Seth Earley

 
 
 

Seth Earley

Founder & CEO

Seth Earley is a globally recognized expert in knowledge strategy, enterprise data architecture, and information findability and a candid voice on why most AI initiatives fail.

As Founder and CEO of Earley Information Science, Seth has spent over 25 years helping Fortune 1000 organizations fix the information chaos that undermines digital transformation. His mantra, “There is no AI without IA,” underscores his belief that the success of any AI system hinges on the quality and structure of the data behind it.

Seth is the author of The AI-Powered Enterprise, an award-winning guide to using ontologies and knowledge engineering to scale intelligent systems. His work bridges the gap between business strategy and the often-overlooked disciplines of taxonomy, metadata, and content modeling.

Whether advising CDOs, guiding chatbot architecture, or rescuing underperforming search platforms, Seth brings a pragmatic, systems-first approach to digital innovation. His insights continue to shape how enterprises deliver better customer experiences, operational efficiency, and AI readiness—by getting their knowledge house in order.

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Expertise

AI Won’t Save You: Why Most Enterprises Fail with Large Language Models (And How You Can Win)
Everyone’s talking about ChatGPT and Large Language Models (LLMs) like they’re the silver bullet forbusiness transformation. Spoiler alert: they’re not. Without the right data and information architecture, your AI initiatives will crash and burn—fast. In this no-BS session, Seth Earley pulls back the curtain on what executives really need to know before they throw money at the latest AI trend. Drawing from 25+ years of consulting for Fortune 1000 companies, Seth reveals the dirty little secret of AI: it’s only as good as the knowledge infrastructure you build beneath it. He’ll share real-world examples of companies that got it right (and those that didn’t), showing how AI can drive massive efficiency, boost revenue, and even save hundreds of millions—if you do it right. Want to avoid becoming the next cautionary tale? This is the session for you.
Digital Transformation is Dead: The New Playbook for AI-Driven Business Growth
Let’s be honest: digital transformation has become a meaningless buzzword. Everyone claims they’re doing it, but most are just spinning their wheels—burning through budgets with flashy tech and seeing zero ROI. Seth Earley is here to flip the script. In this provocative talk, he’ll show you why traditional transformation strategies fail and how to pivot to an AI-first approach that delivers real business impact. Forget the hype about self-driving cars and sci-fi chatbots—this is about using AI to solve your real-world problems, from cutting operational costs to supercharging customer engagement. Seth will walk you through a practical roadmap for AI success, including how to build a data foundation that actually works and how to align your AI initiatives with business goals that matter. Ready to ditch the buzzwords and get serious about growth? This session will show you how.
Knowledge is Your Secret Weapon: The Hidden Key to AI Success No One Talks About
Everyone’s obsessed with AI’s shiny front-end features—chatbots, virtual assistants, generative models. But here’s the truth: without the right knowledge structures behind the scenes, your AI is just an expensive toy. In this high-energy session, Seth Earley reveals the critical piece of the AI puzzle that 90% of organizations overlook: knowledge engineering. It’s not sexy, but it’s the difference between AI that delivers results and AI that flops. Seth will share a battle-tested strategy for building a “knowledge factory” that feeds your AI the structured, high-quality data it needs to thrive. You’ll learn how to break down complex business problems into solvable data challenges, build scalable knowledge models, and integrate continuous learning processes that keep your AI sharp. If you want to stay ahead of competitors, reduce costs, and deliver better customer experiences, this is the session you can’t afford to miss.

Author

Seth is the author of The AI-Powered Enterprise.

Seth is a sought-after speaker, author, and influencer. Seth's writing has appeared in IT Professional Magazine from the IEEE—where, as a former editor, he wrote a regular column on data analytics and information access issues and trends—and many other technical journals and magazines.

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Winner of the Axiom Business Book Silver Medal in 2021

Thought Leader

Seth has contributed to the Harvard Business Review, CMSWire, CEOWorld, TechTarget, eCommerce Times, Analytics Magazine. Journal of Applied Marketing Analytics, and he co-authored “Practical Knowledge Management” from IBM Press.

In 2024, Seth was Recognized by Thinkers 360 as one of the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders on Generative AI 2024.

 

Speaker

Seth loves meeting people and sharing his expertise about AI, IA, and how enterprises can make the most of their AI initiatives. 

Stop by and introduce yourself if you're at one of these events. 

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June 23-25, 2025

Conference Information

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