[ { "id": 829, "title": "Registration & Full Breakfast", "track": "General", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "8:00 AM", "end_time": "9:00 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 08:00:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 09:00:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "", "full_description": "Registration and breakfast. Arrive early to enjoy a full breakfast and take advantage of dedicated time to network with attendees, speakers, and industry peers before sessions begin.", "speakers": [], "speakers_text": "", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 1 }, { "id": 830, "title": "Opening Address", "track": "General", "session_type": "Opening", "start_time": "9:00 AM", "end_time": "9:20 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 09:00:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 09:20:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "The Opening Address will welcome attendees, orient them to the day, and outline how to navigate sessions, tracks, and networking opportunities. It will also recognize sponsors, set the tone, and highlight how the summit supports practical AI adoption.", "full_description": "The Opening Address will welcome attendees to the summit and help them get oriented for the day ahead. Participants will receive guidance on how to navigate the event, what to expect from the different tracks and sessions, and how to make the most of the networking opportunities built into the program. The session will also recognize sponsors and supporters, set the tone for the day, and provide a brief overview of how the summit is designed to help attendees explore practical uses of artificial intelligence in their organizations.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 2 }, { "id": 832, "title": "When the Smartest in the Room is No Longer Human", "track": "General", "session_type": "Keynote", "start_time": "9:20 AM", "end_time": "10:10 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 09:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:10:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "", "full_description": "Artificial intelligence is accelerating at a pace that is outstripping organizational roadmaps. As capabilities grow and costs plummet, raw intelligence is no longer a scarce resource\u2014it is becoming a commodity.\n\nIn this keynote, Jacey draws on production-grade examples from Pella Corporation, and beyond, to reveal what happens when AI is no longer a tool, but a teammate. From computer vision operating at scale to agentic systems that plan, decide, and act, we are entering an era where the most capable \"thinker\" and \u201cdoer\u201d in the room is often silicon-based.\n\nThe challenge for leadership is no longer about acquiring the smartest tools\u2014it\u2019s about designing an enterprise capable of harnessing them. The winners of this era will not be those with the best algorithms, but those who build AI-ready platforms, govern autonomy without stifling speed, and intentionally redesign the very nature of work, teams, and human decision-making.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Jacey Heuer", "title": "Head of AI & Data Science", "organization": "Pella Corporation" } ], "speakers_text": "Jacey Heuer (Head of AI & Data Science, Pella Corporation)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 4 }, { "id": 833, "title": "From Chatbot to Builder: Turning AI Into a Daily Collaborator Inside Real Projects", "track": "AI Demo", "session_type": "AI Demo", "start_time": "10:20 AM", "end_time": "11:05 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:05:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "This session reframes AI from a black box into a practical collaborator embedded in everyday tools. Using ChatGPT and Codex inside VS Code, it highlights real-world use cases from building 100 Days of Bioinformatics, showing how small, repository-aware workflows reduce friction and support realistic next steps for AI adoption.", "full_description": "Most professionals encounter AI as a chatbot that answers questions. While better prompting improves those interactions, the larger shift underway is toward agents that can automate parts of our work. The practical path to that future begins by embedding AI directly into the environments where work already happens.\r\n\r\nThis session demonstrates what that transition looks like in practice. Using ChatGPT and Claude inside tools like VSCode and Xcode, this session demonstrates how AI can help navigate, restructure, and extend complex repositories of information. These tools also accelerate the creation of small utilities that solve practical problems and reduce friction in everyday workflows. Rather than focusing on isolated prompts or theoretical workflows, the session walks through realistic examples drawn from the development of the 100 Days of Bioinformatics project and the creation and refinement of a kanban board utility.\r\n\r\nAttendees will leave with a practical understanding of how embedding AI into everyday development and documentation workflows helps bridge the gap between chatbot experimentation and the agent-assisted systems organizations are beginning to adopt.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Andrew Severin", "title": "Bioinformatics Manager", "organization": "Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Andrew Severin (Bioinformatics Manager, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "How to use AI inside existing tools, not as a separate system", "Practical use cases that reduce friction in knowledge and documentation work", "A realistic model for taking the next step with AI adoption" ], "key_takeaways_text": "How to use AI inside existing tools, not as a separate system\r\n\r\nPractical use cases that reduce friction in knowledge and documentation work\r\n\r\nA realistic model for taking the next step with AI adoption\r\n", "display_order": 6 }, { "id": 834, "title": "The AI-Human Edge: Accelerating Human Mastery in the Age of Intelligent Systems", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "10:20 AM", "end_time": "11:05 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:05:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "AI\u2019s real power isn\u2019t automation\u2014it\u2019s amplification. This keynote shows how intelligent systems accelerate learning, strengthen judgment, and elevate professional performance. Discover how learning-driven AI creates compounding human capability, enabling individuals and organizations to build adaptive advantage in an increasingly complex world.", "full_description": "Artificial Intelligence is often framed as an automation tool. But its real economic power lies in its ability to accelerate human development and amplify human creativity. In this presentation, Bill Schmarzo introduces \"The AI-Human Edge\" framework\u2014a practical approach for using intelligent systems to enhance judgment, creativity, and professional growth rather than replace them.\r\n\r\nAttendees will explore how AI-driven learning systems can strengthen decision-making, surface behavioral insights, and compound human capability over time. From frontline professionals to executive leaders, the session demonstrates how AI can serve as a real-time advisor\u2014supporting better thinking, faster skill development, and more responsible decisions in complex environments.\r\n\r\nThe result is not just improved productivity, but accelerated mastery. Organizations that embrace this shift will build adaptive, learning-driven systems that continuously elevate human performance and create sustainable competitive advantage.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Bill Schmarzo", "title": "Founder", "organization": "Dean of Big Data, LLC" } ], "speakers_text": "Bill Schmarzo (Founder, Dean of Big Data, LLC)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "AI is a Learning System \u2014 Not Just an Optimization Tool", "Human Mastery Compounds When Paired with Intelligent Systems", "Competitive Advantage Comes from Adaptive Capability" ], "key_takeaways_text": "AI is a Learning System \u2014 Not Just an Optimization Tool\r\n\r\nHuman Mastery Compounds When Paired with Intelligent Systems\r\n\r\nCompetitive Advantage Comes from Adaptive Capability\r\n", "display_order": 7 }, { "id": 835, "title": "Using AI to Drive Customer Clarity, Stronger Messaging, and Smarter Sales Decisions", "track": "Marketing and Sales", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "10:20 AM", "end_time": "11:05 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:05:00", "room": "260-262", "short_description": "This applied session shows how business and marketing leaders can use AI to gain customer clarity, strengthen messaging, and make smarter sales decisions. Through real-world examples and practical frameworks, attendees learn how to use AI as a strategic thinking partner, not a technical hurdle.", "full_description": "This expert-led applied session focuses on how business and marketing leaders can use AI as a strategic thinking partner to gain clarity, reduce noise, and drive measurable impact.\r\n\r\nDesigned for non-technical professionals, this session will walk attendees through practical, real-world ways AI can support core marketing and sales activities such as customer insight development, messaging refinement, positioning, and prioritization. Rather than focusing on tools alone, the session emphasizes how to ask better questions, apply AI-generated insights responsibly, and translate outputs into confident action.\r\n\r\nAttendees will explore applied frameworks for using AI to:\r\n\r\nThe session will include live examples, structured prompts, and short interactive moments where participants reflect on how AI could support their own teams and workflows.\r\n\r\nAttendees will leave with clear use cases, adaptable frameworks, and a grounded understanding of how to integrate AI into marketing and sales in a way that is human-centered, practical, and immediately applicable.