Storytelling in the Era of AI: Those Who Miss This Change Will Miss the Future (SD)
In 2025, creative work is in full-blown transformation:
83% of content creators already use AI in their workflows.
88% of marketers say AI lets them move faster and make smarter decisions.
Entire video projects are being turned around in days, not weeks.
The truth? The old tools and slow processes don’t cut it anymore. Speed and experimentation rule — and those who don’t adapt will get left behind.
That’s why we’re bringing together four top creative leaders + Demian Borba (CEO of Pactto) for an unfiltered panel: Storytelling in the Era of AI: Those Who Miss This Change Will Miss the Future.
We’ll cover the tools, the workflows, and the mindset shifts that will define the next chapter of creativity — and share the hard-earned secrets these pros have learned, so you don’t have to suffer and struggle through the same challenges.
Schedule:
5:30 – Doors open (pizza & drinks)
6:00 – Networking
7:00 – Panel + Q&A
Seats are limited — and the conversations will be game-changing.
Panelists:
Steven Dow
Professor of Cognitive Science and Design at UC San Diego
Dr. Steven Dow, Professor of Cognitive Science and Design at UC San Diego, conducts research on human-computer interaction, social computing, collective intelligence and creativity. Prof. Dow received the National Science Foundation CAREER Award in 2015 for research on "advancing collective innovation." His research has been funded by multiple NSF grants, a Google Faculty Grant, a Yankelovich Center for Social Science Research Award, Stanford’s Postdoctoral Research Award, and a Hasso Plattner Design Thinking Research Grant. He holds an MS-HCI and PhD in Human-Centered Computing from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a BS in Industrial Engineering from University of Iowa.
Zach Perkins
AI Creative Technologist – Firefly Enterprise, Adobe
Zach is a careered creative professional with a front-end development background, bringing both technical fluency and creative depth to his work with global agency partners. He collaborates with leading creative professionals and strategic agency teams to unlock the power of Adobe Firefly and the Creative Cloud Suite—addressing gaps in workflows, scaling content production, and driving GenAI adoption across enterprise campaigns. Through hands-on partnerships, Zach helps agencies reimagine their creative potential—co-developing solutions that streamline execution, elevate quality, and drive impact across channels, regions, and clients.
Scott Robinson
Founder and CEO of FreshForm
Scott Robinson is the Founder and CEO of FreshForm, a San Diego–based experience design and innovation consultancy. For over 25 years, he has worked at the intersection of design, technology, and business, helping Fortune 500 companies and startups alike imagine and build the future of digital products and experiences. A writer, speaker, community builder and thought leader, Scott is pioneering the concept of Hybrid-Centered Design™, a framework for designing in an era where humans and machines increasingly merge.
Demian Borba
Founder & CEO, Pactto. Stanford StartX S25. Adobe CC Expert.
Demian is the founder and CEO of Pactto (https://www.pactto.com), a new AI meeting platform built from scratch for new creative workflows using AI. Before Pactto, Demian was a Principal Product Manager at Intuit, a tech company with over 100 million customers. He was also one of the first Product Managers for Adobe XD in Silicon Valley. Demian has nearly 20 years of experience in technology, Design, Business, Community, and Training. Prior to Intuit and Adobe, he worked at companies like PayPal and BlackBerry as a Developer Advocate, and at UCSD as a Programming and Design instructor. He is a LinkedIn Learning author, and has also worked at various digital agencies. He is also passionate about surfing, skateboarding and his family.