America's First

Frontier Futurist

Who is John McElligott, The Frontier Futurist?

What is a Frontier Futurist?

Unlike a traditional technical futurist, who focuses primarily on advancements in AI, robotics, and quantum computing, a Frontier Futurist bridges the gap between emerging technologies and real-world communities. A Frontier Futurist understands that the future is not just about machines and algorithms but about people, culture, and the resilience of communities in the face of rapid change.

John McElligott, known as The Frontier Futurist, is a visionary entrepreneur, AI expert, and national speaker dedicated to ensuring Middle America is not left behind in the AI revolution. Born into an Irish working-class family and shaped by his experiences in the Marine Corps, startup entrepreneurship, and as the host of AI: Unpacking the Black Box on PBS, John has made it his mission to educate, inspire, and mobilize small towns, legacy industries, and local leaders to embrace AI-driven opportunities.

The AI Awakening is Here—And Everyone Must Be Included

The Frontier Futurist Tour, led by John McElligott, is a nationwide mission to ensure that no community is left behind in the artificial intelligence revolution. AI is already reshaping industries, economies, and national security, and Middle America must play a critical role in the transformation.

From small towns to industrial hubs, this tour engages leaders, workers, and families to demystify AI, spark innovation, and equip communities with the tools to thrive.

About the Tour

What is the Frontier Futurist Tour?

The Frontier Futurist Tour is a speaking, listening, and workshop series designed to meet people where they are—whether in schools, local businesses, farms, churches, or economic development organizations. Through engaging keynotes, hands-on learning, and open dialogue, we help everyday Americans understand, adapt to, and leverage AI for their future.

Who We Engage:

Schools & Universities – Preparing students & teachers for the AI-powered workforce
Economic Development Orgs – Helping local leaders bring AI-driven opportunities to their communities
Religious & Community Groups – Addressing fears & discussing AI’s ethical and societal impact
Manufacturers & Legacy Businesses – Showing how AI can modernize operations & create jobs
Farmers & Agriculture Leaders – Helping rural communities use AI for smarter farming
Mayors & Lawmakers – Advising local leaders on policy & workforce development
Nonprofits & Healthcare Organizations – Exploring AI’s role in improving public services & medicine

Want the Frontier Futurist Tour to visit your city?

Why Now?

America’s AI Moment is Here—And the Stakes Have Never Been Higher

AI is advancing exponentially, and the next 18 months will determine who leads the future. Failure to act now risks economic collapse, job displacement, and falling behind global competitors.

National Security: Countries like China are rapidly advancing AI—America must mobilize all its people and industries to remain competitive.
New Industries: AI will power the next industrial revolution—Middle America must be a key player, not a casualty.
Our Children’s Future: The jobs of tomorrow will demand AI literacy—without proper education, entire generations could be left behind.

The window for action is closing—will we embrace AI or be left behind?

The window for action is closing—will we embrace AI or be left behind?

During WWII, York, PA, pioneered a groundbreaking economic strategy known as the York Plan, which helped small businesses and manufacturers collaborate, innovate, and scale to meet wartime production needs. Today, AI is the new warfront, and we need a York Plan 2.0 to ensure Middle America doesn’t get left behind.

Want to be part of the York Plan 2.0?

Hire John McElligott as a Keynote Speaker

A Speaker Who Can Inspire & Educate

John McElligott is a visionary entrepreneur, AI expert, and national speaker who has spoken to governors, Fortune 500 executives, educators, and business leaders on how AI is reshaping our world. His compelling storytelling and real-world expertise make him the perfect keynote speaker for:

Want John to speak at your next event?

I needed someone to be blatantly honest with our community while connecting the dots in a practical way, and John did not disappoint! His presentation was powerful, intriguing yet inspiring, and has created dozens of conversations from local government to entrepreneurs to organizations at the state level. But John went beyond just the keynote event; he took a personal interest in fully understanding our community. In fact, he went above and beyond by delivering two outreach presentations to all of the tenth-grade students in the school districts and gave an eye opening experience that impacted their futures!

Kay Self - Executive Director for VisionGreenwood

I recently was fortunate to hear John speak about the topic of “disruption” (with regards to technology) and how it is going to be affecting us in our lives. His passion on the topic was evident and his knowledge just as impressive. I also spent time with John 1:1 but if you get the chance, I recommend you attend a session or if you are fortunate enough, pick his brain 1:1.

