Founder of Mad Systems. Author of The World Model and Hyper-Personalized Venues. Issued and pending patents in hyper-personalization, a non-visual guidance system, and AI governance and intelligent venue systems across the United States, Europe, China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
For forty years, I've designed, commissioned, and operated technology systems for museums, theme parks, and cultural institutions worldwide. Along the way, I've focused relentlessly on R&D to create next-generation solutions that truly serve visitors and operators alike.
That focus led to a node compute-based system that enabled capabilities we had never had before—hyper-personalization that actually works at scale, proper integration of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, and ultimately the WorldModel™ framework: a governance architecture for AI in physical venues that prioritizes privacy, accessibility, and operational truth.
My patents span the United States, European Union, China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, covering hyper-personalized media delivery, visitor recognition without surveillance, and intelligent venue coordination at scale. Additional patents are pending globally.
A governing conviction runs through all of this work: every visitor deserves the same quality of experience. That means accessibility is not a feature—it is infrastructure. Non-visual navigation, neurodiversity support, language dignity, hearing-loop integration, sign-language delivery, and braille-device compatibility are all first-class paths, not afterthoughts bolted on after opening day. The WorldModel™ framework enforces this at the architectural level: if the accessible path is not the primary path, the system does not pass governance.
The operators who define what visitors expect will set the standard. The operators who follow will pay a catch-up premium that compounds every year.
I live in Orange, California, with my wife Tricia.
Two companion volumes—strategic clarity for leaders, technical depth for implementers.
A CEO's Guide to AI, Privacy, and World Models. The strategic framework for boards, owners, and senior leaders to evaluate, procure, and govern AI-powered venue experiences—without getting lost in technical complexity.
Order on Amazon
Governed AI for Hyper-Personalized Venues. The first comprehensive framework for AI that works in public space—on opening day and ten years later. Architecture, governance patterns, procurement specifications, and acceptance criteria.
Order on AmazonBoth books are available worldwide. In the USA and Middle East, order directly from the links above. In other regions, search Amazon for the book title or for Maris Ensing to find them on your local Amazon store.
I speak on AI governance, privacy-forward design, and the future of intelligent physical spaces. Available for keynotes, workshops, and strategic advisory engagements worldwide.
High-impact presentation for conferences, leadership summits, and corporate events. Customized to your industry and audience.
Hands-on session for leadership teams. Practical frameworks for AI governance, procurement, and operational readiness.
Strategic guidance for venue technology, AI governance, and experience architecture decisions.
Why capable AI without governance is dangerous in public spaces—and how to build systems that can be trusted.
Moving beyond policy to systems where privacy violations are technically impossible by design.
Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2: Matching capability to complexity. Why most venues should target Stage 1.
Why the accessible path must be the primary path—and how to build inclusion into the architecture.
The strategic frame for technology investment: does your spend compound into coherence or fragment into operating drag?
Why operators who define visitor expectations set the standard—and what it costs to follow.
Every visitor arrives with a different cognitive profile, sensory threshold, and native language. Systems that treat accessibility as a checkbox fail all of them. Systems that treat it as architecture serve every one of them.
The industry is flooded with "AI-powered" venue solutions that can't explain what they do with visitor data, can't degrade gracefully, and can't pass a procurement audit. Learn to tell the difference before you sign.
Digital twins, smart buildings, and connected venues generate extraordinary data about human behavior. Without constitutional governance, that data is not an asset—it's a breach waiting to be discovered.
Proprietary AV systems lock you into hardware you can't replace, firmware you can't audit, and vendors you can't leave. Compute-node architecture uses commodity hardware, open standards, and modular nodes—so you're never hunting for discontinued spares on eBay five years after opening day.
Museums · Theme Parks · Cruise Ships · Airports · Brand Centers · Cultural Institutions · Smart Cities · Corporate Experience Centers
Whether you're planning a keynote, exploring advisory work, or discussing strategic partnerships—I'd welcome the conversation.