Agenda
Thursday, September 17, 2026
All times are listed in Central Standard Time.
AI & Data Summit Chicago
One Day Event
Registration and Networking
Informal networking and welcome, setting the tone for a strategic day.
IDC Welcome Remarks
Kevin Prouty
Group Vice President & General Manager, Tech Buyer Business, IDC
Allice Shandler
Sr. Director, Events – Americas, IDC
IDC Keynote: Agentic AI at Scale: Accelerating Innovation While Managing Risk
Agentic AI is unlocking new levels of enterprise innovation by enabling autonomous decision-making and adaptive workflows at scale. Balancing this potential with robust risk management is essential for ensuring trust, compliance, and sustainable value as organizations operationalize agentic systems across critical functions.
Matt Eastwood
SVP, World Wide Research, IDC
Sponsor Keynote #1: The Next Phase of Enterprise AI: From Experimentation to Transformation
As AI moves beyond pilots and proofs of concept, organizations are shifting their focus to scaling adoption and delivering measurable business value. This keynote explores the key trends, challenges, and success factors shaping the next phase of enterprise AI
Sponsor Keynote #2: The Intelligence Layer: How Modern Analytics Powers Enterprise AI
AI is becoming the new interface for enterprise data. This session examines how organizations are creating an intelligence layer that connects data, analytics, and AI to deliver trusted insights, accelerate decisions, and unlock new business value.
Interactive Roundtables
Small group discussions on innovation, application modernization and tech debt reduction
Agentic AI Implementation
Measuring AI ROI and Business Outcomes
Designing AI Governance Models
Future-Proofing Data Architectures
Panel Discussion: Data as a Strategic Asset
Data is emerging as a core driver of enterprise strategy, fueling innovation, operational excellence, and competitive differentiation. Organizations that treat data as a strategic asset are positioned to unlock new value, enable intelligent decision-making, and build resilient, future-ready business models.
Fireside Chat: Orchestrating Data for Real-Time AI and Business Operations
AI initiatives often stall when data is fragmented across applications, warehouses, and operational systems. This session explores how modern enterprises are using data orchestration to unify customer, operational, and transactional data in real time. Learn how connected systems, automated workflows, and trusted data synchronization are enabling organizations to operationalize AI and deliver faster business outcomes.
Building the AI-Ready Enterprise: Scaling AI Across the Enterprise
Organizations are moving beyond AI experimentation and into enterprise-scale deployment. Success requires more than models, it demands a modern foundation that brings together data, infrastructure, governance, and operational excellence. This session explores how enterprises are designing AI-ready architectures that span edge, data center, and cloud environments to deliver secure, scalable, and business-driven AI outcomes.
Networking Lunch & Solutions Showcase
Time off to think, network and share insights.
Trustworthy AI – Ethics, Bias & Transparency in Practice
Building trustworthy AI requires embedding ethics, bias mitigation, and transparency into every stage of the AI lifecycle. Organizations that operationalize these principles not only strengthen compliance and stakeholder trust but also position themselves for responsible innovation and long-term success.
Unlocking AI Value Through Intelligent Integration
AI success depends on more than models: it requires seamless access to trusted data, applications, and processes across the enterprise. This session explores how organizations are using intelligent integration, automation, and API management to connect disparate systems, eliminate silos, and create the foundation for scalable AI and data-driven innovation.
The Human Side of AI and Data
As AI and data reshape the enterprise landscape, human insight, adaptability, and collaboration become critical differentiators. Organizations that prioritize culture, upskilling, and ethical engagement empower their workforce to thrive alongside intelligent technologies and drive sustainable transformation.
Cybersecurity Meets AI and Data
The convergence of cybersecurity, AI, and data is redefining how organizations anticipate, detect, and respond to evolving threats. Leveraging intelligent automation and advanced analytics, enterprises can strengthen defenses, accelerate incident response, and build more resilient security postures in an increasingly complex digital landscape.
Responsible AI in Practice
Operationalizing responsible AI requires embedding ethical frameworks, governance, and accountability into every stage of the AI lifecycle. Organizations that implement these practices at scale not only mitigate risk and ensure compliance but also unlock sustainable innovation and stakeholder trust.
Digital Sovereignty and Data Governance
Digital sovereignty and robust data governance are becoming critical imperatives as organizations navigate regulatory complexity, cross-border data flows, and evolving digital ecosystems. Leaders who prioritize control, transparency, and compliance in their data strategies will be best positioned to safeguard assets, build stakeholder trust, and drive sustainable growth in a rapidly shifting global landscape.
Lightning Insights: The Autonomous Enterprise: AI’s Next Frontier
Lightning Insights: Modern Infrastructure for an AI-Driven World
Lightning Insights: Reimagining Enterprise Operations in the Age of AI
Networking Break
Lightning Insights: Digital Sovereignty and Data Governance
Lightning Insights: Driving Business Value with AI & Data
End User Case Study
Panel Discussion: AI & Data in 2030 – What Leaders Must Prepare For
AI and data will fundamentally redefine competitive dynamics, business models, and workforce expectations. Leaders must anticipate disruptive technological shifts, invest in adaptive strategies, and cultivate organizational resilience to harness the full potential of an AI-driven future.
IDC’s Wrap-Up
Summarize insights and set expectations for the next day.
Kevin Prouty
Group Vice President & General Manager, Tech Buyer Business, IDC
Allice Shandler
Sr. Director, Events – Americas, IDC
Networking Reception
Enjoy more food and drinks with our partners and new contacts
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