Reid Johnson
AI Researcher · Founder · World Champion
About
I'm an AI researcher and former world champion. Competition is my life.
In 2025, I co-founded PokketCoach, an AI research and sport psychology company, where my work on agentic architecture has been independently replicated across the world. Before that, I helped launch satellites at Astranis, an aerospace startup.
My esports career started at the age of 15, when I won my first major title. Since then, I've won 10+ national and world championships as a player and coach.
Today, I mostly work on AI memory systems, agent architecture, and recursive learning.
Works
- Natural Language Tools (NLT) — Lead author on a published state-of-the-art tool-calling architecture for AI agents: more than 18% overall improvement in agent tool-calling capabilities, even with frontier models. Independently replicated. Paper on arXiv · Independent replication
- Performance psychology — Published with the Esports Health and Performance Institute on communication, leadership buy-in, optimal learning pathways, and frameworks for consistent performance.
- Invited talks — Speaker, Global AI In Sport Summit (2026); Keynote, Psychological Insights into Coaching Practice (2026); Speaker and startup mentor, Innovit Space Cohort (2024).
- Coaching — Coached Cloud9 White, the greatest women's esports team of all time, from #250 to #28 in the co-ed rankings with a national championship along the way; coached Australia's #1 team (Soniqs) through relocation to North America, rank #34 to #8; coached Egypt's #1 team (Anubis Esports) to a national championship and the first international pro league title by a Middle Eastern team.
- Player awards — Rookie of the Year, Captain of the Year, and Dark Horse Award (ESG Awards); Captain of Team USA (World Cyber Games); MVP (ESL Pro League); Captain, Legends Team (Legends Championships).
Contact
This site is an interactive desktop — enable JavaScript for the full experience.