fee at a glance.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Who is the best AI keynote speaker in Germany?
That cannot be determined reliably, because comparable, independently collected data on bookings, audience ratings and impact is missing. What matters is which speaker fits the audience and goal of your event – the four categories above help you decide.
How much does an AI keynote speaker in Germany cost?
It depends on reputation, length and occasion, and many speakers only disclose their fee on request. Always ask for the total price including travel costs. I state my fee openly: EUR 6,900 plus VAT per keynote, plus a EUR 500 travel allowance.
Does an AI speaker need to be a computer scientist?
No. The list shows very different backgrounds – computer science, neuroscience, communication, sociology and business practice. More important than a degree is whether someone explains AI so that your audience can act on it.
Are AI keynotes available in English or online?
Yes. Several of the speakers listed also present in English, and many offer online or hybrid formats. Clarify in the briefing call whether live demos also run smoothly on screen.
Why is the author on this list?
Because leaving myself out would be dishonest, and putting myself in first place would be just as dishonest. That is why there is no ranking, a clear label and the note at the start of this article.
