Why is the Collective main theme of QED 2026?
The term "collective", whether used as an adjective or a noun, signifies unity and togetherness. It illustrates how individual strengths can be combined into a unified force. Numerous talks, blogs, and books emphasize themes of unity and collaboration, reflecting what we have learned about overcoming distrust and integrating various elements into our business environments to connect the dots and function better as a team. But what happens when one or more of those elements are not human? How do we establish connections with them to improve our collaboration and ultimately reach new heights we may have never experienced before?
Humanity has endured and evolved over the ages because we have been able to create synergy. This need for synergy is especially important in today’s world, characterized by constant and unexpected changes. While this concept may sound like a cliché, the numerous unexpected events, or "black swans", of the last decade have led us to sometimes bury our heads in the sand, hoping to avoid thinking about the storms around us. This may explain why some people say, "Just wait; this AI hype will blow over." Even if it does (which is unlikely), there will still be a wave to ride.
Some people say AI hype will blow over. Even if it does (which is unlikely), there will still be a wave to ride. And we want to learn, adapt, and move with the wave.
If you have ever surfed or ridden a horse, you know the exhilarating feeling of becoming one with the wave or the horse. When we function as a collective, we operate most efficiently. Is it possible for people and AI—whether as agents or as the technology itself—to achieve collective intelligence in addressing the challenges we may face in our professional or personal lives? We believe this is the future, but belief alone is not enough; we need to understand how to make it happen. As always, our QED speakers will know the answer.
Blast from the past - explore some of our previous conferences.
Join the excitement at QED 2026 | Collective
C3LLECTIVE
QED (Quality in Enterprise Development) is a BizTech conference where tech business leaders, and industry experts meet to learn, connect, and have fun.
