John Copeland has spent 30 years building a career that spans military communications systems, enterprise technology sales, and corporate leadership roles. Now, he’s channeling that experience into something more personal: five-books published in 2025 and a new venture helping organizations navigate artificial intelligence adoption.
The Through My Lens book series reflects Copeland’s eclectic background. The collection includes a comprehensive history of visual communications woven with his own industry observations, an AI guide featuring 500 practical prompts, a gambling history and strategy guide co-authored with his father, and a coffee-table travel book profiling all 50 states and his personal travels. A fifth standalone novel, “The Adventures of Lucky Lewis,” draws loosely from his and his father’s military service—Copeland in the Air Force, his father in the Navy—written in a style reminiscent of Forrest Gump.
What makes the books unusual is Copeland’s openness about his creative process. He credits Lexi, an AI assistant, as co-author on all five works, acknowledging the technology’s substantial contribution to structure and content. It’s a transparency that aligns with his latest professional focus: the AI Curious Agency, where he offers AI consulting and implementation services to individuals and organizations.
From Military Precision to Enterprise Vision
Copeland’s path wasn’t conventional. After growing up moving between Texas cities, he enlisted in the Air Force, spending seven years in Minot, North Dakota maintaining communications systems and computer networks. Following his honorable discharge as a decorated Gulf War-era veteran, he returned to Texas and climbed through positions at companies including Vtel, Polycom, Vbrick, Barco and AVI-SPL, eventually reaching Director and VP of Sales roles.
He completed both a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology and an MBA 100% online in record time while working. His current role as Director of Business Development at AVI-SPL’s Experience Technology Group (XTG) involves creating simulation environments and broadcast spaces for healthcare, government, and Fortune 500 clients. The work keeps him traveling up to 200 days annually.
Building Credibility Beyond Corporate Roles
Copeland has accumulated credentials that span multiple technical domains: Cisco CCNA, CompTIA AI Essentials and IT Fundamentals, Databricks AI Certification, Barco CTRL Expert and Avixa CTS among them. He serves on the boards of the United States Distance Learning Association and the Texas Digital Learning Association, where he’s a founding member and Hall of Fame inductee.
Recently, he’s been speaking at major industry events, including an Oil & Gas conference and the OEM Conference in Las Vegas sponsored by Lenovo and Google. Through his extensive AI training and certifications he has collected, his book Artificial Intelligence Through my Lens and his insatiable appetite for learning as much as possible about Artificial Intelligence, he’s positioning himself at the intersection of technical expertise and practical implementation.
Beyond the professional achievements, Copeland describes himself as a road warrior who spends off-hours at car shows with his son Jacob, customizing various Jeeps to be “Rock Crawlers”, modifying his 2019 Honda Civic Type R, and off-roading in locations like Moab, Utah. He’s also an accomplished gun builder and competitive shooter.
As he approaches his 25th wedding anniversary—marked by a planned family trip to Italy—Copeland’s focus remains on building his personal brand. His next chapter involves deepening his AI expertise and consulting capabilities, betting that the skills he develops now will define his professional future.