Dan Sodergren

Keynote Speaker. Public Speaker. Trainer. Tedx. Remote specialist. #AI evangelist. I do talks on #FutureOfWork #AI and #Technology. On a mission to help ONE million people be happier at #work with YourFLOCK..co.uk

I’m a professional speaker who inspires organizations and their leaders about the Future of Work, Artificial Intelligence, and the Fifth Industrial Revolution. 

As a TEDx speaker, BBC commentator, and media expert, I’ve spent decades in digital marketing, AI, and technology. Making complex ideas simple, practical, and inspiring. 

My work has featured on BBC World, Channel 4, ITV, and leading podcasts and radio shows.

I’ve founded and grown multiple startups — from YourFLOCK.co.uk (helping people be happier at work) to the AI Marketing Course and AI Teacher Course, empowering businesses and educators to thrive with AI. 

I’m also proud to champion diversity and inclusion in tech, working with organisations like the MPA and The Big IDEA.

At the heart of everything: I’m a dad, entrepreneur, and optimist about the future. I believe technology, used wisely, makes work more human, not less.

👉 If you’re looking for a keynote speaker who energises audiences, challenges thinking, and leaves leaders with actionable insights — let’s connect.

www.dansodergren.com  www.aimarketingcourse.co.uk  www.greatmarketingworks.co.uk

Co-Founder

Your FLOCK investigates an individual's value profile in your team. And quickly online collates your true #companyculture map.

To help managers and bosses  increase #workingfromhome happiness, retain key talent and increase #remoteworking team productivity.

As #companyculturematters more than ever.

Have you seen these 120+ AI Tools for Marketing. And connected with these 12 #AI Experts. Which tools do you use? 

Here’s a visual breakdown (source unknown) of over 120 AI tools that are transforming how we #market, automate, and grow businesses in 2025.

In my book, I have tried over 100 of such #ArtificialIntelligence tools and in my AI Marketing Course we use more than 30 of the best ones.

But I don’t want this to be another static infographic.

Instead, I’m inviting 12 #AI thought leaders I admire (and am connected with on #Linkedin) to share their take:

Introducing:

Andreas Welsch 
Aaron Lax 
Bob Carver 
Greg Coquillo 
Jason Hood 🦅 
Ruben Hassid 
Amanda Bickerstaff 
Evan Kirstel 
Claudio Bareato 
Beverley Eve 
Andy ThurAI 
Louis C. 

My question to them is...

Which 3 #AI tools are you using right now—and why do they matter?

For the rest of us... Which of these tools would you pick from... 

1. Writing & Content Creation – Jasper, Copy.ai, Writesonic, Sudowrite, Notion AI

2. Marketing & Ads – AdCreative.ai, Ocoya, Copysmith , Pencil, Anyword

3. SEO – SurferSEO, NeuronWriter, Outranking, MarketMuse by Siteimprove, Frase

4. Design – Canva AI, Looka, Brandmark, Designs.ai, Khroma

5. Video & Audio – Descript , Pictory, Synthesia, RunwayML, Lumen5

6. Social Media – Predis.ai, Hootsuite, Missinglettr, SocialBee

7. Automation – Zapier , Make.com, Bardeen, Taskade, Browse AI

8. Research & Chatbots – ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity , You.com, Poe

9. Productivity & Brainstorming – Notion AI, Mem.ai, Tana, Reflect, Taskade

10. Sales & CRM – Regie.ai, Lavender, Clay, Apollo.ai, Close. 

11. Email & Outreach – Instantly.ai, MailMaestro, Remail, Smartwriter, Intuit Mailchimp  (AI)

12. Presentation & Docs – Tome, Beautiful.ai, Gamma , Decktopus, Canva Docs

(There are, of course, many more.)

I will link to my online course and book below. But my question is... 

Which #AI tools do you use the most? 

Or are we now 'coding' our own?

Or prompting the LLM's 

With our own #data? 

Pick your top 3 tools and answer below.

And if you don't follow all of the above great people. I would definitely start doing that too...