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Tara Allen", "title": "Founder, Professor of Marketing", "organization": "Eagle Eye Vision Consulting, LLC & Kirkwood Community College" } ], "speakers_text": "Tara Allen (Founder, Professor of Marketing, Eagle Eye Vision Consulting, LLC & Kirkwood Community College)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "How to use AI as a strategic thinking partner to clarify customer insights, refine messaging, and support smarter marketing and sales decisions\u2014without needing technical expertise.", "Practical frameworks and example prompts leaders can immediately apply to improve alignment between marketing and sales, reduce guesswork, and increase focus.", "A human-centered approach to AI adoption that helps teams use AI confidently and responsibly while maintaining brand voice, trust, and strategic intent." ], "key_takeaways_text": "How to use AI as a strategic thinking partner to clarify customer insights, refine messaging, and support smarter marketing and sales decisions\u2014without needing technical expertise.\r\n\r\nPractical frameworks and example prompts leaders can immediately apply to improve alignment between marketing and sales, reduce guesswork, and increase focus.\r\n\r\nA human-centered approach to AI adoption that helps teams use AI confidently and responsibly while maintaining brand voice, trust, and strategic intent.\r\n", "display_order": 8 }, { "id": 836, "title": "Industrial AI Success Stories: Because Even My Title Needed Machine Learning", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "10:20 AM", "end_time": "11:05 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:05:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "See how generative AI and machine learning are transforming industrial automation through two interactive demos. You\u2019ll walk away with practical insights, real examples, and the comforting realization that AI is great at design and production\u2014but still can\u2019t run a conference session without us.", "full_description": "This session brings industrial automation to life through two real\u2011world AI applications\u2014one powered by generative AI and one driven by machine learning. Attendees will see how these technologies are already reshaping design workflows and production\u2011level decision\u2011making inside modern manufacturing environments.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019ll explore how generative AI accelerates early\u2011stage design, reduces iteration cycles, and helps engineers move from concept to configuration with surprising speed. Then we\u2019ll shift to the production floor, where machine\u2011learning models enhance operational performance, detect issues earlier, and support smarter, data\u2011driven decisions.\r\n\r\nThe session includes interactive demonstrations that let participants experience simplified versions of the actual tools and workflows used in the field. These hands\u2011on moments make the technology feel tangible and highlight what it really takes to integrate AI into established industrial systems. Attendees will walk away with practical insights, implementation considerations, and a clearer picture of how AI delivers value today.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Dominique Hain", "title": "Technology Consultant", "organization": "Rockwell Automation" } ], "speakers_text": "Dominique Hain (Technology Consultant, Rockwell Automation)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "A clear understanding of what AI actually is", "Practical insight into real\u2011world AI implementation on the factory floor", "First\u2011hand experience through interactive demonstrations" ], "key_takeaways_text": "A clear understanding of what AI actually is\r\n\r\nPractical insight into real\u2011world AI implementation on the factory floor\r\n\r\nFirst\u2011hand experience through interactive demonstrations\r\n", "display_order": 9 }, { "id": 837, "title": "Is Your Business AI-Ready? The Human-Centered Domains That Determine Success or Failure", "track": "Leadership and Workforce", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "10:20 AM", "end_time": "11:05 AM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 10:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:05:00", "room": "204-208", "short_description": "Most AI failures aren't technology problems, they're readiness problems. Before you invest another dollar, ask: Is your organization actually prepared? This session introduces a Human-First AI Adoption model that exposes hidden blind spots in leadership, culture, and alignment to ensure adoption and competitive advantage.", "full_description": "AI adoption follows a predictable social innovation curve\u2014and most organizations stall at the same point. This session gives leaders a human-centered readiness lens to identify where AI efforts are likely to break down before costly failure occurs.\r\n\r\nAs artificial intelligence accelerates across industries, many organizations feel pressure to adopt AI quickly or risk falling behind. Yet the most costly failures in AI adoption rarely stem from technology. They occur when leaders misjudge whether their organization is actually ready.\r\n\r\nThis session helps leaders step back from tools and trends to ask a more strategic question: Is our business truly AI-ready? Participants will learn why AI readiness is not a single capability or maturity score, but a system of interdependent, human-centered domains that determine success or failure.\r\nAI adoption follows a predictable social innovation adoption curve. Many initiatives stall not because the technology fails, but because organizations encounter the same human barriers that have derailed past innovations\u2014resistance, overload, misalignment, and loss of trust.\r\n\r\nDrawing on this predictable pattern, the session introduces a Human-First AI Adoption model, examining domains such as leadership evolution, psychological safety, communication intelligence, role and identity reinvention, ethics and governance, resistance dynamics, stakeholder alignment, and the ability to sustain momentum.\r\n\r\nRather than prescribing tools or platforms, this session provides leaders with a diagnostic lens to assess readiness, identify blind spots, and reduce execution risk before initiatives stall.\r\n\r\nOutline:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nWe will share real world examples; Deliver take-aways and engage with the audience using facilitative reflection questions/engagement. Participant handouts will be provided as well.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Dave Machovsky", "title": "CEO/Founder", "organization": "Mindset Innovations" }, { "name": "Kacy Webster", "title": "CEO/Founder", "organization": "Profit Quiver" } ], "speakers_text": "Dave Machovsky (CEO/Founder, Mindset Innovations); Kacy Webster (CEO/Founder, Profit Quiver)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "12 Domains of Human-First AI Culture Adoption Framework", "Free Human-Centered AI Readiness Assessment", "Clarity on Next Steps to Embrace Responsible AI Adoption with The PrecisionX System" ], "key_takeaways_text": "12 Domains of Human-First AI Culture Adoption Framework\r\n\r\nFree Human-Centered AI Readiness Assessment\r\n\r\nClarity on Next Steps to Embrace Responsible AI Adoption with The PrecisionX System", "display_order": 10 }, { "id": 838, "title": "Stop Automating Broken Processes: How to Redesign Your Business Operations for the Age of AI Agents", "track": "AI Demo", "session_type": "AI Demo", "start_time": "11:15 AM", "end_time": "12:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "Why are most AI projects underwhelming? Because businesses automate broken processes instead of redesigning them. Adam Engel demonstrates how to deploy AI agents as persistent digital employees that run real operations\u2014with a live multi-agent workflow you can replicate today.", "full_description": "Most businesses are making the same mistake with AI: they\u2019re bolting intelligent tools onto workflows that were designed for humans decades ago. The result? Marginal gains, frustrated teams, and a growing gap between companies that \u201cuse AI\u201d and companies that are actually transformed by it.\r\n\r\nIn this hands-on session, Adam Engel\u2014owner of Running Robots Inc., an Iowa City digital marketing agency serving 100+ organizations\u2014will show you why the technology is only 20% of the value, and how to unlock the other 80% by fundamentally rethinking how work gets done.\r\n\r\nDrawing from real client engagements across manufacturing, professional services, and e-commerce, Adam will walk through before-and-after case studies where businesses stopped layering AI onto old processes and instead redesigned operations from scratch\u2014deploying specialized AI agents that handle quoting, order processing, customer follow-up, and reporting as persistent \u201cdigital employees,\u201d not one-off chatbots.\r\n\r\nBuilding on his 2025 Summit session on ERP/CRM pipeline automation, Adam will demonstrate a live multi-agent workflow where several small, purpose-built AI agents collaborate to handle an end-to-end business operation\u2014from intake to decision to output\u2014with human oversight only where it matters most. Attendees will see exactly how these agents are configured, how they communicate, and how even small Iowa businesses can deploy them today without enterprise-scale budgets.\r\n\r\nThis session is designed for operations leaders, business owners, and IT decision-makers who have experimented with AI but haven\u2019t yet seen the transformational results they were promised. You\u2019ll leave with a practical framework for identifying which processes to redesign first, a live-demonstrated tech stack you can replicate, and the confidence to move from \u201cwe\u2019re exploring AI\u201d to \u201cour AI agents run this.