Gerard Kunkel

Media didn’t evolve because technology advanced — technology advanced because consumers demanded more control. In this keynote, Gerard Kunkel traces the history, present, and future of media consumption through one driving force: choice. From the early days of broadcast television to today’s streaming wars, gaming ecosystems, creator platforms, and AI-powered personalization, audiences will learn how emotional drivers, behavioral science, and decision friction have determined every major winner (and loser) in media.

Gerard reveals the universal truth: the companies that thrive are the ones that make choice feel easy. Drawing from decades of executive leadership at Comcast (Xfinity X1), Microsoft, and multiple startup companies, he shares powerful frameworks for designing media experiences that reduce complexity, increase engagement, and build lasting loyalty in a world of infinite options.

To bring the future to life, Gerard integrates live conversational AI characters into the keynote. The AI is trained on the presentation content and interacts with Gerard and the audience in real time—offering insights, answering questions, and demonstrating what choice looks like in the era of agentic conversational media.

Key takeaway: When companies remove the friction of choice, they unlock attention, loyalty, and growth.