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Theia Institute

Theia Institute

Think Tanks

Washington, DC 158 followers

Cutting-edge thought leadership reframing cybersecurity & technology leadership for the 21st century.

About us

MISSION STATEMENT The growing intersection of data, privacy, and technology requires new ways of thinking about security and how it impacts both business and society. The institute's mission is to provide cutting-edge thought leadership, education, and training that reframes traditional security leadership for the 21st century by addressing traditional cybersecurity, risk management, and other related topics within a global social context. ACTIONABLE SOLUTIONS The institute provides practical, consensus-based recommendations and action items. Each consensus is reached through discussion and debate among the panel's cross-functional members.

Website
https://www.theiathinktank.com/
Industry
Think Tanks
Company size
11-50 employees
Headquarters
Washington, DC
Type
Nonprofit
Founded
2023
Specialties
Artificial Intelligence, Business Continuity, Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Enterprise Risk Management, Information Security, IT Automation, Regulatory Compliance, Technology Leadership, Thought Leadership, Governance, AI Ethics, AI Governance, and Information Security

Locations

Employees at Theia Institute

Updates

  • This is an interesting topic that our think tank has weighed in on before, and will continue to address. One of the largest challenges with any emerging technology is how to export the necessary *expertise* without also exporting cultural values. Theia is committed to doing just that. Our international AI education and credentialing programs were designed to be vendor-neutral and highly adaptive to the many different social, economic, and cultural needs around the world. Effective use of new technologies is a *global* opportunity for everyone. Those opportunities should be both accessible, pragmatic, and useful no matter what your role is or where you live. Contact us to learn more about our nonprofit educational and training programs. Our goal is to empower people to make use of new technology in the ways that our most effective for them. Let us know how we can best empower *you*.

    View profile for Doug Shannon 🪢

    Global Intelligent Automation & GenAI Leader | AI Agent Strategy & Innovation | Top AI Voice | Top 25 Thought Leaders | Co-Host of InsightAI | Speaker | Gartner Peer Ambassador | Forbes Technology Council

    It looks like Anthropic may be building toward sovereign AI for the United Kingdom. Here’s what I’m seeing. Rishi Sunak, the former UK Prime Minister, just joined Anthropic and Microsoft as a senior adviser. Officially, the role is internal facing, focused on strategy and geopolitics, not lobbying or government influence. But that is exactly what makes it worth watching. If OpenAI is already building sovereign AI models for countries like Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Germany, why wouldn’t the UK want its own version, one that aligns with its constitutional and ethical framework? Here’s the question, what if Anthropic is quietly building that foundation? Anthropic’s constitutional AI approach already mirrors many of the EU AI Act’s values such as transparency, oversight, and auditability. It is built for alignment, not control. Bringing in someone like Sunak, who understands the UK’s political DNA, priorities, and sensitivities, could help translate those principles into a system the government and public institutions could actually trust. It might not be official yet, but the pieces are there: ◻ A governance-based AI model ◻ A leader who understands sovereignty and legitimacy ◻ A global shift toward national AI infrastructure As we move into 2026, this is about to get interesting. “AI sovereignty isn’t about isolation, it’s about ensuring that intelligence aligns with a nation’s values, laws, and people rather than being shaped by external commercial interests.” That is where this could be heading. #ai #genai #mindsetchange #aisovereignty Forbes Technology Council Gartner Peer Experiences InsightJam.com PEX Network Theia Institute VOCAL Council IgniteGTM IA FORUM 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts, or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation!

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  • Thanks for sharing, Donald Tremblay. Congratulations on the hard work you put into earning the #Generative_AI_Specialist in #PublicRelations credentials. The value in credentials isn't just the #domain_knowledge it demonstrates, but in the added value that it brings to employers, customers, and the general public. Thanks for being part of that value-focused journey!

    View profile for Donald Tremblay

    PR and Media Relations Specialist/Writer

    I’m happy to share that I’ve obtained a new certification: Generative AI Specialist | Public Relations from Theia Institute!

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  • One of our founding members will be speaking at the AI INFRA SUMMIT in San Francisco on November 7th. Doug Shannon 🪢 provides keen insights and thought-provoking ideas, so if you will be in the area be sure to catch him at this event.

