Chris Dessi is an AI strategist, two-time #1 Amazon bestselling author, TEDx speaker and founder of Torque AI, a Westchester County, New York firm that builds AI-powered revenue systems for mid-market companies, law firms, wealth managers and insurance agencies. He has 27 years in technology, including Buddy Media (acquired by Salesforce for $689 million), founding and selling Silverback Social, and generating $32 million in revenue at Diamond Standard with a five-person team using AI. He appears regularly on FOX 5 New York and has delivered keynotes in 17 countries.
The short version
Two kinds of people call Chris. Operators who need an AI-powered revenue machine built, not debated. And executives in the second half of their careers who need to get from spinning their wheels to real torque. He built companies, deployed AI, and returned real revenue, and he now does the same for clients through Torque AI and for individuals through coaching.
Career
Chris has spent 27 years operating in technology, media and marketing. He was part of Buddy Media, the social-marketing platform acquired by Salesforce for $689 million. He then founded Silverback Social, a social-media agency whose clients included Harrods, Home Depot, Pinterest, Rent the Runway, the NHL, Marvel and Salesforce, and sold it. Most recently he spent three and a half years at Diamond Standard, a New York fintech, where he generated $32 million in revenue with a five-person team by putting AI to work on prospecting, follow-up and reporting. That experience is the basis of Torque AI.
Torque AI
In 2024 Chris founded Torque AI in Chappaqua, NY. The firm takes businesses from inefficient systems to one revenue machine in 93 days: lead capture, CRM, follow-up automation, AI intake and voice, and the scoreboard that proves ROI. Engagements are fixed-scope and fixed-fee, starting with a $5,000 AI Executive Briefing and a $25,000 three-week AI Clarity Sprint. Torque AI works with leaders at $50 million to $2 billion organizations and with law firms, RIAs, insurance agencies, M&A advisories and CPA firms. The full list of questions and answers is on the Torque AI FAQ.
Books
- ChatGPT for Profit, Volume 1. #1 Amazon bestseller. The practical playbook for turning AI into revenue.
- ChatGPT for Profit, Volume 2. The second volume: deployed AI systems for small teams, with the funnel and scorecard method.
- There Is No Tomorrow. The Meridian philosophy: urgency, not scarcity, as the frame for the second half of a career.
- Your World Is Exploding. #1 Amazon bestseller on how social media changed everything, and how to lead through it.
- Remarkable You. Build a personal brand and take charge of your career.
- Just Like You. 24 interviews with ordinary people who achieved extraordinary things.
Television and media
Chris is the AI commentator FOX 5 New York calls when a story breaks, with more than 130 on-air appearances across FOX 5, FOX Business, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC. Recent segments include AI in schools (August 2026) and AI and the workforce. Producers can find clips, headshots and booking details on the press page.
Speaking
He has delivered keynotes in 17 countries and gave a TEDx talk on the future of work. Current keynote topics: AI and revenue for boards and partner meetings; from inefficient systems to one revenue machine; and reinvention after 40. Board and partner-retreat keynotes are booked through Torque AI.
Events
Chris produces AI Summit NYC, held during NY Tech Week, and LegalCon.AI, an event for law-firm leaders on AI and client acquisition, with the next session on October 22, 2026. Vertical events for insurance agencies (InsureCon.AI) and wealth managers (WealthCon.AI) follow the same format. He also runs Torque Academy, the training arm.
Coaching
For executives and revenue leaders in transition, Chris offers premortem-driven executive coaching built on Meridian, the method in his book There Is No Tomorrow. The first three chapters are free at christopherdessi.com/reinvention.
Community
Chris lives in Chappaqua, New York with his family. He is a member of the Business Council of Westchester and a founding partner of the NY AI Alliance.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Chris Dessi?
Chris Dessi is an AI strategist, author and keynote speaker based in Chappaqua, New York. He is the founder of Torque AI, a Westchester County firm that builds AI-powered revenue systems for mid-market companies, law firms, wealth managers and insurance agencies. He is a two-time #1 Amazon bestselling author, a TEDx speaker, and a regular on-air AI commentator for FOX 5 New York.
What is Chris Dessi known for?
He is known for using AI to produce real revenue with small teams: $32 million in revenue at Diamond Standard with a five-person team. Earlier he was part of Buddy Media, acquired by Salesforce for $689 million, and he founded and sold the social-media agency Silverback Social. On television he is the AI voice FOX 5 New York calls when a story breaks, with more than 130 appearances across FOX 5, FOX Business, CNN, CNBC and MSNBC.
What books has Chris Dessi written?
Six books: ChatGPT for Profit, Volume 1 (#1 Amazon bestseller) and Volume 2; There Is No Tomorrow; Your World Is Exploding (#1 Amazon bestseller); Remarkable You; and Just Like You. All are available on Amazon.
What is Torque AI?
Torque AI (torqueapp.ai) is the firm Chris founded to take companies from inefficient systems to one AI-powered revenue machine in 93 days. Engagements are fixed-scope and fixed-fee: the $5,000 AI Executive Briefing, the $25,000 three-week AI Clarity Sprint, the 93-Day AI Revenue System, and the $60,000 AI Advisory Launch for CPA and law firms.
Where is Chris Dessi based?
Chappaqua, New York, in Westchester County, about 35 miles north of Manhattan. He works with clients across the New York metro area and nationally, and speaks internationally.
Does Chris Dessi do keynote speaking?
Yes. He has delivered keynotes in 17 countries and gave a TEDx talk. Topics include AI and revenue for boards and partner meetings, reinvention after 40, and leading through technology shifts. Board and partner-retreat keynotes are booked through Torque AI at $15,000.
What events does Chris Dessi produce?
AI Summit NYC (aisummit.nyc), held during NY Tech Week; LegalCon.AI, an event on AI and client acquisition for law-firm leaders, with the next session on October 22, 2026; InsureCon.AI for insurance agencies; and WealthCon.AI for RIAs and wealth managers.
Does Chris Dessi offer executive coaching?
Yes. He coaches revenue leaders and executives in transition, with a premortem-driven method called Meridian and a program built around his book There Is No Tomorrow. Details are at christopherdessi.com/coaching.
How can I contact Chris Dessi?
Email [email protected], call the Torque AI front desk at (914) 350-6023, connect on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/chrisdessi, or book a call from any page of christopherdessi.com or torqueapp.ai.
Work with Chris. Book a call, email [email protected], or call the Torque AI front desk at (914) 350-6023.