The AI Opportunity: Will AI finally free operations - or just raise expectations?
Get in a room with other operations leaders who are figuring AI out in real time
The best conversations at Operations Nation happen around a table with people who've tried the tools, hit the limitations, and don't need another AI keynote telling them the future has arrived.
If you've spent the last couple of years experimenting with AI, building automations, or wondering whether you're falling behind, you're not alone.
Everyone's talking about what AI could do
Far fewer people are talking honestly about what it's actually changing inside operations teams.
Will AI finally give operations leaders the space to work more strategically?
Or will businesses simply expect even more from us with the same time, the same headcount, and the same resources?
We think that's one of the most important questions facing operations today.
That's why Operations Nation and Vestd are launching... 🥁
The Modern COO Benchmark Report 2026
As we ask hundreds of operations leaders to complete the survey, we're also bringing together a small group of experienced peers to explore where AI is genuinely creating value, where it's still falling short, and what the profession wants it to become.
Because if we're going to understand AI's impact on operations, it should start with the people using it every day.
Please note
This event runs alongside a second roundtable on the evolution of the COO role. You're welcome to register for one roundtable only.
On the day
🥪 Lunch is on us. Sandwiches, coffee and snacks will be provided.
💻 Stay and cowork before and after. You're welcome to arrive early and spend the rest of the afternoon at Work.Life alongside the wider Operations Nation community.
In this session, we'll:
🔹 Explore which parts of the operations role people genuinely trust AI with today - and which remain firmly human
🔹 Get honest about what's actually slowing adoption: trust, governance, capability, leadership confidence, or something else entirely
🔹 Debate whether AI creates more strategic operations leaders - or simply raises the bar for what's expected of them
What to expect
A closed, 8-10 person roundtable.
Chatham House Rule applies throughout, so you can speak freely.
We'll be recording the audio for accurate quote capture only, nothing here gets published, and any quotes used in the benchmark report stay anonymous unless you choose otherwise.
You should join us if you're:
✅ A COO, VP Ops, Operations Director, or Head of Operations at a Seed to Series C startup
✅ Someone who's actively experimenting with AI - or deciding where it really belongs in operations
✅ Genuinely in the work, not observing it from a distance
However, you're unlikely to benefit if:
❌ You're earlier than Seed stage or without direct ops responsibility
❌ You're looking for a broadcast-style session rather than a small group conversation
❌ Your title sits in a narrower function rather than a broad operational remit
Together with 🙌
This session is run jointly by Operations Nation and Vestd, as part of the launch for The Modern COO Benchmark Report 2026.
Vestd is the go-to platform for share schemes, equity management, shareholder governance and funding round execution. FCA-authorised, B-Corp and ISO 27001 certified.
The event and coworking day is hosted at Work.Life - a flexible workspace that takes the hard work out of working happy. B Corp certified. Workspaces designed for startups, SMEs and growing teams who need a place to come together.