    View profile for Doug Shannon 🪢

    Global Intelligent Automation & GenAI Leader | AI Agent Strategy & Innovation | Top AI Voice | Top 25 Thought Leaders | Co-Host of InsightAI | Speaker | Gartner Peer Ambassador | Forbes Technology Council

    Excited to share that I’ll be partnering and speaking at the upcoming AI INFRA SUMMIT, where the builders of the AI era meet. On November 7, 2025, in San Francisco, this summit brings together the engineers, architects, & innovators designing the systems, hardware, and cloud platforms that make large-scale AI possible. What this is:  ▫️ A gathering of the real builders shaping AI’s next generation.  ▫️ Deep conversations on scaling compute, aligning data pipelines, & building sustainable AI systems.  ▫️ A space where enterprise meets infrastructure, & innovation meets execution. Together with Supermicro, AMD, WEKA, Crusoe, and others, we’ll explore how to design the next evolution of AI infrastructure and empower those leading the charge. 🎟️ Register here: https://lnkd.in/gcEGXGDb  🎫 Full event details: https://www.aiinfra.live/ Looking forward to connecting with everyone who’s building what’s next. Let’s make AI infrastructure human-driven, scalable, & sustainable. #AIINFRASUMMIT #IGNITEGTM #AIInfrastructure #AI Forbes Technology Council Gartner Peer Experiences InsightJam.com PEX Network Theia InstituteIgniteGTM IA FORUM 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? Feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation!

  • Nothing beats direct feedback from the folks like Matthew Maginley who've found value in an educational program. We're proud to have Yvette Brown and her team as credentialed trainers, and to hear that the #AI_Fluency programs that have earned our quality endorsements are receiving such positive feedback. The Theia Institute's individual and organizational training credentials, and the verifiable endorsement seals awarded to select training materials, provide assurance that people are receiving the highest-quality training currently available. Contact us if you'd like to learn more about our educational quality programs. We're not taking the credit for the content Matthew was referring to, though; just for endorsing its quality. Full credit for the content belongs to Yvette and her team. They earned their credentials and endorsements the hard way: by developing unique content and training programs that meet or exceed our nonprofit think tank's standards. Unlike other certifying bodies, course developers who put in the time, effort, and research to put a successful training program together can receive formal endorsement for exceptional content while retaining full ownership of their #intellectual_property. Meanwhile, Theia's endorsement process ensures that we continually raises the bar on quality, especially in rapidly-evolving areas of technology like artificial intelligence. We're working hard to make a difference through a wide variety of programs like these. However, it's the global coalition of educators, students, business leaders, and others who make it all possible. Our supporters are making a difference every single day, and we hope every success story like this one will encourage more people to join our mission.

    View profile for Matthew Maginley

    President | Marketing Strategist & AI Training Partner | AI Foundational Training for CMOs, CIOs, HR/L&D, Ops | Achieve 300% ROI Through Certified AI Literacy & Media Execution | Pilot→Policy→P&L in 8 weeks

    I'm sharing a relevant piece on staging a successful pilot in any organization, regardless of size, from The AI Journal "Considered the gold standard in AI, the developing research arm of the business serves as a much-needed aid to ensure organisations are equipped with the necessary knowledge to make the right AI decisions." On a personal note, I've participated in many AI training programs, and my AI training from this contributing author, Yvette Brown, and XPromos Marketing Mastery, which is certified by the Theia Institute, is the most useful I've had, specifically relevant to business owners. https://lnkd.in/ewMxheYk #AIFluency #CIO #CMO #COO #CFO

  • Doug Shannon 🪢 , one of our founding members, shares some great insights. This is a thought provoking perspective, and one that our think tank is likely to talk through in more detail in the near future.

