AI Fundamentals: How Executives Are Cutting Through the Noise
The best leaders right now aren't the ones who know the most about AI. They're the ones who know the right questions to ask and how to act on the answers.
AI is already on your board's agenda, and you’re registered for this event, you're already thinking about it the right way. This session is about sharpening that thinking. The shift to SaaS didn't require executives to understand the code, it required them to know when and how to move. AI is the same call.
We'll cut through the noise on what AI actually is. The difference between machine learning, predictive AI, and generative AI isn't just technical; it changes how you evaluate investments, manage risk, and ask the right questions of your team. We'll also look honestly at where GenAI is creating friction inside organizations today and what smart leaders are doing about it.
From there, we'll get into the frameworks that make AI decisions easier: risk tiers, data governance, and a checklist you can bring back to your leadership team.
We close with a panel featuring a CFO, an advisory expert, and a technologist sharing what they're seeing on the ground. You’ll get a real perspective from people navigating the same decisions you are.
You'll leave with:
An understanding of how AI is shaping our culture
A mindset shift around embracing AI as the modern-day industrial revolution
Practical insight on where GenAI friction shows up and how to get ahead of it
Clarity on the types of AI and how to use that knowledge in boardroom conversations
Where to look in your business to find the most approachable processes to improve with the highest ROI
Most importantly, you’ll leave knowing what not to do. In a space moving this fast, the advantage isn’t in reacting; it’s in making the right calls while others are still figuring it out. This session will help you lead that conversation internally with more clarity and confidence.
Speaker
Johnny Than is the Founder and CEO of Appficiency and AskCipher. With over 30 years of enterprise IT experience, he has guided Appficiency to become a globally recognized digital transformation consultancy, Oracle NetSuite's Canadian Alliance Partner of the Year in 2025, and launched AskCipher, an enterprise AI platform that sits as an intelligent layer across ERP, CRM, and digital ecosystems. A McMaster MBA graduate, Johnny has consulted with over 300 organizations and oversees solutions serving 1,000+ clients worldwide.
Panellists
Alex Miles is a Partner at 180 Systems, an independent technology consulting firm based out of Toronto, ON, Canada focused on system selection and implementation for mid‑market organizations. Alex has led technology selections and implementations across industries including financial services, professional services, food & beverage, manufacturing, distribution, and construction among others. He has been a featured speaker at the National Technology Forum, presenting on implementation execution, transition to sustainment, and AI/emerging technologies; an industry expert speaker on Epicor’s In Today’s Market series, covering AI, supply chain inflation, cloud ERP trade-offs, and change management; and a recurring speaker at Project Summit BA World, where he has presented on technology project management versus project leadership.
Toronto Tech Week is a citywide celebration of the people building what’s next. From May 26–29, 2026, founders, investors, and builders come together for hundreds of community-led events across Toronto, connecting tens of thousands of people around Canadian tech. Torontotechweek.com.