When one of Ireland’s biggest telecoms companies transforms its entire way of working, you need the right voice to set the tone. That’s exactly what happened when AI keynote speaker Mark Kelly took the stage at Three Ireland’s Forward: Fast conference — a landmark internal event celebrating the company’s bold move to enterprise agile.

The venue? Dublin’s iconic Odeon Cinema, transformed into a surround-sound studio for the occasion. The message? In 2026, being fast is not enough. Being agile — and using AI to create better human experiences — is what separates the leaders from the laggards.

Mark Kelly, Founder of AI Ireland and one of the most in-demand AI keynote speakers for 2026, shared practical ideas on how companies can innovate, adapt, and use artificial intelligence to drive real customer satisfaction.

Here’s what happened at the event — and the key takeaways every business leader should know.

Three Ireland is not making small changes. Under CEO Elaine Carey, the company has launched one of the most ambitious enterprise agile transformations ever attempted by an Irish business. The traditional hierarchy of departments and approval chains is being replaced by cross-functional squads and tribes focused on customer outcomes.

The Forward: Fast conference was a celebration of that shift. It brought the company’s teams together to mark a new chapter — one built on speed, collaboration, and trust.

The theme could not be more relevant. In 2026, the pace of change in technology, regulation, and customer expectations means companies that cannot move quickly get left behind. Agile is no longer just a software development method. It is a business survival strategy.

As Carey herself has said, the customer has to be at the heart of everything. Without them, there is no business. The Forward: Fast conference was designed to make that principle real across the entire organisation.

his was the central theme of Mark’s keynote. In 2026, the companies winning on customer satisfaction are not the ones replacing humans with AI. They are the ones using AI to make every human interaction better.

Think about it this way. AI can handle the routine — answering common questions, routing calls, personalising offers. That frees up your people to focus on the moments that matter: the complex problem, the frustrated customer, the opportunity to build real trust.

Research backs this up. Studies show that nearly all consumers believe brands that invest in authentic human connection will have a long-term competitive advantage. AI is the tool that makes that connection possible at scale.

Mark’s message was clear: AI is not the replacement. AI is the enabler. The companies that get this right in 2026 will build loyalty that no algorithm can replicate on its own.

Despite massive investment in customer experience tools, many companies still leave customers frustrated. Mark highlighted that the gap between what companies promise and what customers actually experience is one of the biggest challenges of 2026.

AI can help close that gap — but only if it is applied with intention. That means using data to anticipate what customers need before they ask. It means building AI systems that remember context across channels so customers do not have to repeat themselves. And it means giving your people the right tools to act on AI insights in real time.

For a telecoms company like Three Ireland, where millions of customer interactions happen every month, this is not a nice-to-have. It is a competitive necessity.

Three Ireland did not settle for a standard conference room. The event was held at Dublin’s Odeon Cinema, which was converted into a fully immersive surround-sound experience for the keynote.

This was a deliberate choice. When you are asking an entire company to think differently about how they work, the environment matters. A cinema setting creates focus. The surround-sound setup creates impact. It turns a presentation into an experience — and that is exactly what happened when AI keynote speaker Mark Kelly took the stage.

The format worked perfectly. Mark’s message about innovation, AI, and customer experience was delivered in a way that people could feel, not just hear. It was a fitting backdrop for a talk about making technology more human.

Mark Kelly is known for making AI practical for non-technical leaders. His keynote at the Three Ireland conference focused on the ideas that matter most to business teams in 2026: how to innovate, how to use AI well, and how to make customers feel valued — not processed.

One of Mark’s core messages was that agile transformation and AI adoption are not separate projects. They are two sides of the same coin. Agile gives you the structure to move fast. AI gives you the intelligence to move smart. When you combine both, you can respond to customer needs in real time, test ideas quickly, and learn from data instead of guessing. For Three Ireland — a company in the middle of a major agile shift — this message landed with particular force. AI is not something to bolt on later. It is the engine that makes agile transformation worthwhile.

Mark challenged the audience to rethink what innovation actually means. It is not about chasing shiny technology. It is about listening to what your customers actually need — then using technology to solve that problem better than anyone else.

The best innovations in 2026 are not coming from companies with the biggest R&D budgets. They are coming from companies that listen closely, move quickly, and use AI to close the gap between what customers expect and what they get. This is the agile mindset in action. Build, test, learn, repeat. And do it faster than the competition.

This was the central theme of Mark’s keynote. In 2026, the companies winning on customer satisfaction are not the ones replacing humans with AI. They are the ones using AI to make every human interaction better. Think about it this way. AI can handle the routine — answering common questions, routing calls, personalising offers. That frees up your people to focus on the moments that matter: the complex problem, the frustrated customer, the opportunity to build real trust.

Research backs this up. Studies show that nearly all consumers believe brands that invest in authentic human connection will have a long-term competitive advantage. AI is the tool that makes that connection possible at scale.

Mark’s message was clear: AI is not the replacement. AI is the enabler. The companies that get this right in 2026 will build loyalty that no algorithm can replicate on its own.

Despite massive investment in customer experience tools, many companies still leave customers frustrated. Mark highlighted that the gap between what companies promise and what customers actually experience is one of the biggest challenges of 2026.

AI can help close that gap — but only if it is applied with intention. That means using data to anticipate what customers need before they ask. It means building AI systems that remember context across channels so customers do not have to repeat themselves. And it means giving your people the right tools to act on AI insights in real time.

For a telecoms company like Three Ireland, where millions of customer interactions happen every month, this is not a nice-to-have. It is a competitive necessity.

Despite massive investment in customer experience tools, many companies still leave customers frustrated. Mark highlighted that the gap between what companies promise and what customers actually experience is one of the biggest challenges of 2026.

