Derek Top, Principal Analyst & Research Director, Opus Research
Derek Top is Principal Analyst and Research Director for Opus Research, a diversified advisory firm tracking how AI, LLMs, and advanced technologies are impacting customer experiences and enterprise applications. For more than 20 years, he has been covering technology innovation, spearheading research and analysis on how Conversational AI and Conversational Intelligence technologies transform businesses and reshape customer service.
Previously, Top served as senior associate editor with Optimize magazine and InformationWeek covering business technology and enterprise IT trends for CMP Media and UBM. Before joining CMP, Top was managing editor with Streaming Media, Inc. Prior to Opus Research, he was senior editor and program director at the Trellis Group. There he helped produce the VERGE conference series and wrote about how technology convergence drives innovation for smart energy and sustainability.
Contact: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Derek Top
Twitter: @derektop
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Ian Jacobs, VP & Lead Analyst, Opus Research
Ian Jacobs is VP, Lead Analyst for Opus Research. For more than 30 years, Ian has helped brands generate better customer experiences through his research, consulting, writing, and speaking. As an analyst, he has been at the forefront of research on conversational AI, covering the technology and its applications in customer service since 2005. His research dives into the powerful crossroads of technology and its real-world impact on employees and consumers. Ian’s research also covers workforce engagement tools, contact center outsourcing, and the uses of AI in analytics and employee augmentation.
Previously, Ian headed the teams researching conversational AI, conversational commerce, conversation intelligence, digital customer service, and core contact center at Forrester. He headed up the company’s Digital Business and Strategy product. As an individual contributor before that, he was “the chatbot guy” at Forrester. He has held senior roles at several analyst firms, including 451 Research and Ovum. At Genesys, Ian was the customer experience evangelist, connecting technology to people’s lived experiences. Ian is an award-winning columnist and is widely quoted in publications ranging from the New York Times to Wired.
Contact: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Ian Jacobs
Twitter: @iangjacobs
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Amy Stapleton, Senior Analyst, Opus Research
Amy Stapleton is a seasoned professional with a rich background in Conversational AI and technology innovation. Since 2016, Amy has been at the forefront of Conversational AI, continuously pushing boundaries and exploring new possibilities. She has a proven track record of building successful voice applications on the Amazon Alexa platform. More recently, Amy has been dedicated to addressing the unique needs of isolated older adults through the power of Large Language Models (LLMs). Amy covers emerging trends for GenAI and cutting-edge technologies in conversational assistance.
Amy’s career also includes nearly 15 years at NASA, where she served as an IT Manager and Branch Chief in the Enterprise Applications division. Her contributions in this capacity contributed to the smooth operation and digital transformation of NASA’s technological infrastructure. Before her time at NASA, Amy honed her expertise at leading technology giants IBM and SAP. Her experience in these companies provided her with a deep understanding of enterprise-level systems and their integration, further solidifying her proficiency in managing complex IT projects.
Contact: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Amy Stapleton
Twitter: @Talks2Bots
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Dan Miller, Emeritus Analyst & Founder, Opus Research
Dan Miller founded Opus Research in 1986 and helped define Conversational Commerce through consulting engagements and by authoring scores of reports and advisories addressing business opportunities that reside where automated speech and natural language processing leverage conversational AI, analytics and contact centers.
As Director of the New Electronic Media Program at LINK Resources from 1980-1983, he helped define one of the first continuous advisory services in the information industry. He then held management positions at Atari, Warner Communications and Pacific Telesis Group (now part of AT&T). He edited and published Telemedia News & Views, a highly-regarded monthly newsletter regarding developments in voice processing and intelligent network services. He also served as Editor-in-Chief of The Kelsey Report, where he also oversaw the launch of advisory services on local online commerce, voice & wireless commerce and global directories.
Dan received his BA from Hampshire College and an MBA from Columbia University Graduate School of Business.
Contact: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Dan Miller
Twitter: @dnm54