HIGH POINT, N.C., June 16, 2026 – New York Times bestselling author Daniel Burrus, who is considered one of the world’s leading technology futurists, has joined High Point University’s Access to Innovators Program. He will share his expertise in artificial intelligence, global trends and disruptive innovation with students as HPU’s AI Expert in Residence.
Burrus has built a reputation for accurately predicting technological changes, including AI, and their impact on business, government and education. Since 2015, he has served on HPU’s National Board of Advisors, which is comprised of Fortune 500 CEOs, thought leaders and distinguished visionaries who have impacted the world in significant ways.
“The rapid growth of AI is what I call a ‘hard trend,’ making HPU’s focus on life skills more valuable to every student as each year unfolds,” Burrus said. “We live in a human world that is based on relationships, and good relationships are based on trust that is earned through shared values. As AI advances, it will assist and augment much of the work of humans, but it’s the human-centered life skills that will enable personal and professional growth for all.”
Burrus serves as a strategic advisor to executives from leading corporations, defense contractors and the education sector, helping to guide them on AI and technology-driven innovation. He is a founding member of the U.S. Department of Defense Joint Services Futures Group, as well as CEO of Burrus Research, a research and consulting firm that tracks emerging technological, social and business trends.
Burrus created Hard Trend Planning and Innovation Methodology, which has been embraced by leading organizations. The methodology separates “hard trends” that will happen from “soft trends,” which could happen. He has delivered more than 3,000 keynote speeches across the globe.
In addition, Burrus has published seven books that reflect his approach to being a disruptor and futurist, including “Flash Foresight,” which became a New York Times bestseller in 2011. It was also a Wall Street Journal bestseller. He has written for the Harvard Business Review, Wired magazine and LinkedIn, where he has nearly 1.2 million followers.
“Daniel Burrus embraces change and a world in constant flux as opportunity,” HPU President Nido Qubein said. “Likewise, we at HPU seek to instill this entrepreneurial mindset in our students as we prepare them not for the world as it is, but for the world as it’s going to be.”
Burrus joins several other thought leaders from the tech world in the Access to Innovators Program, including:
- Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder and HPU’s Innovator in Residence
- Marc Randolph, Netflix co-founder and HPU’s Entrepreneur in Residence
- Teena Piccione, former Google global transformation and operations executive, former North Carolina chief information officer and HPU’s Data Expert in Residence
- Sean Suggs, former president of Toyota Battery Manufacturing and HPU’s Technology Executive in Residence
Photo: 1) New York Times bestselling author Daniel Burrus, who is considered one of the world’s leading technology futurists, has joined High Point University’s Access to Innovators Program. He will mentor students and collaborate with faculty as HPU’s Artificial Intelligence Expert in Residence.
CONTACT:
Alex Abrams
Senior Director of Media Relations
336-841-9588
aabrams1@highpoint.edu
At High Point University, every student receives an extraordinary education in an inspiring environment with caring people. ® HPU, located in the Piedmont Triad region of North Carolina, is a liberal arts institution with 6,550 undergraduate and graduate students. U.S. News & World Report has ranked HPU the No. 1 Best Regional College in the South for 14 consecutive years and the No. 1 Most Innovative Regional College in the South for 11 consecutive years. The Princeton Review ranked HPU the No. 1 Best-Run College in the nation for a second year in a row in “The Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition.” HPU was also recognized among the Top 20 in the nation for Best College Dorms, Best Career Services, Most Active Student Government, Best Campus Food, Best Student Support and Counseling Services, and Best College Theatre. For 15 years in a row, HPU has been named a College of Distinction with special recognition for career development, business and education programs. The university has 69 undergraduate majors, 74 undergraduate minors and 18 graduate degree programs. It is a member of the NCAA, Division I and the Big South Conference. Visit High Point University on the web at highpoint.edu.
