World Summit AI
USA Programme

How do we retain power over entities more powerful than us?  In a conversation with Stuart Russell, we will explore the existential risks posed by misaligned AI superintelligence. To prevent AI from pursuing goals that conflict with humanity's well-being, we must rethink how we design these systems to retain control and safeguard our future

As AI becomes the defining infrastructure of the 21st century, a new global power struggle is underway—not just between companies, but between nations, systems, and ideologies. This high-level panel brings together leaders from the front lines of AI compute, deployment, and governance to examine who is shaping the future of intelligence. What role will governments play in regulating the AI stack? Who controls the chips, the data, the speed—and ultimately, the rules? Join a rare conversation at the intersection of hardware, strategy, and international policy.

As AI models rapidly evolve to support complex reasoning and agentic workflows, their energy, memory, and computing demands are intensifying. AI innovators must support real-time inference and facilitate RAG processes while balancing time and cost per token to deliver reliable, cost-effective, sustainable AI solutions without sacrificing speed of innovation or time to market.
Join WEKA’s Mike Bloom to explore how optimizing your data architecture for ‘token economics’ can improve GPU utilization, energy efficiency, preserve capacity, boost AI memory and performance, and increase your profitability.

Just as computing revolutionised the digital world, synthetic biology is set to transform the physical one, reshaping industries, economies, and even the boundaries of life itself. But with this power comes risk. As gene editing and bioengineering tools become more accessible, so too does the potential for accidental or intentional misuse.

In this thought-provoking session, Andrew Hessel, pioneer in synthetic biology, makes the case for building better systems for biological detection, defence, and governance. From AI-assisted biosecurity to the ethical frontiers of synthetic life, Hessel explores what it takes to responsibly harness biology as the next great platform.

In the race to lead in AI, talent, not patents or papers, may be the most valuable and overlooked signal of innovation. In this session, former UK national security leader Thomas Hurd reveals how Zeki Data uses intelligence-grade methods to map, score, and forecast global AI talent flows. From spotting early indicators of high-impact individuals to anticipating where breakthroughs will happen next, this talk uncovers how tracking people—not just technologies—can offer a decisive edge.

Is Quantum the end of AI as we know it—or its ultimate accelerator? This session explores how quantum breakthroughs could either disrupt or supercharge the AI revolution. With pioneers Ilana Wisby and André M. König, we dive into the paradox at the heart of Quantum AI.

In this thought-provoking session, media futurist Robert Tercek explores how AI is reshaping the cultural landscape. Drawing on decades of experience in digital innovation, Tercek examines what’s at stake for creators, audiences, and the institutions that shape culture. Will AI democratize creativity or dilute it? 

Each year, Stanford HAI’s AI Index provides one of the most comprehensive and authoritative snapshots of the global AI landscape, tracking technical progress, investments, regulation, education, and societal impact. In this exclusive briefing, Vanessa Parli, Director of Research at Stanford HAI and lead of the AI Index, walks us through the key findings from the latest report.  From the staggering cost of frontier model training to the rise of open-source alternatives and the shifting geography of talent and regulation, this session is a must-attend for anyone looking to understand where AI stands today—and where it’s headed next.

Explore how AI and innovative technologies are revolutionizing industries, with a particular focus on AI’s impact in optimizing and modernizing the electric grid.

Discover how bold, experimental ideas in energy management are being transformed into scalable solutions, driving efficiency and sustainability across the electric grid.

Address the ethical considerations and challenges involved in deploying AI-driven technologies to ensure responsible, equitable, and sustainable improvements in critical infrastructure.

How do you quantify global change in real time? In this session, Jain explores how multimodal AI—combining satellite imagery, text, and alternative data—can track geopolitical shifts, supply chain disruptions, and economic trends as they unfold. 

Discover how investors and decision-makers can gain an edge by using AI to see the world more clearly and act faster.

Voice is racing past simple commands to become the interface that sells, serves, and surprises. In this conversational deep-dive, SoundHound AI Chief Operating Officer Mike Zagorsek pulls back the curtain on the breakthroughs making that leap possible. 
Learn how SoundHound is packing large language models into dashboards and devices. 

