Dr. Adam Gazzaley

AI and the Brain
Dr. Gazzaley explores how artificial intelligence and neuroscience are coming together to expand the boundaries of human potential. From AI-powered video games that boost memory and attention in seniors, to smart wearables that detect depression from a person’s voice, discover how cutting-edge technology is enhancing our minds and mental well-being. Drawing on his groundbreaking work in experiential medicine and closed-loop neurotechnology, Dr. Gazzaley reveals a future where personalized, adaptive brain therapies could help us learn faster, focus deeper, and overcome mental health challenges. Attendees will hear inspiring case studies – notably, his advancement of the first FDA-approved video game. Importantly, this talk doesn’t shy away from the big questions: What are the ethical and societal implications when brains and AI intertwine? How do we safeguard privacy and humanity in this high-tech revolution? This is a journey into the next frontier of human innovation, where AI and the brain unite to improve lives. You’ll come away with a fresh understanding of emerging neurotechnologies, a glimpse of tomorrow’s brain-enhancing tools, and an appreciation for how scientists like Dr. Gazzaley are ensuring this new frontier benefits everyone in a responsible, human-centered way.

AI and the Brain
In this captivating keynote, neuroscientist and futurist Dr. Gazzaley explores the extraordinary convergence of artificial intelligence and the human brain. From neural networks inspired by biology to AI-driven tools decoding our thoughts, this talk unpacks how brain science and machine learning are transforming each other. Learn how AI is advancing mental health, enhancing cognition, powering brain-computer interfaces, and even reshaping what it means to be human. With equal parts scientific insight and visionary foresight, this talk invites audiences to grapple with the thrilling — and sometimes unsettling — possibilities of a world where minds and machines merge.

A New Era of Experiential Medicine
When it comes to enhancing our cognition we are tragically lacking. And we are paying a great price: Half a billion people around the world suffer debilitating effects of anxiety & depression; and attention & memory deficits. And the burden is rising; notably, dementia in our seniors; and attention and emotional control deficits in our youth.

Dr. Gazzaley presents a unique perspective on "experience as medicine". Starting with framing in ancient experiential approaches like meditation, and then moving to the opportunities with modern technologies, like therapeutic video games, and powerful molecules that induce transformative experiences, like psychedelics.

Key Takeaways:
Dr. Gazzaley shares his views on the future of medicine for the mind; an approach based on experience-induced neuroplasticity, with broad implications across the fields of neurology, psychiatry and psychology.

Technology meets Neuroscience - A Vision of the Future of Brain Optimization
A fundamental challenge of modern society is the development of effective approaches to enhance brain function and cognition in both the healthy and impaired. For the healthy, this should be a core mission of our educational system and for the cognitively impaired this is should be a primary goal of our medical system. Unfortunately, neither of these systems has effectively met this challenge.

Dr. Gazzaley presents a novel approach he developed at UCSF Neuroscape that uses custom-designed video games to achieve meaningful and sustainable cognitive enhancement via personalized closed-loop systems.

Key Takeaways:
He also shares the next stage of his research program, which integrates closed-loop video games with the latest technological innovations in software (e.g., brain computer interfaces, AI) and hardware (e.g., virtual reality, mobile EEG, motion capture, physiological recording devices, brain stimulation) to enhance our brain’s information processing systems with the ultimate aim of improving our brain function.

The Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-Tech World
Our increasingly information-saturated world, coupled with growing expectations of constant availability and immediate responsiveness, place excessive demands on our brains. The consequences are detrimental effects on our safety, health, education, workplace, and relationships with family and friends.

Dr. Gazzaley takes us on a journey into how and why we struggle with interruptions and distractions that emerge from both our inner and outer worlds. He will present a unique evolutionary perspective that the very essence of what has evolved in our brains to make us most human collides headfirst with our brain’s limitations in cognitive control.

Key Takeaways:
He concludes by offering practical strategies for modifying our behavior, as well as the latest innovations from his research in enhancing our brain's function, so that we can better survive and thrive in the information age.

Raging against Aging: The Future of Brain Optimization and Longevity
One of the greatest achievements of modern times has been to dramatically increase the longevity of our species. While this is a cause for celebration, it should be recognized that it has resulted in numerous challenges to maintain quality of life due to a near ubiquitous decline in cognitive function with aging.

Dr. Gazzaley describes the latest research on the aging brain and the challenges faced by an increasingly older population on a global level.

Key Takeaways:
He shares practical advice on how to retain our cognition as we age, as well as a novel approach that he has been developing to use cutting-edge technology (custom-designed video games, artificial intelligence, brain stimulation, and Virtual reality) to achieve meaningful and sustainable cognitive enhancement throughout our lives.

The Promise of Virtual Reality and the Brain
The long-awaited arrival of virtual and augmented reality is upon us. Consumer available products hold seemingly infinite promise in changing communication, entertainment and commerce. But what about our brains?

Dr. Gazzaley takes us on a deep dive into how virtual and augmented reality technologies can be help enhance our cognition, with benefits to our memory, attention, decision-making and even empathy and compassion.

Key Takeaways:
In this context of improving cognition, he discusses the potential educational and medical uses for these powerful new technologies.

The Cognition Crisis
Our lives on this planet have improved in so many amazing ways over the last century. On average we are now healthier, less poor, more literate, less violent and longer living. Despite these positive changes, signs are present that we are in the midst of an emerging crisis. This is a crisis of our minds – a cognition crisis.

Dr. Gazzaley presents his latest perspectives on the difficulties we humans are currently facing in terms of our attention, perception, creativity, emotional regulation and compassion. Anxiety, depression, attention deficits and dementia affect a half a billion people around the world with an economic toll in the trillions. And these numbers are rising, notably in our children.

Key Takeaways:
He proposes that the goal of enhancing cognition should be positioned as a grand challenge, and placed on par with other pressing global priorities. He concludes with a presentation of potential solutions using modern day technology.