Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome Remarks and Gov AI Coalition Board Kick Off

Thought Leadership Keynote

Industry Partner Panel

Join industry leaders for a series of lightning talks followed by panel discussion, exploring real-world public sector use cases of AI in action. We’ll highlight innovative applications that make a tangible difference in government operations and service delivery. This showcase brings practical examples of AI driving efficiency, improving decision-making, and addressing critical challenges.

Collaboration Today, Tomorrow and After the Conference

One of our coalition leaders will map out a plan for how to collaborate within the conference, with the coalition and beyond.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Starting your AI Roadmap Today

AI strategy has moved from experimentation to implementation across agencies nationwide. What lessons have emerged over the last three years, and where should organizations focus next as adoption accelerates? This session explores how strategy has matured alongside the Coalition’s mission to promote public sector AI that serves the public good. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's starter guide to using AI along with practical insights on refining roadmaps, aligning stakeholders, and advancing AI in a way that delivers lasting public value.

AI in Action: Proven Public Sector Use Cases

Real-world AI use cases are proving that technology can meaningfully improve operations and service delivery. Which implementations are delivering measurable outcomes, and what can be learned from partnerships between agencies and vendors? This session highlights a select number of vetted use cases, including examples like 311 object detection and financial modeling, as well as an examination of how they scaled successfully. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's updated use case library and identify what works, why it works, and how to replicate impact in their own organization.

The AI-Ready Workforce: Skills, Training, and Labor Impact

Successful AI adoption starts with people, not technology. How can organizations prepare their workforce for shifting roles, new skills, and the long-term impact of automation? Our panelists will share strategies for training, certification, and workforce development, while addressing challenges like burnout and change management. Participants will walk away with resources from the Coalition and other leading public sector AI training providers to upskill teams and build a resilient workforce ready for the future of work.

Lunch

Concurrent Sessions

The AI Value Equation: Measuring Impact and Outcomes

Understanding the return on AI investments is critical to sustaining momentum and securing future funding. How should organizations define ROI, and what lessons can be applied from private sector models and early adopters? This session explores measurable outputs, efficiency gains, and sustaining buy-in during cultural growing pains. Participants will walk away with a framework to evaluate the success of AI deployments and how to scale valuable AI solutions.

AI and Cybersecurity: Tabletop Exercise

AI is reshaping cybersecurity, creating new opportunities for defense while also giving bad actors more sophisticated tools for fraud and scams. How can government agencies leverage AI to strengthen security without introducing new risks? Facilitated by experts, groups will examine AI-powered approaches to threat detection, fraud prevention, public records management, and secure information sharing. Key topics include cyber resilience and emerging threats. Participants will walk away with a response plan for the current AI threat landscape.

AI Innovation Challenges: Building the Ecosystem

Innovation isn't defined by budget size; it's defined by the ability to solve meaningful problems. How can agencies advance AI initiatives while balancing risk, limited resources, and growing expectations? Leaders will share a problem-to-solution approach for identifying high-impact opportunities, launching innovation challenges, and engaging students to spark ideas for public-sector transformation. Participants will walk away with a list of potential innovation challenge prompts they could bring to their city.

Concurrent Sessions

Budgeting for AI: Planning Beyond the Pilot

AI investments are reshaping technology budgets and procurement strategies across government organizations. How can leaders plan for expanding AI costs, evaluate new vendor offerings, and avoid unexpected financial commitments as adoption grows? We'll discuss budgeting considerations unique to the public sector, including forecasting operational expenses, managing consumption-based pricing models, and negotiating both short- and long-term contracts. Participants will walk away with practical strategies for developing their sustainable AI funding plans.

Cooperative Procurement and the Future of AI Acquisition

AI is evolving faster than traditional procurement cycles, challenging agencies to rethink how technology is evaluated and acquired. How can public-sector leaders streamline procurement while ensuring governance, transparency, and vendor accountability? Experts will explore cooperative procurement models, strategies for identifying AI capabilities embedded within existing products, and approaches for reducing procurement timelines without increasing risk. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's documents on Generative AI Cooperative Procurement and identify potential procurements in their agency that could benefit from the Coalition's cooperative approach.

AI Surveillance and Public Trust: Drawing the Line with Your Community (Part 1)

AI-powered surveillance technologies are raising new questions about security, privacy, and public accountability. Where should government draw the line between protecting communities and preserving individual freedoms? Featuring law enforcement leaders, civil liberties organizations, and industry perspectives, this interactive session will challenge participants to examine competing viewpoints through real-world scenarios. Participants will walk away with a list of questions they can ask their community to define their unique balance of privacy and security.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Concurrent Sessions

AI Enablement: Security, and Organizational Readiness

AI enablement requires a strong foundation of security, governance, and risk management to support responsible adoption at scale. How can organizations protect sensitive data, address evolving cybersecurity threats, and establish the safeguards needed to deploy AI with confidence? This session explores the critical components of AI enablement, including AI risk management, cybersecurity readiness, and the infrastructure required to securely support emerging technologies. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's upskilling playbooks, covering practical strategies for building a secure, resilient AI culture that enables innovation while protecting organizational and community interests.