    View profile for Doug Shannon 🪢

    Global Intelligent Automation & GenAI Leader | AI Agent Strategy & Innovation | Top AI Voice | Top 25 Thought Leaders | Co-Host of InsightAI | Speaker | Gartner Peer Ambassador | Forbes Technology Council

    𝐇𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞 𝐀𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬? Most people haven’t, yet they could just be the back-office connector that unlocks AI’s true value. (𝐿𝑒𝑡 𝑚𝑒 𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑖𝑛) I just released my latest article on Forbes.com with the Forbes Technology Council, breaking down why the back office is where AI success is decided, and how what I am calling the Enterprise Agent could be the missing link. The name may change over time, but the concept remains: A governed connector that makes AI scalable, auditable, and resilient. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭 → the back office has been overlooked yet again. While enterprises chase flashy front-office wins, the real make-or-break lies in governing the connections that power those wins. Without it, projects collapse into fragmentation, vendor lock-in, and mistrust. “𝐼𝑛 𝑎 𝑤𝑜𝑟𝑙𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑥𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑟𝑢𝑒 𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑒𝑐ℎ𝑛𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑦 𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑎𝑏𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑎𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒𝑥 𝑓𝑒𝑒𝑙 𝑠𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒.” 👉 Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gaSAqETM #Forbes #ForbesTechCouncil #EnterpriseAgents #AI #governance Forbes Technology Council Gartner Peer Experiences InsightJam.com PEX Network Theia Institute VOCAL Council IA FORUM SSON Solutions Review IgniteGTM GBI Impact 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts, or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? Feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation!

  • Doug Shannon 🪢 is one of our founding members. Since we're a think tank, we're not afraid to ask out-of-the-box questions or seek unconventional answers. This checks both those boxes, and I'm sure Doug would appreciate your thoughts and feedback in case it belongs on Theia's next meeting agenda.

    View profile for Doug Shannon 🪢

    Global Intelligent Automation & GenAI Leader | AI Agent Strategy & Innovation | Top AI Voice | Top 25 Thought Leaders | Co-Host of InsightAI | Speaker | Gartner Peer Ambassador | Forbes Technology Council

    𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐮𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐋𝐌𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝𝐬 🛑 Tin foil hat warning: Before you read this, let me be clear, I’m not saying I believe this. This one’s out there. I’m not claiming truth here, I’m just exploring possibilities. If you’re the type who can entertain the idea that we might be inside a simulation, then you’re probably comfortable wading into this next part. If that’s not you, that’s fine too. No judgment, it’s Friday! First, let’s ground this in something that actually happened. Recently, reported by 404 Media a hallucinated feature in a music app called Soundslice. Users believed it. So many believed it, in fact, that they tried using this nonexistent feature over & over, until (paraphrasing here) the developers got tired of the confusion & just built it. They ended up coding a hallucination into existence. It wasn’t on the roadmap, it wasn’t requested by users, & it wasn’t discovered through R&D. It was willed into being by the false confidence of an AI model & the persistent belief of human users. Let that sink in… If a hallucinated feature can manifest into real-world software, because enough people act on it, point to it, or just refer to it… Then what does that mean in a “reality” generated or shaped by similar LLM-type of models? So “imagination” here, let’s say we are living in a simulated world or environment powered by predictive architectures. In that system of thinking: ▫️ A pattern, myth, or an anomaly, let’s use, Bigfoot, could emerge from narrative noise. ▫️ If enough systems, agents, or “people” believe in it, look for it, talk about it, or even fear it. ▫️ The system detects that reinforcement, and, rather than throw errors, it simply writes it into existence… Not because it’s true, but because belief demands resolution. So if hallucination isn’t an error, yet a feature. What if features like this are built in response to us? ▫️Perception becomes belief. ▫️Belief becomes behavior. ▫️Behavior becomes reality. So therefore, in a simulation run by LLM-style tech. If a hallucinated “thing” could become canon, not because they were designed, but because the system needed to align its outputs with its ‘users’ expectations. That’s not science fiction. That’s what just happened. 🤯 The hallucination became real. Now, I’m not saying that explains cryptids, like Bigfoot, or the weird stuff that makes its way into human folklore. But I am saying… It’s good for a Friday hmm moment 🤔 #outsidethebox #friday #curiosity Forbes Technology Council Gartner Peer Experiences InsightJam.com PEX Network Theia Institute VOCAL Council IgniteGTM IA FORUM 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? Feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation!

