A Conversation with Transform 2026 Emcee Brian Elliott
AI is an operational reality…and it’s here to stay. The real question for leaders now isn’t whether AI will change work, but how fast, how deeply, and at what human cost or benefit. That tension sits at the heart of Transform 2026’s theme: The Human+AI Equation: Forging the Next Era of Work.
Few voices are better positioned to help leaders navigate that equation than Brian Elliott, CEO of Work Forward, executive-in-residence at Charter, bestselling author of How the Future Works, and longtime future-of-work operator and thinker. After 25 years in tech as a startup CEO and executive at Google and Slack, Brian co-founded Future Forum, publishes the Flex Index and Work Forward newsletter, advises BCG, and was named to Forbes’ Future of Work 50.
This year, Brian returns to Transform as Emcee, bringing his signature ability to guide conversations and challenge assumptions across disciplines. Ahead of the event, we sat down with him to discuss what he’s most excited about, how he interprets The Human-AI Equation, and why Transform remains a rare space where leaders can grapple honestly with what’s next.
Perhaps the most telling moment during this conversation, when we asked what excites him most about Transform, Brian didn’t point to the main stage or marquee names, he pointed to the room itself: the collective intelligence, lived experience, and curiosity of the people in it, where the most meaningful ideas are tested, debated, and shaped in real time.
“Transform is one of the few places where you get CHROs, organizational psychologists, founders, and investors in the same room, not just talking at each other, but wrestling with gnarly, real-world problems.“
Brian elliott, ceo, work forward
What are you most looking forward to about emceeing Transform 2026?
I’m excited to be in community with such an amazing and diverse group. Transform is one of the few places where you get CHROs, organizational psychologists, founders, and investors in the same room, not just talking at each other, but wrestling with gnarly, real-world problems.
Last year’s “Now and Next” panel showed me how hungry people are for frameworks they can use tomorrow, alongside inspiration. I’m looking forward to helping us all find a future of work that’s better for people, because that’s also better for organizations.
This year’s theme is The Human+AI Equation: Forging the Next Era of Work. What does that mean to you?
We’re past the “will AI change work?” debate and into the much harder questions: how much, how fast, and with what impact on employees and society at large?
There’s a massive opportunity to learn from leaders who are redesigning work around outcomes and treating employees as capable adults, instead of simply handing out tools and trying to retrofit AI onto command-and-control management. There’s huge potential for meaningful improvement, and just as many risks. No one person has all the answers. But working together, maybe we can steer toward better outcomes.
Are there any past Transform moments that stand out for you?
“Lean in with curiosity, optimism, and humanity. Just balance your IQ with your EQ and bring people along the journey with us.” That was Intuitive CHRO Pat Wadors on the “Now and Next of Work” panel we did together last year.
Leaders have relied on IQ for so long, with the expectation that they have all the answers. That’s becoming impossible in an increasingly complex and fast-moving world. The role of IQ itself is fading in favor of harder, more durable skills—leadership, engagement, and trust. The things we call “soft skills” that are actually really hard.
Many of the most powerful moments for me at Transform come from leaders sharing their stories and insights. Transform gives us all the opportunity to explorenwith curiosity, optimism, and more than a dose of humanity.
Anything you’d love attendees to know or feel heading into the event?
Come ready to challenge your assumptions—especially the ones that worked for you on the way up. The leadership playbook that got many of us here, from relying on expert knowledge to face time and hustle culture, is at least being challenged, if not actively holding organizations back now.
The companies winning at AI adoption, flexible work, and performance management are changing and adopting new playbooks. If you leave Transform with just one practice you’re ready to pilot on Monday and one great new connection, it’s worth the trip. And if you’re struggling with any of this, trust me, you’re not alone. That’s why we’re all in the room.
Want more from Brian Elliott? Follow him on LinkedIn, and read Work Forward, and his columns for Charter.
Be part of the Transform community, where leaders don’t just talk about the future of work; they test it, debate it, and build it together. Join us at Transform 2026 for hands-on sessions, practical AI insights, and conversations led by the thinkers shaping what’s next. And check out other insightful Transform Spotlights and thought leadership articles on the Transform Blog.