Sam Statz - Vice President of Construction at Hoffman Planning, Design & Construction, Inc.

John’s thought provoking content about the pace of change, artificial intelligence and the need to embrace disruption wowed me at a Pennsylvania Economic Development Association conference and made me proud to introduce him at a national Utility Economic Development Association forum where he took the house down. He is young, energetic, well prepared and personable, super-intelligent and engaging, and on the cutting edge of innovation, a five-star addition to any line up! Highly recommended.

Maureen Sharkey - Senior Economic Development Specialist at PECO

His approach for his business and his education system offers a vision for a path forward on how society can integrate automation with our lives instead of using automation to displace people. This also breathed some new life in me to continue to push for my own business and coworkers to think ahead as we constantly evaluate our automation capabilities. I truly enjoyed our session and hope others do, too!

Matt Ryan - Director, Operations and Capital Management at Hershey Creamery Company

If you are a manufacturing organization looking for someone to spark interest and excitement within the industry as a whole, but also the future of the industry, John’s your guy. I would say, not only just for automation and technology, but for where the industry can go and the possibilities of what’s to come, I think there’s just an overall excitement coming from that summit that we had out manufacturers jazzed about what’s to come and where it’s going.

Morgan Larkson, Business Advisor & Don Cooper, Center Director with South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions

John’s intelligence and wit were abundantly clear, but his insights about the current and future interplay between technology and day-to-day life, especially as experienced and lived by today’s hyper-connected youth, were both exciting and chilling at the same time. The almost casual reliance of youth on technology, and more specifically virtual assistants, has implications for everything from marketing to interpersonal relationships, voting decisions and perhaps even future geopolitical decision making and stability.

David Nizen - Vice President, NYSERNet

John is a dynamic speaker who provided a thought provoking peek in to the future using trends and concepts that are on the cutting edge of becoming everyday reality. If your organization or region is going through change or you are starting a strategic planning process, John’s talks will open your mind to thinking differently to help steer you away from a typical outcome.

Ed Sitar - Manager of Economic and Business Development at ComEd

The skill with which he presented the need to "embrace disruption" in his remarks held the audience's attention and resulted in several follow on questions. More importantly, his remarks were still being discussed by the group at their spring conference held six months later. Johns ability to predict and communicate the disruptive changes that are coming and that now are upon us demonstrates the value of his insights. John is a personable articulate communicator of the future…a true time traveler.

Dean F. Whittaker - Founder & President Whittaker & Associates

Not a cough could be heard in the Sheraton Harrisburg Hershey conference room as manufacturing leaders from across the region gazed at projected images of a small drone hovering in the air with an attached handgun firing off shots. Forget all those old motivational poster platitudes about change and how it drives businesses to evolve and expand. John McElligott wants you to think about disruption. McElligott's concept of disruption is a force for good — for those prepared to embrace it. His points weren't lost on me. As a business journalist, scoping trends is my bread and butter.

Roger DuPuis - Central Pennsylvania Business Journal

I’ve had the pleasure to hear John speak at two recent conferences, in 2015 & 2016. He was equally engaging at both, very energetic and quite able to capture the audience’s attention. When you see the audience gaze at the speaker and not their cell phone, you’ve got a hit! John was dynamic, interesting, and thought provoking. He was on point with the audience and they could see the relevance in his presentation. I would absolutely recommend him for any number of speaking engagements.

Carol Karls - Manager at Business & Community Development at Wisconsin Public Service

Watch AI: Unpacking the Black Box

AI is Changing Everything—Get the Inside Story

John McElligott is the host of PBS’s AI: Unpacking the Black Box, a groundbreaking series featuring interviews with world-renowned experts in technology, AI, quantum physics, neuroscience, ethics, and policy.

The Podcast

The Embracing Disruption Podcast centers around technology, robotics, artificial intelligence, geopolitical shifts, and much more.

Our goal is to prepare you for an unseen future and the coming Fourth Industrial Revolution. We speak with technologists, non-profit and political leaders, entrepreneurs, and many others on what is happening now that are shaping our future.

Get Involved

The future isn’t just happening—it’s being built. Join the movement to ensure Middle America has a stake in the age of AI.

Attend an Event

Book a Workshop

Become a Sponsor