\u201d", "speakers": [ { "name": "Meegan Campbell", "title": "Digital Marketing Account Manager", "organization": "Running Robots" }, { "name": "Adam Engel", "title": "Owner / Founder", "organization": "Running Robots" } ], "speakers_text": "Meegan Campbell (Digital Marketing Account Manager, Running Robots); Adam Engel (Owner / Founder, Running Robots)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "The Redesign-First Framework: A step-by-step method for identifying which business operations to redesign for AI agents (not just automate), so you capture the 80% of value most companies leave on the table.", "From Chatbots to Digital Employees: How to deploy small, specialized AI agents that handle ongoing business tasks\u2014quoting, follow-ups, order processing\u2014as persistent team members, not one-time question-answerers.", "A Replicable Multi-Agent Tech Stack: A live-demonstrated, budget-friendly architecture for orchestrating multiple AI agents that collaborate on end-to-end workflows\u2014proven in real Iowa businesses you can model today." ], "key_takeaways_text": "The Redesign-First Framework: A step-by-step method for identifying which business operations to redesign for AI agents (not just automate), so you capture the 80% of value most companies leave on the table.\r\n\r\nFrom Chatbots to Digital Employees: How to deploy small, specialized AI agents that handle ongoing business tasks\u2014quoting, follow-ups, order processing\u2014as persistent team members, not one-time question-answerers.\r\n\r\nA Replicable Multi-Agent Tech Stack: A live-demonstrated, budget-friendly architecture for orchestrating multiple AI agents that collaborate on end-to-end workflows\u2014proven in real Iowa businesses you can model today.\r\n", "display_order": 12 }, { "id": 839, "title": "Facilitated Discussion: Business Systems & Data", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Facilitated Discussion", "start_time": "11:15 AM", "end_time": "12:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "This session is an open, attendee-driven discussion focused on themes from the Business Systems & Data track. Facilitated by the Summit Director, it will be shaped by participant questions, experiences, and real-world challenges. Speakers will contribute, but the emphasis is on shared insights and practical applications grounded in real-world conditions.", "full_description": "This facilitated discussion is structured as an open, attendee-driven conversation centered on the themes emerging from the Business Systems & Data track. Rather than a formal presentation, the direction of the discussion will be guided by the interests, questions, and experiences of those in the room. The Summit Director will serve as facilitator, helping to surface key topics, connect ideas, and keep the conversation productive.\n\nSpeakers from the track will contribute their perspectives, but the value of the session comes from the collective input of both experts and participants. Attendees are encouraged to share challenges, compare approaches, and explore practical applications in a collaborative setting that reflects real-world conditions and priorities.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [ { "name": "Bill Schmarzo", "title": "Founder", "organization": "Dean of Big Data, LLC" }, { "name": "Brandon Carlson", "title": "President", "organization": "Lean TECHniques" }, { "name": "Curtis Winegar", "title": "Sr Data Analytics Strategist", "organization": "Pella Corporation" }, { "name": "Dinakar Kesavapillai", "title": "Director, Marketing & Sales Systems", "organization": "LCS" }, { "name": "Hamad Dada", "title": "CEO and Lead R&D", "organization": "SoundSafe.ai" }, { "name": "Hans Koehnk", "title": "Director", "organization": "ARKO Laboratories" }, { "name": "Levi Sperry", "title": "Senior Data Analyst", "organization": "LCS" }, { "name": "Neeraj Singh", "title": "Sales Development Manager", "organization": "Danfoss Power Solutions" } ], "discussion_contributors_text": "Bill Schmarzo (Founder, Dean of Big Data, LLC); Brandon Carlson (President, Lean TECHniques); Curtis Winegar (Sr Data Analytics Strategist, Pella Corporation); Dinakar Kesavapillai (Director, Marketing & Sales Systems, LCS); Hamad Dada (CEO and Lead R&D, SoundSafe.ai); Hans Koehnk (Director, ARKO Laboratories); Levi Sperry (Senior Data Analyst, LCS); Neeraj Singh (Sales Development Manager, Danfoss Power Solutions)", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 13 }, { "id": 840, "title": "Beyond the Chatbot: Navigating the Next AI Frontiers", "track": "Marketing and Sales", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "11:15 AM", "end_time": "12:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "room": "260-262", "short_description": "Move beyond chatting with AI to actually getting work done. This session explores the latest AI frontiers: building agents, getting more out of your business data, and exploring immersive capabilities. Attendees will leave with the ability to confidently evaluate which AI capabilities are right for their business needs.", "full_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:\r\n
    \r\n \t
  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\u2014like CRMs and ERPs\u2014while maintaining governance and security using techniques such as Model Context Protocol (MCP).
    2. \r\n \t
  2. Multimodal AI: Multimodal capabilities\u2014or the ability to leverage multiple kinds of data such as imagery, video, and audio\u2014are 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 \u201cunstructured data\u201d 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. \r\n \t
  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.
    4. \r\n
\r\nAttendees 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.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Rachel Holmes", "title": "AI Strategist", "organization": "Zirous" } ], "speakers_text": "Rachel Holmes (AI Strategist, Zirous)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Understand when to move AI from a chat interface to an active participant that executes tasks within your business systems.", "Why unlocking all facets of your business data\u2014including audio, video, and imagery\u2014helps you make better business decisions.", "Consider whether to augment physical operations with immersive simulations." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Understand when to move AI from a chat interface to an active participant that executes tasks within your business systems.\r\n\r\nWhy unlocking all facets of your business data\u2014including audio, video, and imagery\u2014helps you make better business decisions.\r\n\r\nConsider whether to augment physical operations with immersive simulations.\r\n", "display_order": 14 }, { "id": 841, "title": "Tabular Foundation Models Meet Manufacturing: A Practical Exploration", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "11:15 AM", "end_time": "12:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "Tabular foundation models \u2014 pretrained models that make predictions on structured data without task-specific training \u2014 have rapidly matured, yet their application in manufacturing remains largely unexplored. This talk introduces TFMs to the manufacturing AI community, demonstrates their potential through select case studies in machining and materials prediction, and discusses where they deliver value, where they fall short, and what opportunities lie ahead for industrial adoption.", "full_description": "Manufacturing AI problems share a common profile: small labeled datasets, heterogeneous process and sensor variables, missing values, and the need for reliable predictions with minimal tuning. For years, gradient-boosted trees like XGBoost and CatBoost have been the default choice for these tabular prediction tasks \u2014 from predicting tool wear in milling to estimating creep rupture life of turbine components to detecting process anomalies.\r\n\r\nA new class of pretrained models \u2014 tabular foundation models (TFMs) \u2014 is challenging this status quo. Models such as TabPFN, TabICL, and Mitra can ingest raw tabular data and deliver competitive predictions in seconds without task-specific training, hyperparameter tuning, or elaborate feature engineering. Their strengths \u2014 robustness to missing data, handling of mixed feature types, and strong performance in small-sample regimes \u2014 align remarkably well with the realities of manufacturing data.\r\n\r\nThis talk introduces tabular foundation models to the manufacturing and applied AI community. We begin with an accessible overview of how TFMs work and what distinguishes them from conventional ML pipelines. Through select case studies in machining and materials performance prediction, we explore what changes when a traditional ML workflow is replaced with a tabular foundation model on real manufacturing problems. We examine where these models deliver genuine advantages, where they encounter limitations, and what practical considerations arise when thinking about deployment. The talk concludes with a forward look at open opportunities at this intersection \u2014 including few-shot anomaly detection, integration with physics-informed modeling, cross-process transfer learning, and real-time shop floor deployment.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Aditya Balu", "title": "Data Scientist", "organization": "Iowa State University - Translational AI Center" } ], "speakers_text": "Aditya Balu (Data Scientist, Iowa State University - Translational AI Center)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Tabular foundation models are a natural fit for manufacturing AI problems.", "TFMs don't replace domain expertise \u2014 they lower the barrier to entry.", "The intersection of tabular foundation models and manufacturing is wide open." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Tabular foundation models are a natural fit for manufacturing AI problems.\r\n\r\nTFMs don't replace domain expertise \u2014 they lower the barrier to entry.\r\n\r\nThe intersection of tabular foundation models and manufacturing is wide open.\r\n", "display_order": 15 }, { "id": 842, "title": "Shadow AI: When Everyone Becomes a Data Leak Waiting to Happen", "track": "Leadership and Workforce", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "11:15 AM", "end_time": "12:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 11:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "room": "204-208", "short_description": "Shadow AI does not need a developer. An employee with a browser and a deadline is enough. Aaron Warner explains why AI adoption is already happening inside your organization without approval, where the real data leakage and compliance risks hide, and how leaders should respond strategically.", "full_description": "Shadow IT kept CIOs up at night for decades. Shadow AI rewrote the rules. The old threat required someone who knew how to code. The new one requires someone with a browser and a deadline. Data leaves your organization through thousands of well-meaning employees who have no idea they sent protected health information, trade secrets, or personnel records to a third-party model nobody evaluated.