AI Forward: The Executive Summit
AI is moving faster than policies, playbooks, and governance can keep up. As organizations race to adopt it, one question rises above the rest:
How do you keep human judgment at the center of the systems you're building?
AI Forward: The Executive Summit 2026 brings together a handpicked group of technology, product, and business leaders for an evening of honest conversations about the future of AI. Expect practical insights, meaningful connections, and fresh perspectives on AI governance, workforce transformation, and responsible innovation.
Hosted by Wesley Eugene from BairesDev, this is the second installment of an annual gathering that began with 2025's Humanising AI Forum, and arrives the Thursday before Atlanta Tech Week — a fitting kickoff to the city's biggest week in tech.
Take a sneak peek at last year's edition here:
What to Expect
An invite-only room of CIOs, CTOs, CISOs, VPs, founders, investors, and AI leaders
Thought-provoking conversations with industry experts
Warm, relationship-driven networking without the awkward small talk
Open bar from 6:00 PM–10:00 PM
Chef-crafted heavy hors d'oeuvres throughout the evening
The Evening
Opening Keynote
The Governance Mandate: What August 2026 Means for Your AI Stack
April Holcomb — BISO, FedEx
Panel Discussion
Human in the Lead: Workforce Strategy for the Agentic Era
Angela Stewart — VP, Corporate Systems, Nasdaq
M. Hans Delly — Managing Director, Slalom
Nicholas Poole — CIO, City of Powder Springs
Panel Discussion
AI × The Workforce of Tomorrow
Kerel Fryar — Director of Strategic Partnerships, Georgia FinTech Academy
Dr. Leon Prieto — Professor of Management, Clayton State University
Brian Benn — CIO, Clark Atlanta University
Fireside Chat
Responsible by Design: Building Ethical AI from Day One
Jasmine Hall — CEO & Founder, AetherOS