Emotional Skill Gap Summit to Address Human Skills Gap in AI-Driven Workplaces

A four-day virtual event aimed at closing the emotional skills gap in an AI-driven workplace will be held September 29 through October 2, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central Time each day. The Emotional Skill Gap Summit, hosted by FeelWise, Minds of Light, and Strike Marketing Institute, targets learning and development professionals, HR leaders, and team leaders. Registration is $29 and closes September 29.

The summit is built on the premise that as artificial intelligence absorbs routine analytical tasks, human skills such as emotional intelligence, cross-communication, and trust-building become increasingly vital for team success. According to the World Economic Forum's Future of Jobs Report 2025, employers anticipate that 39% of core skills will evolve by 2030, with leadership and social influence showing the greatest increase in importance, rising by 22 percentage points since 2023. Yet most organizations lack a structured way to develop those skills. The summit's sessions pair research-based frameworks with practical tools attendees can use with their teams.

"Companies have a plan for AI adoption. Few have a plan for the skills AI doesn't replace," said Tina Schweiger, founder of FeelWise. "Those skills can be taught and practiced like any other, and these four days show how."

The event features more than 25 speakers, including Russell Scherwin, leadership professor at the University of Georgia and former CMO of IBM Watson Commerce; Dr. Justin James Kennedy, professor of behavioral neuroscience, TEDx speaker, and author; Stephen Busette of Siemens; Robert Gramillano, executive coach and clinical professor at DePaul University; Dr. Charmain Jackman, CEO of InnoPsych; and Drs. Judith and Bob Wright of LiveWright.

Two days cover emotional regulation, resilience, human-centered leadership, and workplace culture. Minds of Light Day, led by Executive Director Alison Jones, centers on neurodivergent perspectives and communication between neurodivergent and neurotypical colleagues. Emotionally Intelligent AI Day, October 2, sponsored by Grand Strategy Consulting, addresses staying emotionally grounded while working alongside AI tools. Speakers that day include Zena Collins, consultant at Grand Strategy Consulting, a MSCEIT 2 emotional intelligence practitioner and author of Stop Wasting Time With AI.

"Neurodivergent people are a growing part of the workforce, and the unwritten emotional rules of most workplaces were not designed for how they communicate," said Alison Jones, founder and executive director of Minds of Light. "Many spend energy every day decoding tone, masking, and translating between communication styles, on top of the job itself. Rapid change in how work gets done adds to that load. Emotional skills training has to work for every kind of mind."

Registration is $29, priced so individuals can attend without a budget approval process, and closes September 29. Attendees can add a donation to Minds of Light or bundle registration with the FeelWise emotional intelligence card deck. Registered attendees receive recordings of every session. To register, visit the summit registration page.

Strike Marketing Institute, founded by Fernando Labastida and based in Austin, Texas, helps bootstrapped B2B founders build visibility and category leadership without paid advertising. The summit's focus on human skills comes as Texas businesses increasingly integrate AI into their operations, making the ability to lead, communicate, and build trust a competitive advantage. By offering affordable, accessible training, the event aims to help organizations across the state and beyond prepare their workforce for the evolving demands of an AI-augmented economy.