\r\n\r\nIn this session, cybersecurity leader Aaron Warner draws on patterns from mid-market healthcare, manufacturing, higher education, and financial services to reframe how you should think about AI adoption risk and opportunity.\r\nYou will explore:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nThis session is for anyone responsible for deploying or supporting the deployment of AI, as well as business leaders looking to understand the new sources of risk from Shadow AI and how to take advantage of the technology without putting the firm at risk.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Aaron Warner", "title": "CEO", "organization": "ProCircular, Inc." } ], "speakers_text": "Aaron Warner (CEO, ProCircular, Inc.)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Shadow AI is already inside your organization. Unlike traditional Shadow IT, no technical skill is required. Shared prompts spread it across departments fast. Your exposure is almost certainly larger than you think.", "Prohibition accelerates risk. Blanket bans push AI usage underground with zero visibility, creating more data leakage points, not fewer. Engagement-based policies paired with compliant alternatives are the only sustainable path forward.", "The regulatory ground is shifting under you. Court-ordered data retention, evolving vendor privacy policies, and AI features silently embedded in your existing platforms mean yesterday's compliance posture is already outdated." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Shadow AI is already inside your organization. Unlike traditional Shadow IT, no technical skill is required. Shared prompts spread it across departments fast. Your exposure is almost certainly larger than you think.\r\n\r\nProhibition accelerates risk. Blanket bans push AI usage underground with zero visibility, creating more data leakage points, not fewer. Engagement-based policies paired with compliant alternatives are the only sustainable path forward.\r\n\r\nThe regulatory ground is shifting under you. Court-ordered data retention, evolving vendor privacy policies, and AI features silently embedded in your existing platforms mean yesterday's compliance posture is already outdated.", "display_order": 16 }, { "id": 843, "title": "Networking Lunch", "track": "General", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "12:00 PM", "end_time": "1:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 12:00:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:00:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "", "full_description": "During the networking lunch, tables will be designated by specific artificial intelligence topics. Participants are encouraged to choose a table based on their interests and engage in focused discussion with others at that table.\r\n\r\nA portion of the tables will be reserved for open conversation, allowing for more general networking without a set topic.\r\n\r\nRefer to the networking lunch table descriptions below for the list of available discussion topics.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 17 }, { "id": 844, "title": "Success Story #1 - Prospect Summarization in CRM using AI to Enable Sales Conversion", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Success Story", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "A case study on how LCS developed and delivered capability of a short, clear summary of prospect account generated by AI for their sales reps \u2014 pulling from notes, lead scores, and other Salesforce fields. This enables team selling and helps sales reps quickly understand where a lead is in the funnel and what actions to take next.", "full_description": "The session content will consist of a PowerPoint deck and also live demo of the Salesforce application showcasing how the users utilize the capability provided.\r\n\r\nWe will also talk through data ingestion using Snowflake & Databricks, model development using LLMs and surfacing of the outputs in Salesforce application.\r\n\r\nWe'll talk through the project delivery process including iterative development based on end user feedback to fine tune the model outputs in the form of AI-generated summaries and also understanding where in the sales process the new functionality fits in the best.\r\n\r\nWe'll talk through how the project was a collaborative effort between the Data Science, Data Analytics and Marketing & Sales Systems teams at LCS.\r\n\r\nWe collaborated with the business stakeholders and end users to understand the answers to the following questions as we developed the solution. This resulted in an optimum solution as well as increased adoption.\r\n", "speakers": [ { "name": "Levi Sperry", "title": "Senior Data Analyst", "organization": "LCS" }, { "name": "Dinakar Kesavapillai", "title": "Director, Marketing & Sales Systems", "organization": "LCS" } ], "speakers_text": "Levi Sperry (Senior Data Analyst, LCS); Dinakar Kesavapillai (Director, Marketing & Sales Systems, LCS)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Use Gen AI to propel revenue growth", "Meet your users where they are!", "Make it easy and intuitive for users to utilize the capability" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Use Gen AI to propel revenue growth\r\n\r\nMeet your users where they are!\r\n\r\nMake it easy and intuitive for users to utilize the capability", "display_order": 18 }, { "id": 845, "title": "Success Story #2 - A Non-Coder's Experience using AI to Create Enhancement Software", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Success Story", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "", "full_description": "The session content will consist of a PowerPoint deck featuring a technical \"Journal of Progress\" and a live demonstration of custom-coded Google Workspace applications designed to automate complex business workflows.\r\nWe will talk through the transition from a \"clueless\" Day 1 to successfully managing a development environment using Python, VS Code, and Tesseract OCR.\r\n\r\nWe will also discuss the critical pivot from standard AI chat interfaces to advanced AI-native IDEs like Cursor, and the implementation of clasp to move from manual \"patchwork\" coding to seamless deployment.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019ll talk through the project delivery process, specifically how a failed integration with QuickBooks due to security certificate fluidity led to a vital realization: the necessity of business process standardization. We will explore how identifying data inconsistencies\u2014such as customers using varying product names\u2014transformed a coding project into a strategic initiative to assign unique product IDs.\r\n\r\nWe collaborated with internal stakeholders to understand how automation can support a lean team, resulting in an automated Employee Task Completion Checklist that ensures compliance for multi-year SOPs that are otherwise easy to forget.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Hans Koehnk", "title": "Director", "organization": "ARKO Laboratories" } ], "speakers_text": "Hans Koehnk (Director, ARKO Laboratories)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Meet the AI where it is: Understand the current \"infant stage\" of AI\u2014it can \"gaslight\" or \"BS,\" so you must question it to find the truth.", "Tools change the game: Moving from copy-pasting to clasp push and AI-native editors turns a \"tinkerer\" into a successful implementer.", "Standardize before you automate: AI is a mirror that reveals flaws in your data; unique product numbers and clean data are the prerequisites for success.", "Protect the Core: Learn when to do it yourself and when to bring in a professional designer to protect critical systems like QuickBooks." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Meet the AI where it is: Understand the current \"infant stage\" of AI\u2014it can \"gaslight\" or \"BS,\" so you must question it to find the truth.\r\n\r\nTools change the game: Moving from copy-pasting to clasp push and AI-native editors turns a \"tinkerer\" into a successful implementer.\r\n\r\nStandardize before you automate: AI is a mirror that reveals flaws in your data; unique product numbers and clean data are the prerequisites for success.\r\n\r\nProtect the Core: Learn when to do it yourself and when to bring in a professional designer to protect critical systems like QuickBooks.\r\n", "display_order": 18 }, { "id": 846, "title": "Building Enterprise-Scale RAG Chatbots Using Azure AI Foundry", "track": "AI Demo", "session_type": "AI Demo", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "260-262", "short_description": "Build enterprise RAG chatbots with Azure AI Foundry. This demo\u2011driven session covers ingestion with Azure Document Intelligence, embeddings and vector search in Azure AI Search, prompt design, governance, and performance tuning\u2014using real deployments (22k users) and actionable patterns you can apply immediately.", "full_description": "This session provides a practical, end\u2011to\u2011end deep dive into building enterprise\u2011grade Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) systems using Microsoft Azure AI Foundry. Drawing from real\u2011world implementations\u2014including a production RAG chatbot serving 22,000+ global users\u2014the session walks participants through the complete lifecycle of creating scalable, secure, and high\u2011accuracy RAG solutions tailored for industry.\r\n\r\nWe begin by breaking down the RAG architecture: document ingestion using Azure Document Intelligence, adaptive chunking strategies, embedding generation, and vector indexing with Azure AI Search. The session then explores how user queries are transformed into embeddings, how retrieval pipelines work, and how Azure OpenAI models inside AI Foundry generate grounded, contextual responses.