Former WPP CEO Mark Read, who stepped down from WPP a year ago, is launching a conference that aims to bring AI start-ups together with leaders in business and marketing, as well as potential investors.
Prompt is an invitation-only event and one that sees Read, who had a difficult time in charge (although his drive for simplification and tech power has been mostly continued by successor Cindy Rose), follow in the footsteps of Publicis Groupe’s Maurice Levy, who started the hugely successful Viva Tech in Paris in 2016.
Speakers at Prompt include Debbie Weinstein, VP of Google EMEA, and James Wise, chair of the UK government’s recently-launched Sovereign AI investment unit, who is also a partner at Balderton Capital. There will be also sessions with founders of early-stage AI businesses.
Read said: “I launched Prompt because I could see the opportunity to bring AI leaders together with business and marketing leaders. There’s not a venue that does that today and what I hear from CEOs and CMOs is a desire not only to embrace AI but also to know who they should be talking to. They know the [large language] model companies but it’s the companies building applications on top of these models that can help them.”
London, Read says, is the world’s second most dense AI talent hub after San Francisco. The event will take place on June 9th at London’s Design Museum to coincide with London Tech Week.
