What if — in the middle of all the AI noise — what we actually need is a pause? A breath.
A moment to slow down, think with each other, and design the next right step.
The best ideas arrive mid-river, not mid-Zoom
This summer, Elysa (a dear friend and innovation design bestie), Paul (another ride or die collaborator who is a tender of innovation in Montana), and I kept circling the same question.
Over long conversations, shared articles, spark calls with national leaders, and dozens of voice memos that I recorded on my phone from trails, rivers and lakes, we asked:
What if Montana’s leaders had a space to slow down, learn together, and design their next step with AI — with clarity, creativity, and humanity?
And then, Front Street Capital asked it too.
That shared question — asked at the right moment, from different corners — is what created Amplify.
Sometimes the work tells you it’s ready.
A Different Kind of AI Space
On December 4, we are co-hosting Amplify: The AI Design Retreat.
It is a small, cross-sector gathering of bright lights from Montana and beyond— leaders at all levels from business, capital, higher ed, social impact, policy, research, and the creative world.
Amplify isn’t about tools or hype.
It’s about human potential, creativity, and innovation — the things worth protecting and expanding.
Rich with talks, facilitated conversations, cross-pollination, and expert insights, it is designed so everyone leaves with a personal AI “experiment” to take forward — whether that’s sharpening a business edge, reimagining customer experience, exploring new creative forms, strengthening evaluation, or shaping their organization’s AI policy.
It’s applied, grounded, and deeply connected to each person’s real work in the real world.
Why It Matters
Leaders are navigating real transitions.
Amplify is a pause — a place to surface the brilliance already in the room, stretch it, and shape what comes next with clarity and intention.
It is a breath.
A spark.
A moment of alignment before the next big move.
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