Dan Bradley - Smashcat

Dan Bradley is a Chief Information Officer and creative strategist working at the intersection where AI is now making its deepest impact. From leading the production team on the podcast Death: A Changing Industry to advising senior leadership on emerging technology, Dan brings a rare blend of storytelling, technical insight, and lived experience to a conversation that’s only just beginning.

AI is evolving rapidly and we’re being asked to figure it out as we go.

In this session, we’ll cut through the hype and headlines to explore what’s really been happening in the world of artificial intelligence.

What does this mean for an industry built on trust, care, and human connection?

From therapy bots and companions to voice cloning and auto-generated condolences, you’ll discover how these tools are already reshaping the way we communicate and our productivity.

Whether you’re cautious, curious, or just catching up, this talk will introduce a framework to help you lead conversations inside your organisation, so that any steps you take feel human-first, not tech-first.

Session Spotlight: Friend or Foe - How AI Will Reshape Communication, Care, and Connection

As AI begins to write eulogies, clone voices, and offer synthetic comfort, its impact on empathy-led professions becomes impossible to ignore. In this thought-provoking session, CIO and Death: A Changing Industry producer Dan Bradley from Smashcats will explore how AI is transforming the ways we communicate, care, and connect. He’ll offer a clear, human-first framework to help navigate the complex questions of trust, authenticity, and emotional labour in an increasingly automated world.