GenAI Day

Opening Keynote: Leading in the Age of AI Agents

David Mantica • Managing Director, SoftEd

The leadership playbook is being rewritten. With Gartner predicting that 80% of project management tasks will be AI-driven by 2030 and KPMG reporting that 44% of leaders expect agents to take lead roles in managing projects, the question for every leader has shifted from "should we adopt AI?" to "how fast can we transform?" David sets the stage with a clear-eyed look at what's actually working in enterprise AI adoption, where organizations are stalling, and the leadership capabilities that separate companies scaling AI successfully from those stuck in pilot purgatory.

Agentic Workflows in Practice: Building AI Systems That Actually Scale

Zaki Medina • AI Consultant & Former Microsoft AI Business School Instructor

Over 40% of agentic AI projects are predicted to fail by 2027 - not because the models aren't smart enough, but because enterprises can't operationalize them. Drawing on 17+ years of experience shaping AI strategies for Fortune 100 companies, Zaki walks through the architecture, integration patterns, and governance models that separate agentic AI pilots that stall from those that scale to production. He'll cover real-world examples from healthcare, financial services, and manufacturing where multi-agent systems are delivering measurable results, and share the common pitfalls that trip up even sophisticated teams.

The AI Strategy Roadmap: From Executive Buy-In to Measurable Impact

Jordan Plawner • Founder, Pacific AI Advisory & Former Intel AI Strategy Executive

Deloitte's 2026 State of AI report shows that only 34% of organizations are truly reimagining their business with AI - the rest are optimizing what already exists. Jordan brings three decades of technology leadership and a track record of building a $4B AI business with Fortune 500 leaders to help you close that gap. This session delivers a practical roadmap for non-technical leaders to move from AI vision to measurable outcomes, including how to run readiness assessments, prioritize high-ROI use cases, build organizational AI literacy, and create the governance frameworks that keep AI initiatives on track. Featured in CNN and Time Magazine for his AI thought leadership, Jordan emphasizes that AI's highest value comes from amplifying human creativity and collaboration - not replacing it.

Break

15-minute networking break

Building Custom AI Agents: A Hands-On Guide to Purpose-Built GPTs

George Churchwell • Director of Generative AI Solutions, Mt. Tam Innovations LLC

Generic AI tools produce generic results. George has built over a hundred custom AI applications - from sales intelligence scripts targeting billion-dollar markets to AI-assisted eLearning content for Cisco - and he'll show you exactly how to build purpose-built GPTs tailored to your team's specific workflows. This session covers practical prompt engineering patterns, how to design AI tools that your team will actually use, and the architectural decisions that determine whether a custom agent becomes essential infrastructure or just another tool gathering digital dust. You'll leave with a blueprint for building your first (or next) enterprise-grade custom AI application.

AI for Everyone: Practical Tools That Transform How You Work Today

Tony Rockliff • Founder, AI Connection Club

You don't need to be a developer to put AI to work. Tony has been building AI applications since 1998 and has delivered hundreds of AI seminars showing professionals how to integrate AI into their daily workflows. In this session, he'll demonstrate the most practical AI tools and techniques available right now - from multi-model platforms that consolidate your AI subscriptions to custom assistants that automate marketing, content creation, and research. Tony's approach is hands-on and tool-specific: you'll see live demonstrations of real workflows and leave with a curated toolkit you can start using immediately, regardless of your technical background.

AI-Powered Project Delivery: Transforming How Teams Plan, Execute, and Adapt

Chris Knotts • Principal Consultant, Technology Transformation Strategies

With AI agents on track to take lead roles in 44% of project workflows within the next two to three years, project managers and business analysts need to evolve their practice now. Chris brings two decades of experience in enterprise technology enablement to show how AI is transforming every phase of project delivery - from requirements gathering and sprint planning to risk prediction and stakeholder communication. He'll walk through concrete examples of how teams are using AI to accelerate data engineering, automate documentation, enhance decision-making in agile environments, and bridge the gap between business strategy and technical execution.

AI Visibility and Your Professional Edge

Lara Hill • VP Marketing, SoftEd

AI isn't just changing how we work. It's changing how professionals and organizations are discovered, evaluated, and trusted. Lara shares a forward-looking session on how AI is reshaping professional visibility: from AI-powered search and AI Engine Optimization to building a personal brand that stands out in an AI-saturated landscape. She'll cover actionable strategies for digital presence, ethical AI integration in marketing, and how to position yourself and your organization as AI-forward leaders in your industry.