Building Support for AI: From Decision-Makers to Elected Leaders

AI adoption is increasingly influenced by legislation, governance requirements, and budget approval processes. How can technology leaders communicate the value of AI to elected officials, policymakers, and potentially non-technical stakeholders while navigating a rapidly evolving regulatory environment? This session explores the intersection of policy, funding, and innovation, highlighting the role of leadership education and stakeholder engagement. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's guide for what elected officials need to know about AI, co-developed with the National League of Cities and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

AI in Public Safety: Use Cases, Privacy, and Prepared Solutions (Part 2)

AI is entering public safety organizations with the goal of streamlining operations and improving service delivery. Which applications are creating value today, and what safeguards are needed to protect privacy and community trust? Practitioners will share real-world examples involving police reports, drones, and other operational tools while discussing governance and implementation lessons. Participants will walk away with a holistic view on practical use cases in law enforcement, measuring their value and balancing privacy considerations.

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

End of Day 1

Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Welcome and Opening Remarks

Inspirational Keynote – What is Intelligence in the Age of AI?

What constitutes true intelligence now that machines are designed to mimic human thinking? According to responsible AI pioneer and scientist Rumman Chowdhury, Ph.D., the meaning of intelligence hasn’t changed because the way we measure AI isn’t testing for what makes humans intelligent. Drawing from years of in-depth, on the ground research with AI both in the lab and in practice at organizations across the globe, Chowdhury points out that real intelligence extends beyond mere data recall or algorithmic efficiency. Energizing and dynamic, she advocates for a broader understanding of intelligence that includes ethical reasoning and emotional skills, encouraging leaders to reevaluate how they define, measure and value intelligence in machines and humans alike. Attendees leave this session empowered to embrace a holistic view that can enhance AI integration strategies with a broader, more inclusive understanding of intelligence that better reflects complex human capacities.

Rumman Chowdhury, Chief Executive Officer, Humane Intelligence

Thought Leadership Keynote

Coalition Keynote

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Innovation Outside of AI: What Have We Missed?

While AI has dominated the conversation, governments have continued to innovate in areas ranging from infrastructure and city design to behavioral science and service delivery. What promising ideas from the past four years have received too little attention, and what can they teach us about solving public challenges? This session will spotlight practical, non-AI innovations that are improving communities and government operations. Participants will walk away with fresh ideas and proven approaches they can adapt within their own organizations.

The Data Center Discussion: Balancing Investment and Responsibility (Part 1)

What should government leaders consider when evaluating a new data center in their jurisdiction? Experts will examine the advantages and tradeoffs of different deployment models while exploring infrastructure, costs, security, and scalability. Discussion points include economic development, environmental impacts, and long-term considerations. Participants will walk away with the Coalition's guide on considerations when permitting data centers.

Build sustainable solutions versus Buy packaged solutions (Part 1)

AI-powered development tools are changing how quickly agencies can turn ideas into working solutions. When should governments build applications using emerging "vibe coding" approaches, and when does it make more sense to buy proven commercial products? Leaders will discuss the opportunities, risks, and governance considerations associated with AI-assisted development, including security, maintenance, scalability, and procurement impacts. Participants will walk away with Coalition tips on governing vibe coding, rapid prototyping, and deciding when to buy a solution.

Lunch

Concurrent Sessions

Agentic AI: The Next Frontier

Agentic AI is transforming how organizations approach automation, decision support, and digital work, but deploying systems that can act with greater autonomy requires new forms of governance and oversight. Speakers and participants will explore emerging use cases, lessons from early adopters, and the practical decisions agencies face when determining whether, and how to deploy agentic AI responsibly and effectively. Participants will walk away with the GovAI Coalition Agentic AI Governance Taskforce’s draft framework for a holistic approach to governing AI agents, including policy, privacy, cybersecurity, data, procurement, workforce, and risk-management considerations.

The Data Center Discussion: Engaging Your Community (Part 2)

Data center proposals can raise complex questions about economic development, environmental impacts, infrastructure demands, and community benefits. How can local governments engage residents early, communicate tradeoffs clearly, and ensure community perspectives meaningfully inform decision-making? This session will explore effective approaches to public education, stakeholder engagement, transparency, and responding to community concerns. Participants will walk away with lessons from the Coalition’s research on engaging communities in local government data center decisions.

Practicum on Building Solutions In-House (Part 2)

This hands-on practicum will introduce participants to “vibe coding” and demonstrate how government staff can use AI-powered development tools to turn ideas into working prototypes. Attendees will explore solutions already built by public agencies, access the GovAI Coalition’s Vibe-Coding Hub, and begin developing a solution of their own. Participants will walk away knowing how to get started with vibe coding and plug into the Coalition's vibe-coding hub.

Concurrent Sessions

Permit Automation: From Application to Approval

Modern permitting requires more than digitization; it requires reimagining how work gets done. How are jurisdictions using AI automation tools to reduce delays, improve service, and create better customer experiences? Drawing from examples in state and local agencies, we will explore data requirements, integration opportunities, and lessons learned from real-world deployments. Participants will walk away understanding what parts of permitting they can automate today and how they can prepare their agency to automate more moving forward.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Please proceed to the concurrent sessions.

Closing General Session

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

End of Conference

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.