AI is reshaping every sector, and investment trends reveal where the next decade of innovation is heading. This keynote highlights the hottest areas in AI venture funding and the skills the market is rewarding most. Students will leave with a roadmap for building resilient, meaningful careers in an AI-driven economy.

About the Speaker: Chris Gardner '88, UMass Amherst, is a General Partner at Underscore in Boston, MA, an early-stage venture capital firm. Chris spent nearly three decades at Boston-area tech companies in marketing, product management, and engineering roles. Prior to becoming a VC, Chris was an executive at PayPal after Paydiant, the company he co-founded, was acquired by PayPal in 2015.