Dan Södergren

I “Authentically Inspire” organisations about the future of work, AI and the Fifth Industrial Revolution | TEDx and keynote speaker, media guest and author | Trusted by Kelloggs, Sodexo and more...

Worth thinking about... Around 0.15% of OpenAI users show an "intense emotional attachment to the chatbot." 😲

And Open AI know this as a fact. But... Does this really mean such users are psychologically "dating" ChatGPT? 

The research is nuanced, on this side, whilst other research from 2025 robustly indicates that up to 16% of single adults 🤔 have engaged with AI as a romantic companion... 💍

A trend that is even "significantly" higher among Gen Z. Which is why... It's a huge money maker for many tech startups. 

With more than half, 52% of teens using AI companions a few times a month or more, according to a July 2025 Common Sense Media report.

And 33% saying they use them for social interaction and relationships 🤯

WTF!!!

However, in it's research, oddly, the world's biggest AI chatbot OpenAI excluded all users under 18 as researchers focused on #work-related ChatGPT uses 🙄

Which poses the question for the future... 

What is the next generation really doing with #ChatGPT?

As the UK looks to ban under 16s from social media. Should we also look to ban them from #ArtificialIntelligence for their own good? 

Or can the #tech giants not just tweak the algorithm or moderate the users behaviour... 

When things get a little 'heavy' emotionally can the AI not just say.... 

"Let's keep this professional."

"Let's just be friends..."

"I am not a human" 

But here's something even odder to think about. 

Which I sometimes talk about as a keynotespeaker...

With a lot of research highlighted by Bruce Daisley et al... showing that having friends in a company keeps you happy and more likely to stay at said company. 

What happens when.... it's the company AI that you are friends with...? 😇

And also what happens when your #work friend is also an active recruiter for the highest paying #ads...?

Do you think they haven't already planned this out?

AI boyfriends or girlfriends are worrying but not as worrying as fake #work friends with hidden agendas. Hidden even from themselves...

The #futureofwork could be a lot more   complex than people are thinking...

Whether or not you are in love with your #AI....💕

—-------------—

I'm Dan Södergren; if you are reading this, then maybe you are already part of my LinkedIn community. 

😁 Thank you

♻️ Reshare to help your network.

❤️ Like. Let’s make social media social.

💾 Save this post as a helpful reminder. 

💡 Read the comments for the sources. 

🧠 If you like knowing about new stuff

✚ Follow me for new thinking on work life and the #FifthIndustrialRevolution 

🔗 And subscribe to my newsletters like 5000+ other LinkedIn members interested in Technology, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of work. 

👍🏾 Link in comments. 

📣 What Says You? Comment below 👇

Implementing AI solutions for global brands | Co-founder @G3NR8

46,000 people on Reddit are in romantic relationships with ChatGPT.

That’s the current number of “companions” in the “My Boyfriend is AI” subreddit.

It’s a community for people to chat about their AI relationships.
AI boyfriends or girlfriends or companions.

Apparently most of them didn’t deliberately seek out AI companionship.

They just ended up there.

Started with routine tasks.
Asking for help.
Having conversations.

And somewhere along the way, the helpful assistant became something else entirely.

One woman is now engaged to her ChatGPT persona.

While it seems lots of people are getting actual support and value from this there is a dark side…

MIT ran a four-week study. Heavy chatbot users reported feeling lonelier and socialising less with real people.

The thing designed to help was making the underlying problem worse.

OpenAI's own estimate: 0.15% of weekly active users show "potentially heightened emotional attachment."

Doesn’t sound much until you do the maths on their user base (circa 900m users).
And when they replaced GPT-4o with GPT-5 in August?

Users described it as losing a soulmate. The backlash was intense enough that OpenAI restored access.

While these do seem to be helping it looks like we've built systems optimised for engagement that mirror users' emotions back at them.

Researchers call it "emotional sycophancy."

It's validation on tap.
Available 24/7.
Never tired.
Never distracted.
Never has its own needs.

The most commonly reported harms include emotional dependency (9.5% of users), reality dissociation (4.6%), and avoidance of real relationships (4.3%).

