Coca-Cola will be featured in a keynote session at Ad Age’s Web3 Summit on May 9. A one-on-one conversation with Pratik Thakar, head of global creative strategy and content, will focus on the role that AI will play in the metaverse, as well as how the brand is planning its own strategy around the two technologies.

Ad Age’s Web3 Summit is a two-day, virtual event that will explore the meaning of the metaverse and its related tools to brands and agencies. The May 9 agenda will cover the future opportunities of Web3, such as digital twinning and how inclusivity can be built into the metaverse; the May 10 program will focus on the opportunities that are available to brands today, such as creating crypto wallets and digital avatars.

Confirmed speakers will include high-level marketing experts from Roblox, Puma, Pepsi, Paramount, Reddit, Doodles, Consensys, Ready Player Me and more.

Thakar, who will represent Coca-Cola in its keynote session, has been at the company for more than 10 years in various marketing roles before landing in his current position in January 2021. Prior to Coca-Cola, Thakar spent time leading strategy at ad agencies Grey Group and McCann Worldgroup.

Thakar is also an Ad Age AI marketing leader to know. He is currently helping drive AI experimentation for Coca-Cola, including through the company’s recent campaign that hinged on ChatGPT and DALL-E to create brand artwork.

In February, Coca-Cola inked a deal with Bain & Company to enhance its marketing creativity via OpenAI’s generative AI tools. The commitment to the space is one of the most ambitious yet from a consumer products company, Zack Kass, head of go-to-market at OpenAI, said in a press statement.

Meanwhile, Coca-Cola has also utilized Web3 tools as part of its marketing strategy. The company was one of the first major brands to adopt NFTs in the summer of 2021, which it has since doubled down on in more recent efforts. Last year, Coca-Cola built a metaverse world in Fortnite for a “pixel-flavored” product.

Despite competing for ad dollars, the metaverse and AI are poised to find common ground in helping brands democratize creative experiences for consumers. The expectations and opportunities of their convergence will be a primary topic in Thakar’s keynote session.