As generative AI begins to shape the next era of entertainment, how do we design experiences that feel meaningful, intuitive, and emotionally resonant? This session brings together three pioneers working at the cutting edge of AI and media to explore how intelligent systems are transforming how we create and connect through digital content.

We’re seeing the usage of Generative AI in all forms, from application development to enterprise usage and personalised customer experiences. It enables more efficient solutions and better-informed decisions, though the journey can feel overwhelming. Which foundation model should I use? How do I keep my data private and minimise cloud lock-in? How do I connect my model to existing databases, services, and more to get true value from AI?
The key to navigating this emerging path is adopting the flexibility, transparency, and collaboration of open source that many of us are familiar with. Join us for this workshop as we discuss the right practices and knowledge to approach common problems with generative AI. You’ll learn the leading tools for use cases such as model serving and scaling, agentic workflows, prototyping, fine-tuning, experimentation/evaluation, and more- built on Linux and Kubernetes! With live demos, you’ll see how to build with open source models and control your AI journey!

From warehouses to boardrooms, AI is reconfiguring the modern workplace. In this keynote, we explore the technologies driving this shift and their implications for jobs, training, and economic structures. Will AI augment human workers or replace them? What policies and mindsets do we need to ensure equitable outcomes? This is a session for anyone navigating the crossroads of innovation, leadership, and labor.

As AI systems become increasingly powerful, the underlying infrastructure must evolve to meet demands for performance, privacy, and control. In this session, the team from Airia unveils how they are architecting the next generation of scalable, privacy-conscious AI infrastructure—designed not just to power AI, but to shape its responsible use. From edge compute to real-time governance, discover how invisible systems are defining AI’s visible future

What does it take to build and operate a global voice marketplace in the era of generative audio?

We’re entering the era of the #RealTimeInternet—where computing experiences don’t pre-exist but are generated by AI the moment we summon them. 

In this session, designer and futurist Jared Ficklin explores how AI is not just powering tools but reshaping the fabric of our digital lives. What does it mean to design for a world where machines anticipate our needs in real time? 

As tech giants race to dominate AI, energy has become the new bottleneck. Powering the next generation of data centers—and reaching net zero—will require a radical rethink of how we generate and manage electricity.
In this session, Erin Boyd (AES) explores how AI is both increasing short-term energy demand and enabling long-term sustainability. She discusses how AI can optimize grids and accelerate the transition to 100% clean energy. 

Joining her is Brian Gitt (Oklo), who presents a new approach to fast, flexible, and clean power generation by combining small modular nuclear reactors with natural gas technologies. Together, they paint a picture of an AI-powered energy future that is both resilient and sustainable.

How do you design a product when intelligence is no longer just in the cloud, but embedded in the object itself? In this session, Hofmeester explores the creative and technical challenges of designing physical products that integrate AI—whether they’re wearables, interactive tools, or smart environments. 

Learn how AI and hardware can be fused to create devices that feel intuitive, adaptive, and seamlessly part of our lives

Building on the amazing accelerator zone on the show floor, this will be a turbo-charged session featuring the best that start-ups, scale-ups, and soon-to-be unicorns in the AI universe have to offer. 

Specially-selected start-ups will pitch their game-changing AI disruptions to a panel of leading investors.

2:00 - 2:10
Welcome from the Chair

2:10 - 2:20 pm
Rebecca Frankel, CEO, Orange Therapeutics

2:15 - 2:25 pm
Madison Joslyn & Anna Cavazos, CEO & Co-Founder, Finds.AI

2:30 - 2:40
Terry Janssen, Founder and CEO, AI for Good Squared

Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) is rapidly becoming the preferred pattern for enterprises that want the creativity of large language models and the precision of their own data. In this hands-on session, SAP’s Applied AI team demystifies RAG—from the first prompt to a production-grade pipeline.

Step into the evolving battlefield where generative AI collides with deception, influence, and national security. This session pulls back the curtain on the rise of deepfakes and AI-powered manipulation—how they’re built, who’s deploying them, and what that means for public trust, cybersecurity, and information integrity. 