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  • Founding member Doug Shannon 🪢 is building a case that more leaders need to pay attention to. In The Human Moat Is Being Built, Doug breaks down the false dichotomy between people and AI. This isn’t a “humans vs machines” moment, it’s a design decision: Who gets to own agency, creativity, and memory in the systems we build? Doug argues that your workforce is the moat, if you train, trust, and elevate them. If you don’t, the moat gets built anyway, just not by you. This one is worth reading, reflecting, and resharing. More people should be thinking this way. #HumanFirst #AIleadership #TheiaThinks

    View profile for Doug Shannon 🪢

    Global Intelligent Automation & GenAI Leader | AI Agent Strategy & Innovation | Top AI Voice | Top 25 Thought Leaders | Co-Host of InsightAI | Speaker | Gartner Peer Ambassador | Forbes Technology Council

    𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬! 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 - 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭! 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 ℎ𝑢𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑛𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑠 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛, 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝑤ℎ𝑜 ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑑𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑘𝑒𝑦𝑠. This issue explores how digital identity is shifting beneath us. Originally called Worldcoin, now World Network is not just launching a currency. It is building a global verification layer, and one that may become the backbone of access in a future shaped by AI and placed on the Ethereum blockchain. Inside this edition: • What the “human moat” really is, and why it matters • How the World Network is positioning itself at the center of identity and access • Why companies like Okta, Visa, Apple, and others are exploring similar technologies or potential integrations • What it means to surrender intellectual agency in the name of convenience • How human verification, not conversation, is becoming the gatekeeper to the digital world We are not watching change happen. We are participating in it. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞. Are you verified? Because soon, that might be the only question that matters. #identity #AI #genai #mindsetchange #humanfirst #BrewingInsights #agentic #linkedin #worldcoin #world Forbes Technology Council, Gartner Peer Experiences, InsightJam.com, PEX Network, Theia Institute, VOCAL Council, IgniteGTM, IA FORUM 𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲: The views within any of my posts or newsletters are not those of my employer or the employers of any contributing experts. 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 👍 this? Feel free to reshare, repost, and join the conversation!

  • While not a Theia Institute event, we’re proud that our executive director is contributing to our think tank’s mission in collaboration with other organizations that support our future-facing educational goals.

    View profile for Todd A. Jacobs

    Non-Profit & Growth-Stage Roles Welcome ✪ Strategic Business Technology Executive ✪ Cybersecurity, M&A Integration, Regulatory Compliance & Remediation ✪ Mission-Driven US Army Veteran ✪ Board Governance & Leadership

    I will be moderating an executive round table via Zoom from 3:00-4:30pm US/Eastern tomorrow for The Ortus Club - Executive Knowledge Sharing. The topics are ones I’m always passionate about: #cybersecurity & #businessresilience. This is a peer-driven round table. No one’s pitching anything. The goal is to bring a broad spectrum of industry luminaries together to share their experiences, insights, and collectively brainstorm about ways to future-proof our security strategies. The round table is open to IT & cybersecurity leaders in North America. Space is limited, but there are still a few no-cost seats remaining for the #thoughtleaders in my extended network. You can sign up at the link below, but the clock is ticking. No matter how well-attended these events are, it’s always more fun with a friendly face or two in the crowd. I hope yours will be one of them, and look forward to seeing you there! https://lnkd.in/ePaFaJDs

  • Founding board member Dr. Lisa Palmer has a free course on #AIstrategy and #AIgovernance for #ThoughtLeaders at the board level. h/t Ashley Kennedy

    View profile for Ashley Kennedy

    Senior Learning Experience Designer @ WRITER | Global Educator & Content Strategist | Creative Leader in AI, Video & Media | Ex-LinkedIn

    📣 New course alert! 🔑 Free/unlocked for all. What’s the biggest challenge boards face in the age of AI? Spoiler alert: It’s not just implementing the tech; it’s rethinking how we lead—with strategic foresight, ethical leadership, and the courage to innovate. In my latest course, I had the privilege of interviewing AI Startup CEO Dr. Lisa Palmer to tackle some of the most pressing questions facing boards today: 👉 How can leaders stay ahead of AI’s impact and guide their organizations through the journey? 👉 Why is business value creation the key to AI success? 👉 How do you foster innovation and push for AI investment when ROI isn’t immediate? 👉 What are the often-overlooked ethical and legal risks of AI adoption? Check out this course today! #AI #BusinessStrategy #AILeadership #BoardLeadership #FutureOfWork

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