Creative Tech Europe 2025

Paddy Keane used to deconstruct paintings—turning stretchers into dowels, canvas into scrolls, forging alchemical tinctures to transform base ingredients into something precious. Now he does the same thing with technology.

With three decades at the intersection of art and science, Paddy has watched the discipline of Creative Technology be called many things—and cares deeply about what it should stand for. As Creative R&D Director at AKQA London, he led global work in spatial computing and AI, including Apple Vision Pro showcases in client workshops and across WPP campuses worldwide. His philosophy: innovation isn't about chasing trends, but about deeply understanding emerging technologies and applying them with artistic rigour and human purpose.

Now working independently, Paddy focuses on spatial experiences that blur digital and physical, and agentic AI that doesn't just understand intent but acts on it—with empathy, care, and responsiveness across XR, web, and mobile. Because the best technology doesn't pull you out of the world, it pulls you deeper in. He brings a practitioner's perspective on how Creative Technologists can own their narrative, build credibility beyond buzzwords, and shape what the discipline becomes next.