From cutting-edge detection tools to real-world mitigation strategies, this isn’t just a tech talk—it’s a reality check from someone who’s seen it play out in both public and private sectors.

Can AI enable one billion entrepreneurs? Drawing on new evidence from millions of businesses and 140,000 individuals across 26 countries, Professor Koning will walk through recent studies showing how AI can significantly boost performance for already-strong entrepreneurs, but risks widening existing gaps by leaving behind those with less experience or fewer resources—especially women. The key takeaway: AI holds the power to unlock massive entrepreneurial potential worldwide, but only if we design tools, training, and ecosystems that meet people where they are. To empower a billion entrepreneurs, we must build AI that lifts the many, not just the few.

Before AI changes the world, someone has to design how it works, feels, and connects. In this session, R/GA explores why the future isn’t just about building AI tools—but designing intelligent brand solutions that evolve, respond, and create value in real time. You’ll see how AI is reshaping discovery, interaction, and identity—and why designing for the Intelligence Age may be the most important brief brands will face.

Artificial intelligence is rapidly redrawing the global security map. From secure code development and responsible vulnerability discovery to disrupting criminal networks and combating drug trafficking, AI is becoming a vital tool for governments and institutions. It plays an increasing role in safeguarding critical infrastructure, including powering technology to counter malicious drone traffic. Yet its power also opens the door to new and unpredictable threats: AI-generated bioweapons, automated cyberattacks, and geopolitical instability driven by an accelerating tech arms race between global superpowers like the U.S. and China.
In this headline session, two leading experts will unpack how AI is reshaping the national and global security landscape, revealing both the opportunities and urgent risks. What must we do now to secure our societies in an AI-driven world?

AI is not just optimizing operations at UPS—it’s driving measurable profit. In this session, Sunzay Passari shares how UPS is leveraging machine learning, predictive analytics, and intelligent routing to cut costs, improve delivery accuracy, and unlock new efficiencies at scale. From fleet optimization to forecasting and customer experience, AI is becoming central to UPS’s transformation strategy. Gain a behind-the-scenes look at how innovation translates directly to the bottom line.

How can technology extend human potential in everyday life? In this session, Karthik Mahadevan, CEO of Envision, explores the latest breakthroughs in human augmentation, tools that enhance how we see, move, communicate, and understand the world. Drawing from Envision’s work building AI-powered smart glasses for the blind and visually impaired, Mahadevan will highlight how assistive technologies are evolving into powerful, mainstream interfaces.

How can intelligence methods developed for national security be used to understand the global AI talent landscape? 

In this revealing session, Hurd—former UK national security leader —shows how tools once used for counterterrorism are now being applied to track, evaluate, and forecast the movement of AI researchers and engineers.

Drawing on years of experience at the highest levels of government, Hurd explores how predictive models can identify emerging AI leaders, assess innovation potential, and anticipate where strategic talent will move next. From behavioral markers to global migration patterns, this session offers rare insights into how geopolitical competition is shifting toward talent intelligence.

As the climate crisis accelerates, so does the urgency for intelligent, scalable solutions. In this session, Daniel Erasmus introduces ClimateGPT, a platform using AI to model complex climate scenarios, support evidence-based policy, and empower local and global action. From carbon tracking to climate adaptation planning, discover how AI can help turn data into decisions—and hope into action.

What if AGI could be both powerful and benevolent—and built outside the control of tech giants? In this visionary session, Ben Goertzel, a long-time advocate of open, decentralised artificial general intelligence, outlines the roadmap to AGI that serves humanity, not corporate or state interests. Drawing on his work with the ASI Alliance and TrueAGI, Goertzel explores the architecture, values, and collaborative structures needed to create truly ethical, distributed intelligence. Can blockchain, open-source ecosystems, and global cooperation prevent a centralised AGI monopoly, and what happens if we fail?

After two days of breakthroughs, dilemmas, and debate, one question remains: what now? In this closing session, key voices from across the summit reflect on the insights shared and where they lead us. What are the urgent actions we must take as innovators, policymakers, and citizens? From ethical boundaries to bold opportunities, this is a moment to take stock, look forward, and ask: what should we do, and who will lead the way?