Read the Signal: Convergence Policy Summit
Read the Signal. The rules are being written now. Who holds the pen?
I hope you'll join us for the Convergence Policy Summit in Chicago on May 27th.
Technology has evolved from simple signals into complex systems. AI, blockchain, and quantum computing are converging rapidly, and policy is struggling to keep pace. The choices we make now will shape trillions in infrastructure, redefine ownership models, and influence global power for generations.
This summit is designed for the people actively shaping those decisions.
The Convergence (C:TPI) was created as a thoughtful holistic response — mapping critical intersections, developing practical safeguards, and helping build coherent frameworks for a secure, post-quantum future.
Agenda:
1:30pm Why Now (30 minutes) What will be true by 2030 if Chicago does nothing? What decisions are being made right now that cannot be undone?
Speaker to be announced
2:00pm The Signal Is Global: A Geopolitical Analysis: State of Technology in World Affairs (60 minutes): A geopolitical analysis of where technology power is consolidating, compute, AI regulation, digital infrastructure, and the countries and companies racing to own the stack.
Speaker: Alex Lightman — Futurist, Author, and former UN CTO. Policy advisor on EU AI Regulation and to both Trump & Obama Administrations on emerging tech. MIT alum and WTIA Scholar in Residence.
3:00pm Collisions or Convergence: Dispatches from the Frontier (45 minutes) Three short, sharp vignettes from researchers focused on economic impact who have been in rooms where these decisions are being made. Real intelligence from the edge of where policy and technology are colliding.
Speaker: Arry Yu — Founder & Executive Director of Convergence: Tech Policy Institute (1871). 3x serial founder who raised $35M+, 2x nonprofit founder. 3xaward-winning pianist & designer.
Speaker: Nirav Desai — Head of Innovation at HP. Tech policy leader and strategic advisor on AI, quantum, and emerging technologies. Chair of PNWER’s Innovation Committee. Former Booz Allen Hamilton. Co-Founder, World Virtual Society.
4pm: Chicago Sends the Signal: Chicago Accord Preview (30 minutes)
Speaker to be announced
430pm: Closing Remarks (10 minutes): What do we do tomorrow?
Press availability (Press only)
Who Should Attend
Policymakers and government staff shaping technology regulation
Corporate leaders managing risk, compliance, and strategy
Investors tracking shifts in global infrastructure and power
Academics and experts at the intersection of policy and emerging technologies
What to Expect
High-conviction perspectives on where technological power is heading and what’s truly at stake
A global lens on AI, compute, infrastructure, and control of the stack
Frontline insights from those in the rooms where decisions are being made
The Chicago Accord Preview — a defining moment that turns conversation into commitment
Agenda Highlights
Opening Stakes: Why Now - A clear-eyed look at the real stakes and what the world may look like by 2030 if we fail to act.
Global Power Shift - Understanding where technological power is consolidating and who controls the foundational stack.
Frontier Dispatches - Real-world collisions and convergence at the edge of policy and technology.
The Chicago Response - The shift from listening to action. We will introduce and sign the Chicago Accord on stage — a public commitment to forward-looking, coherent policy frameworks for converging technologies.
Closing Charge - A direct call to action: what must happen next, starting tomorrow.
If you're working to guide these powerful technologies responsibly, I truly hope you'll be with us in Chicago.
This is a rare opportunity for the right people to come together at the right time.
Full Bios
Alexander Lightman is an internationally recognized executive, technology pioneer, author, and advisor to governments, corporations, and institutions worldwide. A graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with graduate study at MIT Sloan and Harvard Kennedy School, he has spent more than four decades commercializing frontier technologies including artificial intelligence, IPv6, 4G wireless broadband, augmented reality, blockchain, and sovereign digital infrastructure. He was the first commercial seller of AI systems to the U.S. military, helped drive federal IPv6 adoption, and has advised NATO, the European Parliament, the European Commission, and more than forty national governments on technology strategy, regulation, and civilizational resilience.
Arry Yu is a technology strategist, serial entrepreneur, and Chair of the Washington Technology Industry Association’s Advanced Technology Cluster. A Cornell University graduate with degrees in Asian Studies, mathematics, and music, he brings more than 25 years of experience scaling high-growth technology companies at Microsoft, Expedia, and Google, and co-founding blockchain ventures StormX and GiftStarter. He previously served as Founding Chair of the Cascadia Blockchain Council and Director of External Affairs at Northwest Quantum Nexus. As convener of the Seattle AI Leadership Council and foreword author of the “Seattle: A City of Flywheels” white paper series, Arry is leading a coordinated regional effort to deliberately couple the Pacific Northwest’s strengths in clean energy, hyperscale compute, recursive AI, and quantum technologies into self-reinforcing systems of civilizational intelligence.
Nirav Desai is a technology innovator, strategist, and key collaborator with the Washington Technology Industry Association. He serves as Head of Innovation at HP and chairs PNWER’s Innovation Committee. Nirav co-authored the 2024 Washington State AI and Quantum Landscape Reports and actively contributes to Seattle’s AI ecosystem through WTIA events, startup mentoring, and cross-sector convenings. As CEO and Co-Founder of Moonbeam Exchange, he helps companies source, prototype, and scale emerging technologies using AI-powered platforms and data science. He is a recognized voice on the future of AI-driven enterprise transformation and the creative economy, and serves as Affiliate Assistant Professor in the University of Washington’s Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering.