Richard Foster-Fletcher is the author of The AI Gap and one of the UK’s leading researchers on how artificial intelligence makes organisations more capable. Named among the UK’s Top 20 AI Researchers and Entrepreneurs in 2026 and a LinkedIn Top Voice in AI, he chairs MKAI, the independent institute researching AI’s effect on organisational capability, founded in 2019.
Richard tests the latest AI systems at the limits of their reasoning and judgement. He works across models from leading AI labs and is regularly invited to evaluate new releases. His research examines what these advances can contribute to executive decision-making and how they expand what organisations can understand, decide and accomplish.
He has advised UK Parliament and the United Nations on AI strategy and given talks for Salesforce, Telefónica, Oracle, ARM, LSE, Imperial College London, UCL and University of Oxford. Through MKAI, Richard publishes independent empirical research on how advanced AI changes organisations. His talks connect the latest advances in intelligence and judgement with their implications for executive decision-making and organisational performance.
Books
The AI Gap
Richard Foster Fletcher's official speaker topics are listed below:
Keynote: The State of AI: What the leading models can now do
AI models are becoming more capable at reasoning, research and analysis, and at work that runs across many steps. This keynote explains where the leading models have reached, which developments are a real change rather than repackaging, and where current claims run ahead of the evidence.
It also examines the distance between the strongest models and the AI most organisations are actually running, why that distance exists, and what it costs a company to leave it there. Senior audiences leave with a clearer view of what the technology can now do and how far their own organisation is from it.
Briefing: The Gap Between Commitment and Capability: Why the AI a company deploys may no longer do what its commitments assume.
For boards, executive committees, and the P&L holders carrying AI-dependent commitments. Delivered as a closed board session or to a wider leadership audience.
Companies have made commitments to the market that depend on a level of capability being available from their AI systems. That capability may exist in the original model and still not survive deployment, once governance and security controls are applied. Those controls raise stability by limiting what the model produces, and the teams responsible for making AI safe are rarely the teams making commitments to the market.
That separation opens a gap between what is required from the AI and what it is permitted to do. Public documents show that companies are not testing whether the system, once deployed and governed, remains capable of the work their commitments assume.
The briefing sets out why the gap opened, which functions and processes produced it, and how to trace where it is showing up. Senior leaders leave knowing which functions need to be involved, what evidence is missing, and what closing the distance between the commitment and the system would require.
Official Feedback from In-Person & Virtual Events
Feedback from In-Person Events:
"Richard has a unique quality:360° perception. If you want to have a real conversation that goes through every aspect of a topic, Richard is the person you want! Richard takes you further than most people I know. You always end up learning more about yourself and the information you were trying to convey. Richard is boundless indeed and will take you as well as your audience to the next level!" - Denis, AI Expert, Author & Speaker
"Richard's keynote at our recent EMEA Conference was both enlightening and engaging. His presentation, “AI in Action - Balancing Innovation and Integrity in Decision-Making” adeptly addressed the complex interplay of AI innovation and ethics, enhancing our understanding of these critical issues. Richard combined humour and humility to make the intricate topics of bias and the future of work approachable, while his interactive style enriched our session. We are grateful for his significant contribution to the conference and for advancing the conversation on ethical AI." - Megan, Executive Director, MBA Career Services & Employee Alliance
"Richard delivered an insightful and thought-provoking talk on the expansive implications of artificial intelligence on society, the future of work, and ethical considerations. His ability to articulate complex concepts in an accessible manner prompted a dynamic and engaging discussion among attendees. Richard's presentation not only highlighted the potential risks and rewards of AI adoption but also encouraged a deeper understanding of its impact. We are appreciative of Richard's contribution to our event and his role in advancing the conversation around AI. His expertise and passion for the subject matter were evident and greatly appreciated by all participants." - Andy, Executive Director, Major Projects Association
“Richard is a very impressive individual, and I don't make a compliment like that lightly.” - Danilo McGarry, Former Head of AI at Citigroup & UnitedHealth Group
“Richard brings depth and clarity and a unique perspective to AI discussions.” - Dan Ariely, Author of Predictably Irrational & Professor of Business Administration at Duke University
“Richard Foster-Fletcher has the ability to articulate complex concepts with clarity and relevance.” - Ulas Malli, Board Member, AIPA
“Richard skilfully gets to the heart of the matter to provoke a truly insightful conversation.” - Sir Anthony Seldon, Author, Historian and Educator
“Richard is shaping the world with his questions.” - Andrew Zolli, Chief Impact Officer at Planet
- Author of The AI Gap (Kogan Page, June 2027), examining the distance between the AI capability an organisation has placed into use and the capability its commitments require.
- Chair of MKAI, where he publishes independent empirical research on how advanced AI changes organisations, executive judgement and organisational capability.
- Named among Favikon’s UK Top 20 AI Researchers and Entrepreneurs and recognised by LinkedIn as a Top Voice in Artificial Intelligence.
- Author of multiple empirical studies on AI and organisations published through SSRN, including research into capability reporting, organisational instructions and responsibility for AI-assisted decisions.
- Advised UK Parliament and the United Nations on AI strategy, and spoken for Salesforce, Telefónica, Oracle, ARM, LSE, Imperial College London, UCL and the University of Oxford.
How to hire Richard Foster-Fletcher
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Richard Foster-Fletcher for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
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