AI Summit

BrAIn Hub 2025

Pioneering AI Possibilities for Regional Growth

Continuing on the success from the previous summits (image below), the MAWDB and it’s partners are pleased to present the next Artificial Intelligence (AI) Summit to be hosted at A-B Tech. Registration will begin on May 5, 2025 with details of the speakers, agenda, and sponsorship opportunities.

Learn from AI experts and practitioners on how AI can enhance your personal and professional life, and fuel economic resilience and growth. Presentations and workshops will cover a wide array of topics relevant to healthcare, education, government and policy, technology, and more. The AI Summit aims to spark innovation, efficiencies, networking, and regional growth by leveraging the vast capabilities of AI. 

Keynotes and Presentation Topics

  • AI augmenting the workforce and economic development
  • AI’s involvement in post-secondary school systems
  • Government, policy, and actions related to AI
  • Future-cast on AI

Practicals and Hands-on Demonstrations

  • Agentics – using AI to make computers take actions
  • Llama to write code
  • Computer vision
  • Building apps with AI without coding

Agenda (2025)

TUESDAY, June 25th

8:00a – Breakfast and registration

8:30a – Opening remarks (Jeff Kaplan, Barbara Darby, Dr. John Gossett)

8:55a – Keynote – Jeff Debillis and Maggie Smith, AI in workforce and economic development

10:00a – Break

10:15a – Beth Stewart and Cris Harshman, The Role of Community Colleges in AI Education

11:15 – Lunch

12:00 – Tim Scapin, Current education tools and efforts in AI

12:45 – Jim Brooks, Reform strategies at Liberal Arts Colleges

1:30 – Break

1:45 – Erika Anderson, Introduction to AI in Government and Polices

1:55 – Robert Heitt, Economic Development in Government Sector

2:20 – Jonathan Feldman, AI in County Governments

2:45 – TBD – AI at the State level

3:05 – Break

3:15 – Government Panel

3:45 – Jeff Kaplan’s closing remarks

5:00 – Happy Hour

WEDNESDAY, June 26th

8:00a – Breakfast and registration

8:30a – Jeff Kaplan, Opening remarks 

8:40a – Nathan Ramsey, Observations of changing workforce

8:55a – Marc Hoit, AI today and how education is responding to workforce needs

9:45a – Drew Pollock, HR utilization of AI

10:30a – break

10:45a – Steve Weese, The AI Singularity and Future-case

11:30a – Lunch

12:15 – Jeff Kaplan, Introducing the technology working group

12:25 – Abdallah Abousheaisha, Computer vision with AI

12:50 – Aidan O’Brien, Agentics – using AI to make computers do cool things

1:15 – Eli Etherton, Using Llama to write code

1:40 – Break

2:00 – Technology work group panel

2:45 – Jeff Kaplan’s Closing remarks

This is only an in-person event. 

Our educational and workforce planning partners for this event include:

  • A-B Technical Community College
  • Blue Ridge Community College
  • Carolina Cyber Center-Montreat
  • Land of Sky Regional Council
  • Mountain Area Workforce Development Board
  • UNCA – University of North Carolina at Asheville
  • WCU – Western Carolina University

Become a Sponsor for the AI Summit

All sponsors will have logos on distributed materials (printed and digital).

Presenting Platinum Gold Silver Bronze
Contribution $3,000 $2,000 $1,000 $500 $250
Booth/Table Yes Yes Yes Yes No
# Tickets 4 3 2 1
If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please reach out to Mark Sternal (mark@landofsky.org).

Why did students and business leaders attend the AI Summit?

Sarah Benoit – AI Summit Call to Action

Sarah Benoit of the JB Media Group, shares a call-to-action on the topic of artificial intelligence.

https://youtu.be/sfZf4un7JTQ?si=IfcF5lPVNtu6iUfI

Julio Barros – on the AI Summit

https://youtu.be/Z3XkipyF8_E 

Land-of-Sky Regional Council’s Mountain Area Workforce Development Board,  leaders from area educational institutes, and businesses are planning a 2025 event!  

Please email barbarad@landofsky.org or mark@landofsky.org if you are interested in participating or sponsoring.

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