\r\n\r\nUsing visuals from the included architecture diagram, attendees learn best practices for chunk sizes, metadata, hybrid search, reranking, prompt design, and governance (RBAC, encryption, audit logging).\r\n\r\nReal\u2011world examples from agriculture, manufacturing, financial services, and healthcare show how organizations use RAG for maintenance assistants, compliance bots, crop advisory tools, customer service, workflow documentation, and more. Performance benchmarks\u2014such as 95% retrieval accuracy, sub\u20112\u2011second responses, and 40%\u201360% cost reduction\u2014demonstrate measurable business impact.\r\n\r\nThe session concludes with an interactive discussion on emerging trends\u2014multi\u2011modal RAG, knowledge graphs, and real\u2011time streaming\u2014and how Azure AI Foundry\u2019s roadmap supports the next generation of enterprise AI.\r\n\r\nThis is a highly actionable, architecture\u2011focused session designed for leaders, engineers, and practitioners looking to implement RAG at scale with Microsoft technologies.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Mehul Bhuva", "title": "Senior Software Engineer (Data & AI)", "organization": "QCI" } ], "speakers_text": "Mehul Bhuva (Senior Software Engineer (Data & AI), QCI)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Learn the complete RAG architecture using Azure AI Foundry\u2014from document ingestion and chunking to embeddings, vector search, and grounded response generation.", "Apply practical best practices for building accurate, scalable, and secure enterprise RAG systems, including hybrid retrieval, metadata strategy, and prompt design.", "See real\u2011world impact in action through a live, end\u2011to\u2011end walkthrough of a production RAG chatbot serving 22,000+ users, with patterns you can immediately implement in your organization." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Learn the complete RAG architecture using Azure AI Foundry\u2014from document ingestion and chunking to embeddings, vector search, and grounded response generation.\r\n\r\nApply practical best practices for building accurate, scalable, and secure enterprise RAG systems, including hybrid retrieval, metadata strategy, and prompt design.\r\n\r\nSee real\u2011world impact in action through a live, end\u2011to\u2011end walkthrough of a production RAG chatbot serving 22,000+ users, with patterns you can immediately implement in your organization.\r\n", "display_order": 19 }, { "id": 847, "title": "Facilitated Discussion: Marketing & Sales", "track": "Marketing and Sales", "session_type": "Facilitated Discussion", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "This session is an open, attendee-driven discussion focused on themes from the Marketing & Sales track. Facilitated by the Summit Director, it will be shaped by participant questions, experiences, and real-world challenges. Speakers will contribute, but the emphasis is on shared insights around messaging, customer insight, sales processes, and AI\u2019s impact on visibility.", "full_description": "This facilitated discussion is structured as an open, attendee-driven conversation centered on the themes emerging from the Marketing & Sales track. Rather than a formal presentation, the direction of the discussion will be guided by the interests, questions, and real-world experiences of those in the room. The Summit Director will serve as facilitator, helping to surface key topics, connect ideas, and keep the conversation focused and productive.\n\nSpeakers from the track will contribute their perspectives, but the value of the session comes from the collective input of both experts and participants. Attendees are encouraged to share challenges, compare approaches, and explore how AI is impacting areas such as messaging, customer insight, sales processes, and visibility in a collaborative, practical setting.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [ { "name": "Adam Engel", "title": "Owner / Founder", "organization": "Running Robots" }, { "name": "Meegan Campbell", "title": "Digital Marketing Account Manager", "organization": "Running Robots" }, { "name": "Neal Rabogliatti", "title": "President", "organization": "Digital Marketing Strategies" }, { "name": "Rachel Holmes", "title": "AI Strategist", "organization": "Zirous" }, { "name": "Shawn FitzGerald", "title": "Founder", "organization": "Level Up Media Interactive" }, { "name": "Tara Allen", "title": "Founder, Professor of Marketing", "organization": "Eagle Eye Vision Consulting, LLC & Kirkwood Community College" }, { "name": "Travis Arndorfer", "title": "Creative and Strategy Director", "organization": "Arndorfer Creative" } ], "discussion_contributors_text": "Adam Engel (Owner / Founder, Running Robots); Meegan Campbell (Digital Marketing Account Manager, Running Robots); Neal Rabogliatti (President, Digital Marketing Strategies); Rachel Holmes (AI Strategist, Zirous); Shawn FitzGerald (Founder, Level Up Media Interactive); Tara Allen (Founder, Professor of Marketing, Eagle Eye Vision Consulting, LLC & Kirkwood Community College); Travis Arndorfer (Creative and Strategy Director, Arndorfer Creative)", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 20 }, { "id": 848, "title": "AI Attribute Intelligence: Automating Detection, Extraction, and Standardization at Scale", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "Explore an AI driven approach to detecting, extracting, and standardizing attributes from unstructured and inconsistent inputs. See a real case study where thousands of attributes were aligned across disparate contexts, cutting onboarding time and improving downstream data reliability.", "full_description": "Organizations deal with a wide range of inconsistent and semi structured inputs: mismatched field names, misaligned values, and context that isn\u2019t standardized. This session presents a practical, production tested approach to AI driven attribute intelligence that automates three tricky steps in data readiness: detection, extraction, and standardization.\r\n\r\nUsing our Data Attribution Detection framework, we\u2019ll demonstrate how AI can read information from virtually any source - emails, spreadsheets, PDFs, forms, or free text messages - and convert it into clean, consistent, system ready outputs. We\u2019ll walk through an end-to-end solution designed to reduce manual data prep while increasing trust, reproducibility, and downstream efficiency.\r\n\r\nAttendees will see a real-world case study showing how we standardized thousands of attributes across disparate contexts, cut onboarding time, and raised downstream efficiency. We\u2019ll also highlight the significant operational lift achieved by eliminating hours of manual reading, interpreting, reformatting, and reentering data into internal systems - steps that traditionally slow teams down and introduce inconsistency.\r\n\r\nFinally, we\u2019ll show how these methods can be applied to other everyday data prep challenges.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Zach Dygert", "title": "Senior Data Scientist", "organization": "Principal" }, { "name": "Justin Claycomb", "title": "Assistant Director Data Science", "organization": "Principal" }, { "name": "Melissa Hollis", "title": "Director Data & Analytics", "organization": "Principal" } ], "speakers_text": "Zach Dygert (Senior Data Scientist, Principal); Justin Claycomb (Assistant Director Data Science, Principal); Melissa Hollis (Director Data & Analytics, Principal)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "How to eliminate manual attribute mapping by applying scalable AI\u2011driven automation.", "A reusable approach for improving trust, consistency, and reproducibility across data pipelines.", "Measurable impacts on efficiency, data quality, and downstream analytics performance." ], "key_takeaways_text": "How to eliminate manual attribute mapping by applying scalable AI\u2011driven automation.\r\n\r\nA reusable approach for improving trust, consistency, and reproducibility across data pipelines.\r\n\r\nMeasurable impacts on efficiency, data quality, and downstream analytics performance.\r\n", "display_order": 21 }, { "id": 849, "title": "AI Security Is Not a Brand: Governance, Risk, and the Reality Behind \u201cSafe AI\u201d", "track": "Leadership and Workforce", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "1:20 PM", "end_time": "2:05 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 13:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:05:00", "room": "204-208", "short_description": "Security is not a feature you buy; it\u2019s a system you design. This session explains why no AI platform is automatically \u201csafe\u201d or \u201cunsafe,\u201d and how governance, identity management, vendor agreements, and data controls determine real risk. Attendees will leave with a practical framework for evaluating AI tools beyond brand loyalty or fear.", "full_description": "Many organizations are being told that the only \u201csafe\u201d way to use AI is to stay entirely inside a single vendor ecosystem. But security is not determined by brand name, it is determined by governance, architecture, identity management, data controls, and vendor agreements.\r\n\r\nThis session cuts through the noise to clarify the difference between cybersecurity risk, compliance risk, governance maturity, and vendor comfort zones. Participants will gain a practical framework for evaluating AI platforms based on how they manage data classification, retention, model training policies, authentication, and internal controls, rather than on marketing claims.\r\n\r\nThe goal is not to argue for or against any specific tool. It is to equip leaders with the right questions to move beyond fear-based decisions and toward an intentional, defensible AI strategy.