AI can help close that gap — but only if it is applied with intention. That means using data to anticipate what customers need before they ask. It means building AI systems that remember context across channels so customers do not have to repeat themselves. And it means giving your people the right tools to act on AI insights in real time.

For a telecoms company like Three Ireland, where millions of customer interactions happen every month, this is not a nice-to-have. It is a competitive necessity.

Mark also struck a note of caution. Being fast is important. But speed without a clear direction is just chaos with a deadline. Agile frameworks give companies the structure to move quickly. AI gives them the data to make good decisions. But neither matters without a clear purpose — and for Three Ireland, that purpose is the customer. This is the lesson for every organisation in 2026. Before you adopt AI or go agile, answer one question first: what outcome are you trying to deliver for your customer? Everything else follows from there.

Why Agile Matters More Than Ever in 2026

Three Ireland’s move to enterprise agile is part of a global trend. Across industries, companies are realising that traditional hierarchies are too slow for the world we live in now. New AI tools are launching every week. Customer expectations are rising faster than most organisations can keep up. Regulation is changing. The companies that thrive are the ones that can adapt — quarter by quarter, sprint by sprint.

Research from McKinsey suggests agile can deliver up to 30 percentage points of improvement in customer satisfaction, 30 per cent better financial performance, and 50 per cent gains in operational performance. Those are not marginal gains. They are transformational.

For Irish businesses watching Three Ireland’s journey, the message is simple. The question is no longer whether to become more agile. The question is how fast you can get there.

AI and Customer Satisfaction: The 2026 Landscape

Mark Kelly’s keynote at Forward: Fast touched on one of the most important trends in business today: how AI is reshaping customer experience.

Here is what the data shows for 2026:

65% of organisations plan to expand their use of AI in customer experience over the next 12 months.

72% of consumers say AI and automation have already improved their service experiences.

98% of Irish CEOs expect AI to have a transformative or significant impact on their business model within two years.

58% of consumers say it still takes too much effort to engage with brands, even with AI in place.

The takeaway? AI is working — but there is still a big gap between potential and reality. The winners in 2026 will be the organisations that apply AI with purpose, keep humans in the loop for complex moments, and never lose sight of the customer behind the data.

That was Mark Kelly’s message at the Odeon Cinema. And it is the message every leadership team in Ireland should be hearing right now.

About Mark Kelly: AI Keynote Speaker 2026

Mark Kelly is one of Ireland’s leading AI keynote speakers and the Founder of AI Ireland, the country’s premier AI leadership and education organisation. He delivers vendor-neutral Executive AI Leadership Sessions for boards, C-suite executives, and senior leadership teams across Ireland, the UK, and Europe.

Mark’s approach is practical, jargon-free, and built for non-technical leaders. His keynotes focus on helping business leaders understand what AI can actually do for their organisation and how to get started without getting overwhelmed. He is also the host of the AI Ireland Podcast, author of the AI Unleashed book series, and a trusted advisor to organisations across financial services, telecoms, retail, healthcare, and the public sector. Whether you are planning a company conference, a board offsite, or an industry event, Mark brings energy, clarity, and actionable ideas that audiences remember long after the event.

FAQ’s About Booking an AI Keynote Speaker for 2026

What topics does Mark Kelly cover in his AI keynotes?

Mark covers a range of topics tailored to each audience, including AI strategy for business leaders, the 5 P’s of AI Readiness (People, Process, Platforms, Proprietary Data, Products & Services), AI governance for boards, building AI literacy across your organisation, and how to move from AI hype to practical implementation. Every keynote is customised to the audience, the industry, and the outcomes the event organiser wants to achieve.

Can Mark Kelly customise a keynote for a company event like Forward: Fast?

Yes. Mark works closely with event organisers to understand the theme, audience, and goals of every event. For Three Ireland’s Forward: Fast conference, the keynote was tailored specifically around agile transformation, innovation culture, and using AI to improve customer experience. This is his standard approach — every keynote is bespoke, never off-the-shelf.

What makes Mark Kelly different from other AI keynote speakers in 2026?

Mark is vendor-neutral, which means he does not sell software or push a particular AI platform. His focus is entirely on helping leaders make smart decisions about AI. He speaks in plain language, uses real-world case studies, and gives audiences a clear framework they can act on immediately. He also brings deep experience across multiple sectors and the credibility of running Ireland’s largest AI leadership community.

How far in advance should I book an AI keynote speaker for 2026?

For in-demand AI keynote speakers like Mark Kelly, it is best to enquire 3 to 6 months in advance. Peak periods — such as Q1 strategy kick-offs and Q4 planning events — book up fast. Early enquiries give you the best chance of securing your preferred date and allow time for proper customisation of the keynote content.

What formats does Mark Kelly offer beyond keynotes?

In addition to keynote presentations, Mark offers Executive AI Leadership Workshops, board briefings, half-day strategy sessions, and panel facilitation. These can be delivered in-person, virtually, or as part of a hybrid event. Many organisations combine a keynote with a follow-up workshop for deeper engagement with their leadership team.

Book Mark Kelly as Your AI Keynote Speaker for 2026

Three Ireland trusted Mark Kelly to set the tone for their most important internal event of the year. If you are planning a conference, leadership offsite, or company event and want a keynote speaker who can make AI practical, engaging, and relevant for your audience, Mark is the right choice.

Get in touch today to discuss your event, or visit markkellyai.com to learn more about Mark’s speaking topics, past events, and client testimonials.

You can also explore AI Ireland for resources, podcasts, and insights on AI leadership in Ireland.

Published: March 2026 | Author: Mark Kelly, Founder of AI Ireland & AI Keynote Speaker