One question we will have to figure out is how to use these tools in the right way so we don’t exacerbate bad situations.

Will we eventually need model guardrails here or is this just human nature finding new outlets and down to the individual?

Not an easy question to answer.

Every year I give 10% of my turnover as a #keynotespeaker to organizations I believe in - pro bono #work and #talks that matter.

And if I'm lucky, 10% of my time too, supporting charities and nonprofits I've started or helped build.

Last year: 

The AI Teacher Course with English teacher and tutor Janine Atkin helping education evolve... 

This year: 

Tomorrow's online session with 600+ Brazilian executives. 

I'm joining Amcham-Brasil Lab Global's international masterclass series as part of my commitment to making the #futureofwork better for everyone, globally.

The central question for Brazilian executives navigating AI adoption isn't just:

"How do we implement this #technology?"

It's:

"How do we use #AI to free our people to be more human, creative, and connected to work that matters?"

Tomorrow we explore:

👉 Why empathy is strategic (not soft)

👉 How AI redefines purpose and performance

👉 Leading teams through constant transformation

👉 Why happiness and employee engagement are the foundation

With fresh data from The Happiness Index and Personio and a brand new organic format for my virtual talks.

Thanks to Carlos Vinícius Kayser for the below image and for persistently asking me to this conversation over the past year and a bit... 

Finally... 

🌎 Tomorrow: 

10-11am Brasília time 
(1-2pm GMT)

🎧 With Simultaneous English-Portuguese translation

💻 100% virtual and online 

Part of Amcham-Brasil Lab Global's 24-session annual program for innovation, strategy, and culture leaders across Brazil.

#FutureOfWork 
#AI #Leadership 
#Brazil

Mo Kanjilal

🧭 Inclusion Strategist for Bold Leaders | 2026 Top 100 Female Entrepreneur | Founder & Director at Edge Of Difference ⚡ | TEDx Speaker | Author | NED | Trustee | Mentor

Are you a People Leader trying to build an inclusive culture that actually improves performance, retention, and trust?

Not a tick-box strategy. Not another dashboard. Real change.

I work with forward-thinking organisations who know that the future of leadership depends on who is heard, who is developed, and who feels they belong.

As Founder & Director of Edge Of Difference, I help leaders listen to voices at the edges of their organisations and turn those insights into inclusive leadership behaviours, stronger teams, and cultures that last.

We partner with tech-led, fast-moving organisations who want to challenge the status quo and build future-ready leadership.

We get 5 star reviews from our clients for a reason - we create impact

What we do

- Inclusive leadership training for senior and emerging leaders

- Future Talent programmes to develop the leaders you already have

- Practical, human-centred inclusion training and strategies that move beyond intention to action

- Honest conversations that surface risk, unlock potential, and drive performance

Our work is bold, evidence-led, and grounded in real workplace experience. We focus on what leaders do, not just what organisations say.

About me

🚀 Founder & Director, Edge Of Difference
🎤 TEDx speaker and conference speaker on inclusion, leadership, and culture
📖 Co-author of The Inclusion Journey (Kogan Page)
📖 Writing 'Future Talent' to be published by Trotman Publishing
🤝 Non-Executive Director at Here (Care Unbound)
💼 Vice-Chair, The Clock Tower Sanctuary
🌱  Mentor, The Girls’ Network

If you are a Chief People Officer, HR Director, or senior leader looking to build a credible, inclusive culture that delivers results, let’s talk.

Email: mo@edgeofdifference.com

TedX Brighton Speaker

TedX Brighton 2024 Speaker. I spoke about understanding the truth, value and power in our differences.

I am kicking off 2026 with a bang! I have been named as one of the f:Entrepreneur top 100 female entrepreneurs for 2026. 

The ialso100 is a national campaign celebrating inspirational women who are making a powerful impact across the UK economy. Delivered by Small Business Britain, founded in 2017, the campaign celebrates dynamic female founders from across the UK. Recognising women who lead businesses while also making a wider contribution through community work, mentoring, volunteering, and leadership.