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Doug Jacobson", "title": "Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering", "organization": "Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Doug Jacobson (Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Real cybersecurity risk", "Perceived risk", "Compliance risk" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Real cybersecurity risk\r\n\r\nPerceived risk\r\n\r\nCompliance risk\r\n", "display_order": 22 }, { "id": 850, "title": "Using Lean Thinking to Unlock Real ROI in AI", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "2:15 PM", "end_time": "3:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:00:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "You know you need to be leveraging AI. You\u2019re probably already using tools like ChatGPT to draft content, brainstorm, or speed up routine work. But how do you move from occasional use to something that\u2019s built into how your business runs \u2014 improving efficiency, decision-making, and results? This session is for leaders who want more than experiments. You\u2019ll see real examples of how AI is being used across business functions like marketing, operations, compliance, and sales and walk away with a simple way to spot where it can create meaningful impact in your business next.", "full_description": "Many people are trying to leverage AI to make a positive impact on their organizations but the headlines seem to tell a different story. From statements like \u201cDespite $30\u201340 billion in enterprise investment into GenAI, this report uncovers a surprising result in that 95% of organizations are getting zero return.\u201d (MIT), to a possibly less pessimistic \u201cThe gen AI paradox: Widespread deployment, minimal impact\u201d (McKinsey), stories of AI failures seem to dominate the news cycle. It doesn\u2019t have to be that way.\r\n\r\nCombining Lean tools with a framework for assessing AI applicability can serve as a foundation for iteratively showing ROI on your AI initiatives and avoiding the headlines.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Brandon Carlson", "title": "President", "organization": "Lean TECHniques" } ], "speakers_text": "Brandon Carlson (President, Lean TECHniques)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Using Lean tools to plan your AI projects", "A framework for evaluating AI opportunities", "Real examples of local companies leveraging AI to improve their business processes" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Using Lean tools to plan your AI projects\r\n\r\nA framework for evaluating AI opportunities\r\n\r\nReal examples of local companies leveraging AI to improve their business processes\r\n", "display_order": 24 }, { "id": 851, "title": "AI Search Optimization Explained: Leveraging the Shift in Search Visibility", "track": "Marketing and Sales", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "2:15 PM", "end_time": "3:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:00:00", "room": "260-262", "short_description": "Learn how AI is changing search optimization and learn concepts and strategies to leverage these changes to increase online visibility.", "full_description": "AI has impacted one of the biggest changes in online visibility, being on the first page of organic results in traditional SEO no longer drives traffic to your website. The shift in optimizing content requires you to change your methods and tracking data.\r\n\r\nLearn the differences and strategies including case studies on how to leverage AI optimization for your business and gain an advantage over your competitors.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Neal Rabogliatti", "title": "President", "organization": "Digital Marketing Strategies" } ], "speakers_text": "Neal Rabogliatti (President, Digital Marketing Strategies)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "What are the changes from traditional SEO and how they impact you", "Learn how AI interprets and retrieves content for AI answers and mentions.", "Learn about concepts, methods and strategies to optimize for AI" ], "key_takeaways_text": "What are the changes from traditional SEO and how they impact you\r\n\r\nLearn how AI interprets and retrieves content for AI answers and mentions.\r\n\r\nLearn about concepts, methods and strategies to optimize for AI\r\n", "display_order": 25 }, { "id": 852, "title": "Close the GenAI \u201cLearning Gap\u201d: Self\u2011Improving AI Without Fine\u2011Tuning", "track": "AI Demo", "session_type": "AI Demo", "start_time": "2:15 PM", "end_time": "3:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:00:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "Close the GenAI \u201clearning gap\u201d using self\u2011improving feedback loops and observability. Continuously improve AI systems without costly fine\u2011tuning.", "full_description": "The MIT State of AI report surfaced a brutal truth: most GenAI systems do not retain feedback, adapt to context, or improve over time. While frontier models get better with every release, enterprises rarely gain a durable advantage, because their systems don\u2019t actually learn.\r\n\r\nThe default answer is fine\u2011tuning. In practice, it\u2019s often expensive, brittle, slow to iterate, and tightly coupled to a specific model version. Worse, it can lock teams out of rapidly improving frontier models.\r\n\r\nThis session presents an alternative: learning\u2011loop architectures that allow enterprise GenAI systems to improve continuously, without fine\u2011tuning, while remaining flexible enough to adopt new models as they emerge.\r\n\r\nYou\u2019ll see how feedback from real usage can be captured, measured, and reintegrated safely into production systems. We\u2019ll demonstrate how observability, evaluation, and automated optimization work together to turn GenAI from a static capability into a learning system.\r\n\r\nWe\u2019ll explore:\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\nIf your GenAI initiative is stuck in pilot, or producing inconsistent or stagnant results, this session shows the missing half: the learning loop that makes improvement routine instead of exceptional.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Ben McHone", "title": "Staff Engineering Consultant", "organization": "Source Allies" }, { "name": "Matt Vincent", "title": "Founder", "organization": "Source Allies" } ], "speakers_text": "Ben McHone (Staff Engineering Consultant, Source Allies); Matt Vincent (Founder, Source Allies)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Understand the Learning Gap: Why MIT identified learning as the core barrier to scaling GenAI, and what enterprises can do about it", "The Learning\u2011Loop Pattern: Hands\u2011on exposure to GEPA techniques that work across LLM providers", "Self\u2011Improving Demo: See a small GenAI system measurably improve from user feedback during use, with no fine\u2011tuning required" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Understand the Learning Gap: Why MIT identified learning as the core barrier to scaling GenAI, and what enterprises can do about it\r\n\r\nThe Learning\u2011Loop Pattern: Hands\u2011on exposure to GEPA techniques that work across LLM providers\r\n\r\nSelf\u2011Improving Demo: See a small GenAI system measurably improve from user feedback during use, with no fine\u2011tuning required\r\n", "display_order": 26 }, { "id": 853, "title": "Facilitated Discussion: Production & Operations", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Facilitated Discussion", "start_time": "2:15 PM", "end_time": "3:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:00:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "This session is an open, attendee-driven discussion focused on themes from the Production & Operations track. Facilitated by the Summit Director, it will be shaped by participant questions, experiences, and real-world challenges. Speakers will contribute, but the emphasis is on shared insights around manufacturing, process improvement, data use, and applying AI in operations.", "full_description": "This facilitated discussion is structured as an open, attendee-driven conversation centered on the themes emerging from the Production & Operations track. Rather than a formal presentation, the conversation will be shaped by the interests, questions, and experiences of participants in the room. The Summit Director will act as facilitator, helping guide the discussion, draw connections, and ensure the conversation remains grounded and useful.\n\nSpeakers from the track will offer their perspectives, but the session is designed to surface insights from across the group. Attendees are encouraged to share what they are seeing in their own operations, discuss challenges, and compare practical approaches related to manufacturing, process improvement, data use, and implementation of AI in operational environments.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [ { "name": "Aditya Balu", "title": "Data Scientist", "organization": "Iowa State University - Translational AI Center" }, { "name": "Andrew Severin", "title": "Bioinformatics Manager", "organization": "Iowa State University" }, { "name": "Ben McHone", "title": "Staff Engineering Consultant", "organization": "Source Allies" }, { "name": "Dominique Hain", "title": "Technology Consultant", "organization": "Rockwell Automation" }, { "name": "Edgardo Ortiz", "title": "CEO", "organization": "CMIT Solutions" }, { "name": "Justin Claycomb", "title": "Assistant Director Data Science", "organization": "Principal" }, { "name": "Matt Vincent", "title": "Founder", "organization": "Source Allies" }, { "name": "Melissa Hollis", "title": "Director Data & Analytics", "organization": "Principal" }, { "name": "Nick Nystrom", "title": "Experience Lead", "organization": "Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield" }, { "name": "Vijay Kalivarapu", "title": "Senior AI Engineer", "organization": "Pella Corporation" }, { "name": "Zach Dygert", "title": "Senior Data Scientist", "organization": "Principal" } ], "discussion_contributors_text": "Aditya Balu (Data Scientist, Iowa State University - Translational AI Center); Andrew Severin (Bioinformatics Manager, Iowa State University); Ben McHone (Staff Engineering Consultant, Source Allies); Dominique Hain (Technology Consultant, Rockwell Automation); Edgardo Ortiz (CEO, CMIT Solutions); Justin Claycomb (Assistant Director Data Science, Principal); Matt Vincent (Founder, Source Allies); Melissa Hollis (Director Data & Analytics, Principal); Nick Nystrom (Experience Lead, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield); Vijay Kalivarapu (Senior AI Engineer, Pella Corporation); Zach Dygert (Senior Data Scientist, Principal)", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 27 }, { "id": 854, "title": "Ready or Not: Change and Adaptation to AI and the Future Organization", "track": "Leadership and Workforce", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "2:15 PM", "end_time": "3:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 14:15:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:00:00", "room": "204-208", "short_description": "AI is transforming how we work but success depends on how leaders model and manage change. This session explores the human side of AI adoption: reducing resistance, building clarity, strengthening trust, and guiding teams through uncertainty. Walk away with practical strategies to lead adaptation with confidence and empathy.", "full_description": "AI is transforming how we work but the greatest challenge isn\u2019t the technology itself. It\u2019s how people navigate the change it brings. From shifting roles to evolving expectations and uncertainty about the future, leaders are being called to guide their teams through one of the most significant workplace transitions of our time.