About Neil Redding
Neil Redding is a keynote speaker, author, Innovation Architect and Near Futurist. Neil has worked at the convergence of digital and physical for decades, and is an expert in spatial computing, virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR), AI and convergent brand ecosystems.
As a Near Futurist, Neil focuses on connecting what’s possible with what’s practical. He has started and led Near Future teams at firms as diverse as Mediacom, Gensler, and Thoughtworks — always leveraging the emerging possible in service of practical business value for his clients.
Neil currently leads Redding Futures, a boutique consultancy that enables brands and businesses to powerfully engage the Near Future. Prior to founding Redding Futures, Neil held leadership roles at Mediacom, Proximity/BBDO, Gensler, ThoughtWorks and Lab49. He has delivered for clients including Visa, Nike, Cadillac, Macy’s, NBA, Verizon, TED, The Economist, MoMA, Converse, Morgan Stanley, Apple, Oracle, Financial Times, and Fidelity Investments.
He has spoken at numerous conferences including SXSW, AWE, Immerse Global Summit, infoComm, Tech2025, CreateTech, SEGD XLab, A.R.E. Shoptalk, Creative Technology Week, Design+AI and VRevolution.
Neil is also editor of Near Future of Retail, author of the forthcoming book The Ecosystem Paradigm, and advises multiple startups at the leading edge of the digital-physical convergence.
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Quotes From Neil Redding
“I think the job of a near futurist is not just connecting possibility with practical needs, but also translating that into a testable hypothesis that can then be quickly proven or disproven.”
“As a technologist who wants to get things built, I'm much more interested in what is emerging and what's on the edge of just barely mature enough to put into practice, and how that can be used to address the current needs of brands and businesses.”
““There's a lot of people who do various kinds of futurist or future strategy work that don't bring the capability of quickly coming to testable hypotheses.”
“You could prototype it using any number of different tools - figma is one of the more popular - and then put it in front of people and see if it makes sense.”
“ChatGPT and other machine learning models are really really good thought partners.”
“Everyone needs to think innovatively.”
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If you're not yet clear what #spatialcomputing is, or about the transformative value it is bringing to #retail and other business contexts, you'll find this conversation illuminating.
— Neil Redding 🍄💙 (@neilredding) November 8, 2023
Thanks to @ricardo_belmar @caseycgolden for the second invitation this award-winning season 👏 https://t.co/p22kpoMbzB
I'm more and more inclined to believe this whole thing is GPT-AGI just dragging out the irresistibly clickbait-y narrative as long as possible https://t.co/bE4CKfIjnh
— Neil Redding 🍄💙 (@neilredding) November 20, 2023
More Quotes From Neil Redding
“Spatial Computing is much less discussed but an equally important trend for 2024.”
“In its June announcement of the Vision Pro headset, its first purpose-built spatial computer, Apple’s using this term. We knew they weren’t going to call any sort of purpose-built AR or mixed reality device a metaverse device.”
“Spatial Computing is the third major era of computing. Macintosh introduced personal Computing, the iPhone introduced mobile Computing and now Vision Pro is introducing us to spatial Computing.”
“It’s a massively multiplayer game that tracks where you are in space and uses that spatial content as part of the gameplay.”
“Physical context for information is very important and very powerful. Digital tools that aren’t leveraging spatial computing and augmented reality are missing out on this.”
“One thing that gets retail excited is larger basket size.”
“These metaverse ideas don’t turn out to be compelling because there’s not enough of a sense of presence. Presence is this magical thing that enables serendipity and other magical aspects of Human experience.”
Listen To Our A-List Guests Explore Business, Tech and Culture
Markus Thielen – Bitcoin History And ETF
Luz Donahue – Abstract ART NFTS
Neil Redding – Near Futurism & Spatial Computing
Sebastien Borget – The Sandbox And Metaverse
Evan Shapiro – The Media
Rebecca Noonan – Virtual Super Events
Dominik Karaman – Web3 Brand Strategy
Julio Ottino – Nexus Thinking
Jesper Nordin – Computer Game Music
Josh Katz – NFT Tickets
Dr Ankur Pathak – Cryptocurrency Investing
Viroshan Naicker – Quantum Computing Crash Course
Kevin Riedl – Blockchain Coding
Dean Wilson – NFT Music And DeadMau5
Yolanda Barton – Web3 Culture Storytelling
Charlie Northrup – AI Agents And Hyperconnectivity
Kassi Burns – How Lawyers Are Using AI
Josh Goldblum – VR and AR In Museums
Jonathan Blanco – Web3 Business And Brands
B-Earl – Take Down Hollywood
Keatly Halderman – Blockchain Music Publishing
Elizabeth Strickler – Metaverse University Education
Pico Velasquez – Building The Real Metaverse
Reid Blackman – AI Ethics
Inder Phull – Music In The Metaverse
Leo Nasskau – Web3 and NFT Charity
Costantino Roselli – Virtual Fashion and The Future of the Metaverse