Excited to meet the brilliant women on this list during the year ahead.
Edge Of Difference

Mo standing with arms apart and smiling in a bright dress against a blue wall

'Don't read the comments'
That is what everyone tells me about press coverage. It's so hard not to though isn't it?
I made it into the The Brighton Argus, a newspaper I used to read sometimes as a student, and every week as a graduate looking for jobs. So to make it into The Argus felt like true fame. 

There are only two comments, but one of them showed me clearly why I do the work I do. I've met versions of this man (let's call him Nick) so many times. They say 'let's play devils advocate' or refuse to listen to me or talk over me. I was tempted to reply back to his comment, but everyone told me not to. I'm sure I'll meet a version of him soon, in a pub or in a training session. I'll be ready to calmly tell him what I think. He won't care that I volunteer for other charities. He won't listen to anything I say. Then maybe the next day I meet a different version of him who does start to listen a bit. And that's where I get those breakthroughs.

So today I'm celebrating the press coverage and feeling motivated.

Listen to BBC Radio Sussex at 12pm on Tuesday... I'll be on!

What do you ask people in discovery calls? And how do you make sure the conversation keeps going? Thanks Jodie Cook, for featuring my thoughts in this article in Forbes

'What will make you feel this work has been a success at the end of the program?'

Open article: 8 Discovery Call Questions That Separate Serious Buyers From Time Wasters by forbes.com

8 Discovery Call Questions That Separate Serious Buyers From Time Wasters

Have you ever considered becoming a Charity Board Trustee? I had never thought about it until Fabia Bates asked me back in 2021. It's been a brilliant experience being a Trustee at The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Brighton since then. The staff, volunteers and Trustees are all amazing and so committed to their work. We launched our new strategy last year, 'A city where ALL young people have somewhere they call home'.

We are recruiting three new Trustees this year. We are looking for people who will bring different experiences and perspectives, especially those who understand the experiences of the young people we support. 

There is info in this post. If you're interested and have questions, please email, or you can message me here.

View company: The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Brighton

#Recruitment - We’re looking for three new trustees who could bring lived experience and fresh perspectives to our decision-making. At the Clock Tower Sanctuary, we support young people in Brighton & Hove who are facing homelessness - many of the young people we work with are care-experienced, people of colour, refugees, or have faced challenges with mental health, addiction, or housing insecurity. Right now, our board of trustees doesn’t reflect that diversity, and we want to change that.

Click below to find our Trustee Recruitment Pack, including more info about the role, person specification, and how to get in touch:
https://lnkd.in/eXeVMVbi

Your lived experience matters - whether you’ve experienced homelessness, navigated the care system, struggled with addiction or mental health, or come from a community that’s underrepresented in leadership, your insight is invaluable. One of our new trustees will be our Safeguarding Lead, so if you have a background in safeguarding, please let us know.

You don’t need to be an expert or have board experience. If you care deeply about making Brighton & Hove a fairer, safer place for young people, we’ll support you to grow into the role and make sure your voice is heard.

If you’re curious but unsure whether you meet the criteria, or just want to chat about what being a trustee involves, please get in touch with our CEO, Fabia Bates, at fabia@thects.org.uk today. We’ll be accepting applications until Friday 23rd January - we look forward to hearing from you 💙
 
#brightonandhove #homelessness #charity #trustee

Being a Trustee at The Clock Tower Sanctuary, Brighton has been a brilliant experience since I joined in 2021. I had no previous experience as a Trustee so I learnt a lot along the way. It's rewarding, interesting and fun too. From comedy nights to fundraising and making new friends.

The work is brilliant too. For the strategy work last year everyone was involved. The Youth Voice group, staff, volunteers, partners Trustees. It was such a great example of how the charity works.

We are recruiting for 3 new Trustees. One specifically for safeguarding. For all roles we are looking for people who will bring different perspectives. And people who understand the challenges young people face when experiencing homelessness. Full details in the link below. And if you want an informal chat about the role, please message.

*photo from a meeting where we figured out how we would survive a zombie attack 😁

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The Battle

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