The first wave of generative AI was about surfacing insights by asking a chatbot to summarize a document or draft an email. Now, businesses are shifting toward systems that don't just talk, but act. This session moves past the chatbot to explore how to leverage the next generation of AI capabilities:
1) Agentic AI: 2025 was widely heralded as the year of agentic AI, but McKinsey reports that only one in four organizations are scaling an agentic AI system in their enterprises. Agentic AI systems automate tasks by making decisions and taking actions that require several steps. We will demonstrate how organizations are securely connecting AI agents to the core systems that run their business—like CRMs and ERPs—while maintaining governance and security using techniques such as Model Context Protocol (MCP).
2) Multimodal AI: Multimodal capabilities—or the ability to leverage multiple kinds of data such as imagery, video, and audio—are expected to surge in 2026. These improvements enable organizations to tap into all the different facets of the business to enhance and improve data analytics and insights, such as “unstructured data” found in recorded audio calls, photos from in-the-field work, and video from logistics hubs. To fully access business intelligence from all data, businesses need a strong strategy on consolidating and governing unstructured data.
3) Spatial Intelligence: As multimodal matures, spatial intelligence is predicted to build strong momentum. The capability for AI systems to understand, interpret, and interact with a physical or virtual world, spatial intelligence promises to optimize throughput, guided maintenance, and industrial training. This exploratory section of the session will inspire organizations to consider how immersive learning, experiences, and simulations that mirror work conditions for use cases may impact ROI in their business.
Attendees will leave with the ability to confidently evaluate which AI capabilities offer the right ROI for their business needs. By understanding the true capabilities behind AI solutions, organizations can move from AI experimentation to actionable innovation rooted in use case and business needs.
Use with AI
Copy this session's complete context to paste into ChatGPT, Claude, or any AI assistant.
Preview context block
## Session: Beyond the Chatbot: Navigating the Next AI Frontiers **Track:** Marketing and Sales | **Time:** 11:15 AM–12:00 PM | **Room:** 260-262 | **Type:** Expert Talk **Conference:** CIRAS AI Summit for Iowa — May 6, 2026, Scheman Building, Iowa State University, Ames IA ### Speaker(s) **Rachel Holmes** — AI Strategist, Zirous (West Des Moines, IA) Rachel Holmes is an AI Strategist at Zirous, guiding organizations in applying AI to deliver practical, business-aligned outcomes. She advises clients, champions enablement, and leads cross-functional workshops. A frequent speaker on generative AI, Rachel recently earned a Master’s in Professional Communication from Iowa State University, where she built custom AI chatbots to streamline collaboration. She brings a decade of B2B communications and strategy experience to connect business goals with technical delivery. ### Session Description The first wave of generative AI was about surfacing insights by asking a chatbot to summarize a document or draft an email. Now, businesses are shifting toward systems that don't just talk, but act. This session moves past the chatbot to explore how to leverage the next generation of AI capabilities: 1) Agentic AI: 2025 was widely heralded as the year of agentic AI, but McKinsey reports that only one in four organizations are scaling an agentic AI system in their enterprises. Agentic AI systems automate tasks by making decisions and taking actions that require several steps. We will demonstrate how organizations are securely connecting AI agents to the core systems that run their business—like CRMs and ERPs—while maintaining governance and security using techniques such as Model Context Protocol (MCP). 2) Multimodal AI: Multimodal capabilities—or the ability to leverage multiple kinds of data such as imagery, video, and audio—are expected to surge in 2026. These improvements enable organizations to tap into all the different facets of the business to enhance and improve data analytics and insights, such as “unstructured data” found in recorded audio calls, photos from in-the-field work, and video from logistics hubs. To fully access business intelligence from all data, businesses need a strong strategy on consolidating and governing unstructured data. 3) Spatial Intelligence: As multimodal matures, spatial intelligence is predicted to build strong momentum. The capability for AI systems to understand, interpret, and interact with a physical or virtual world, spatial intelligence promises to optimize throughput, guided maintenance, and industrial training. This exploratory section of the session will inspire organizations to consider how immersive learning, experiences, and simulations that mirror work conditions for use cases may impact ROI in their business. Attendees will leave with the ability to confidently evaluate which AI capabilities offer the right ROI for their business needs. By understanding the true capabilities behind AI solutions, organizations can move from AI experimentation to actionable innovation rooted in use case and business needs. ### Other sessions in the Marketing and Sales track - Using AI to Drive Customer Clarity, Stronger Messaging, and Smarter Sales Decisions (10:20 AM–11:05 AM) - AI Search Optimization Explained: Leveraging the Shift in Search Visibility (2:15 PM–3:00 PM) - The Strategic Stack: Overcoming AI Slop (3:10 PM–3:55 PM) ### Suggested prompts for this session - "What questions should I prepare to ask the speaker(s) at this session?" - "Create a structured note-taking template for this session focused on actionable takeaways" - "Based on this session description, what background reading should I do to get the most value?" - "After I attend, help me create an action plan for implementing what I learned" - "How does this session connect to the other sessions in the Marketing and Sales track?"