\r\n\r\nThis session focuses on the human side of change management, how to build clarity amid ambiguity, reduce resistance, communicate with intention, and strengthen trust while integrating new technologies.\r\n\r\nParticipants will leave with practical strategies to lead adaptation with empathy, structure, and a future-focused mindset.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Celina Peerman", "title": "Organizational Psychologist", "organization": "The Peerman Group" } ], "speakers_text": "Celina Peerman (Organizational Psychologist, The Peerman Group)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Understand why resistance, hesitation, and fear show up and how to respond in ways that build trust rather than escalate tension.", "Learn practical strategies for framing change, setting expectations, and reinforcing what is (and is not) shifting as AI tools are introduced.", "Apply simple change management principles to integrate new technology while strengthening culture, accountability, and team confidence." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Understand why resistance, hesitation, and fear show up and how to respond in ways that build trust rather than escalate tension.\r\n\r\nLearn practical strategies for framing change, setting expectations, and reinforcing what is (and is not) shifting as AI tools are introduced.\r\n\r\nApply simple change management principles to integrate new technology while strengthening culture, accountability, and team confidence.\r\n", "display_order": 28 }, { "id": 855, "title": "Operationalizing AI for Sales Excellence", "track": "Business Systems and Data", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "250-252", "short_description": "AI\u2011powered pricing insights, deal\u2011risk alerts, and value\u2011based recommendations elevate sales productivity, win rates, and pricing consistency. This session equips leaders to operationalise AI and unlock scalable, measurable revenue impact across their commercial organisation.", "full_description": "AI is redefining how commercial teams compete\u2014and pricing intelligence is emerging as one of the most powerful applications. This session will showcase how AI transforms fragmented sales, CRM, and market data into real\u2011time, actionable insights that the sales team can use at the exact moment a deal is shaped. By unifying sales history, win\u2013loss patterns, customer behavior, and market signals, AI replaces manual analysis and gut\u2011feel pricing with predictive, data\u2011driven decision support.\r\n\r\nAttendees will see how AI delivers instant guidance on optimal price ranges, flags at\u2011risk opportunities before they stall, and surfaces value\u2011based recommendations that strengthen negotiation outcomes. The result is a change in sales productivity, higher win rates, and more consistent pricing performance across accounts and business units. This session is ideal for leaders looking to operationalise AI and unlock measurable revenue impact across their commercial organisation.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Neeraj Singh", "title": "Sales Development Manager", "organization": "Danfoss Power Solutions" } ], "speakers_text": "Neeraj Singh (Sales Development Manager, Danfoss Power Solutions)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Al driven sales intelligence", "Sales productivity with AI", "Improving winning rate with AI" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Al driven sales intelligence\r\n\r\nSales productivity with AI \r\n\r\nImproving winning rate with AI\r\n", "display_order": 30 }, { "id": 856, "title": "The Strategic Stack: Overcoming AI Slop", "track": "Marketing and Sales", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "260-262", "short_description": "Most AI marketing content is forgettable slop. Yours doesn't have to be. Discover the Strategic Stack framework \u2014 the craft approach that makes AI-assisted marketing actually better, not just faster. So your work stands out instead of getting lost in everyone else's AI-generated noise.", "full_description": "AI-generated marketing is everywhere now \u2014 and most of it is forgettable slop. Generic emails. Bland social posts. Synthetic-looking images. Web copy that sounds like every other site in your industry.\r\n\r\nSome marketers have embraced this, leaning hard into AI's \u201cfurther, faster\u201d promise. They're cranking out volume, convincing themselves that more is better, even when it all blends into the noise. Others see the train wreck happening and want no part of it. Sure, they\u2019ll use AI for grammar checks or summarizing meeting notes, but for actual marketing? They\u2019d rather do less and protect their brand than publish work that makes them look careless.\r\n\r\nThere\u2019s a small group doing something different. They\u2019re producing work that doesn\u2019t look or sound AI-generated \u2014 because they\u2019re using AI as part of the craft. Building content programs with real voice. Creating the kind of work that used to require an agency. Marketing that cuts through instead of contributing to the noise. It\u2019s not magic. It\u2019s approach.\r\n\r\nThe Strategic Stack framework applies craft principles to AI-assisted work \u2014 the layers good creative has always required. This session reveals how to make AI-assisted marketing worth doing. Not just faster, but actually better \u2014 the kind of work that elevates your brand instead of adding to the pile.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Travis Arndorfer", "title": "Creative and Strategy Director", "organization": "Arndorfer Creative" } ], "speakers_text": "Travis Arndorfer (Creative and Strategy Director, Arndorfer Creative)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Why most AI marketing falls flat and how to avoid it", "The layered approach that separates good AI work from slop", "How to work strategically fast with AI to make your marketing distinct" ], "key_takeaways_text": "Why most AI marketing falls flat and how to avoid it\r\n\r\nThe layered approach that separates good AI work from slop\r\n\r\nHow to work strategically fast with AI to make your marketing distinct\r\n", "display_order": 31 }, { "id": 857, "title": "Success Story #1/2 - Vision AI Efforts in Attribute Detections and Measurements", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Success Story", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "This session presents two industrial Vision AI case studies: attribute detection for image quality and missing or incorrect features, and vision\u2011based screen door measurements. Attendees will see real production results, accuracy outcomes, and lessons learned - focused on impact and applicability rather than implementation details.", "full_description": "Vision AI Efforts in Attribute Detections and Measurements explores how computer vision and machine learning can be applied in real-world manufacturing environments to improve quality assurance and dimensional verification without disrupting existing workflows.\r\n\r\nThis session is divided into two applied case studies. The first focuses on attribute detection, where Vision AI is used to automatically identify image quality issues as well as wrong or missing visual attributes in production images. Attendees will see how these models helped standardize inspections across multiple facilities, reduced manual review effort, and increased confidence in downstream decision-making by ensuring only usable, high\u2011quality images were processed further. Real production examples will be shared to illustrate how attribute\u2011level visibility directly impacted quality outcomes.\r\n\r\nThe second case study covers vision\u2011based measurements, highlighting work done to measure screen door dimensions directly from images. By combining machine learning predictions with computer vision techniques, the system was able to estimate key dimensions within tight tolerances and flag out\u2011of\u2011spec components before packaging. Results from production testing including accuracy ranges and practical limitations will be discussed.\r\n\r\nThe talk emphasizes results, lessons learned, and business impact, rather than implementation details. The format is presentation\u2011driven with visual examples, measurement outcomes, and discussion prompts designed to encourage audience engagement around where Vision AI delivers value - and where it still struggles - in industrial settings.\r\n\r\n ", "speakers": [ { "name": "Vijay Kalivarapu", "title": "Senior AI Engineer", "organization": "Pella Corporation" } ], "speakers_text": "Vijay Kalivarapu (Senior AI Engineer, Pella Corporation)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "How Vision AI can reliably catch image quality issues and wrong or missing attributes in real production environments", "What level of measurement accuracy is realistically achievable with vision\u2011based systems on the factory floor", "Why results\u2011driven Vision AI deployments deliver value" ], "key_takeaways_text": "How Vision AI can reliably catch image quality issues and wrong or missing attributes in real production environments\r\n\r\nWhat level of measurement accuracy is realistically achievable with vision\u2011based systems on the factory floor\r\n\r\nWhy results\u2011driven Vision AI deployments deliver value", "display_order": 32 }, { "id": 858, "title": "Success Story #2/2 - Natural Language Search for Member Benefits", "track": "Production and Operations", "session_type": "Success Story", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "275", "short_description": "Discover how an AI\u2011powered natural language search makes member benefits easier to find. This session blends real examples, technical architecture, and live scenario walkthroughs to show how intuitive search improves member experience, reduces call volumes, and empowers both users and customer service teams.", "full_description": "This session showcases a hands\u2011on, end\u2011to\u2011end exploration of how natural language search can transform the member benefits experience within the myWellmark ecosystem. The presentation begins by introducing the core problem statement: members struggle to locate and understand their PQF benefits due to unintuitive, jargon\u2011heavy search tools. Using real usability testing findings, the session grounds the problem in real\u2011world user experience challenges.\r\n\r\nFrom there, the session shifts into a practical, interactive walkthrough of the proposed AI\u2011powered solution. Attendees are guided through the architecture in an accessible format, visualizing how AWS S3, Bedrock, Lambda, and API Gateway work together to deliver deterministic responses to human\u2011language queries. The session includes three live, scenario\u2011based benefit searches\u2014diagnostic colonoscopy, maternity benefits, and shoe inserts\u2014demonstrating how natural language inputs return precise and category\u2011aware benefit results.\r\n\r\nThroughout, the format blends technical explanation, real interface screenshots, and storytelling to make complex AI and NLP concepts relatable. The session concludes with measurable value insights, team learnings, production considerations, and projected cost savings, creating a clear connection between innovation, user experience, and operational impact.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Nick Nystrom", "title": "Experience Lead", "organization": "Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield" } ], "speakers_text": "Nick Nystrom (Experience Lead, Wellmark Blue Cross & Blue Shield)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "Natural language transforms benefit search.", "A practical, scalable architecture they can model.", "Clear business impact and measurable value." ], "key_takeaways_text": "Natural language transforms benefit search.\r\n\r\nA practical, scalable architecture they can model. \r\n\r\nClear business impact and measurable value.", "display_order": 32 }, { "id": 859, "title": "M365 Copilot Rollout: Driving Adoption and Impact at Pella", "track": "AI Demo", "session_type": "AI Demo", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "204-208", "short_description": "Pella is unlocking the power of AI with Microsoft 365 Copilot. With industry\u2011leading adoption \u2014 95% monthly use and 75% weekly \u2014 we\u2019re among Microsoft\u2019s top performers. Our people\u2011first approach empowers teams to innovate, boost productivity, and create real business value. This is how AI is reshaping work at Pella.", "full_description": "At Pella Corporation, we\u2019ve embraced the power of AI to transform how our teams work. Our rollout of Microsoft 365 Copilot has been a game-changer, delivering both exceptional adoption and measurable business impact. Today, over 95% of licensed users actively engage with Copilot each month, and more than 75% return weekly. These results place Pella among the top 10% of companies leveraging Copilot, according to Microsoft benchmarks.\r\n\r\nWhat sets Pella apart is our people-first approach to AI. We believe AI should empower our teams to solve problems \u2014 not replace their creativity and expertise. This mindset has driven rapid adoption and unlocked significant ROI, proving that when technology and people work together, innovation thrives. Our journey is just beginning, and we\u2019re excited to share how AI is helping us reimagine productivity and create value across the organization.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Curtis Winegar", "title": "Sr Data Analytics Strategist", "organization": "Pella Corporation" } ], "speakers_text": "Curtis Winegar (Sr Data Analytics Strategist, Pella Corporation)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [ "\"Pella\u2019s People\u2011First Strategy Made Copilot a Breakthrough Success", "AI Is Now a Core Capability \u2014 Not a Tool", "Change Management + Community + Continuous Feedback = Sustained Impact\"" ], "key_takeaways_text": "\"Pella\u2019s People\u2011First Strategy Made Copilot a Breakthrough Success\r\n\r\nAI Is Now a Core Capability \u2014 Not a Tool\r\n\r\nChange Management + Community + Continuous Feedback = Sustained Impact\"\r\n", "display_order": 33 }, { "id": 860, "title": "Facilitated Discussion: Leadership & Workforce", "track": "Leadership and Workforce", "session_type": "Facilitated Discussion", "start_time": "3:10 PM", "end_time": "3:55 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:10:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 15:55:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "This facilitated session is an open, attendee-driven discussion focused on themes from the Leadership & Workforce track. Guided by the Summit Director, the conversation will surface key questions, challenges, and insights from participants while connecting perspectives across the group. Speakers will contribute, but the emphasis is on shared experiences around change management, culture, readiness, governance, and the human impact of AI adoption.", "full_description": "This facilitated discussion is structured as an open, attendee-driven conversation centered on the themes emerging from the Leadership & Workforce track. Rather than a formal presentation, the discussion will be guided by the questions, concerns, and experiences of attendees. The Summit Director will facilitate the conversation, helping to frame key issues, connect perspectives, and keep the dialogue constructive.\n\nSpeakers from the track will contribute their insights, but the session is intended to draw on the collective experience of the group. Attendees are encouraged to engage in discussion around topics such as change management, culture, readiness, governance, and the human implications of AI adoption, creating a space for honest, practical exchange.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [ { "name": "Aaron Warner", "title": "CEO", "organization": "ProCircular, Inc." }, { "name": "Celina Peerman", "title": "Organizational Psychologist", "organization": "The Peerman Group" }, { "name": "Dave Machovsky", "title": "CEO/Founder", "organization": "Mindset Innovations" }, { "name": "Doug Jacobson", "title": "Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering", "organization": "Iowa State University" }, { "name": "Jacey Heuer", "title": "Head of AI & Data Science", "organization": "Pella Corporation" }, { "name": "Jon Eads", "title": "Innovation Program Director", "organization": "Grain Processing Corporation, a subsidiary of Kent Worldwide" }, { "name": "Kacy Webster", "title": "CEO/Founder", "organization": "Profit Quiver" }, { "name": "Mehul Bhuva", "title": "Senior Software Engineer (Data & AI)", "organization": "QCI" }, { "name": "Patrick Johanns", "title": "Associate Professor of Instruction, Provost AI Fellow", "organization": "University of Iowa Tippie College of Business" } ], "discussion_contributors_text": "Aaron Warner (CEO, ProCircular, Inc.); Celina Peerman (Organizational Psychologist, The Peerman Group); Dave Machovsky (CEO/Founder, Mindset Innovations); Doug Jacobson (Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Iowa State University); Jacey Heuer (Head of AI & Data Science, Pella Corporation); Jon Eads (Innovation Program Director, Grain Processing Corporation, a subsidiary of Kent Worldwide); Kacy Webster (CEO/Founder, Profit Quiver); Mehul Bhuva (Senior Software Engineer (Data & AI), QCI); Patrick Johanns (Associate Professor of Instruction, Provost AI Fellow, University of Iowa Tippie College of Business)", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 34 }, { "id": 861, "title": "Closing Address", "track": "General", "session_type": "Closing", "start_time": "4:20 PM", "end_time": "4:40 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 16:20:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 16:40:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "The Closing Address will focus on next steps, helping attendees build on insights and resources from the summit to advance AI in their organizations. It will recap key themes and encourage continued learning, experimentation, and connection beyond the event.", "full_description": "The Closing Address will help attendees think about what comes next after the summit. The session will highlight ways participants can continue building momentum using the materials, insights, and resources connected to the conference, with an emphasis on practical next steps for making progress with artificial intelligence in their own organizations. It will also offer a brief recap of the day, reinforce key themes, and encourage attendees to continue learning, experimenting, and connecting with others as they move from ideas into action.", "speakers": [ { "name": "Paul Gormley", "title": "Growth Project Manager", "organization": "CIRAS, Iowa State University" } ], "speakers_text": "Paul Gormley (Growth Project Manager, CIRAS, Iowa State University)", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 36 }, { "id": 862, "title": "Networking Session", "track": "General", "session_type": "Expert Talk", "start_time": "4:40 PM", "end_time": "6:00 PM", "start_datetime": "2026-05-06 16:40:00", "end_datetime": "2026-05-06 18:00:00", "room": "220-230-240", "short_description": "", "full_description": "", "speakers": [], "speakers_text": "", "discussion_contributors": [], "discussion_contributors_text": "", "key_takeaways": [], "key_takeaways_text": "", "display_order": 37 } ]