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AI for Defense Summit

  • September 3-4, 2025
  • 151 St. George, National Harbor, MD

Event Overview

The 4th Annual AI for Defense Summit will convene leading experts and innovators from across DoD, Military Services, federal government, intelligence community, industry, and academia to explore the strategic integration of artificial intelligence in defense operations. The event will highlight how AI is reshaping modern defense strategies, enhancing warfighting capabilities, and transforming the future of war.

2025 Confirmed Speakers

Agenda Updated July 9, 2025

  • Maj Gen Joseph Kunkel, USAF

    Director of Force Design, Integration, & Wargaming, Air Force Futures, A5/7

  • Melinda K. Reed, SES

    Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Enabling Technology, OUSD(R&E)

  • Andrew Evans, SES

    Director, Army ISR Task Force, U.S. Army G-2

  • Lesley H. Bernys, SES

    Executive Director, Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center

  • Sunil Madhugiri

    CTO, U.S. Customs & Border Protection

  • Nicolas Chaillan

    CEO & Founder, Ask Sage

  • Jennifer Swanson

    VP, Digital & Next-Gen Solutions, Cypress International

  • Alexis Bonnell

    Partnership Manager, Open AI

  • LT Artem Sherbinin, USN

    CTO, Task Force Hopper, U.S. Naval Surface Force

  • Lisa Costa

    Former Chief Technology & Innovation Officer, U.S. Space Force

  • Dr. Matthew Gaston

    Director, SEI AI Division, Carnegie Mellon University

  • Young Bang

    Operating Executive, The Carlyle Group Event Moderator

About the 2025 AI for Defense Summit

TOPICS TO BE COVERED

  • Driving the integration of enabling capabilities to advance DoD technological modernization
  • Generating warfighter decision advantage through accelerated AI deployment
  • Leveraging Gen AI to solve critical warfighter problems
  • Advancing AI-enabled warfighting systems
  • Cutting-edge technological innovations to strengthen intelligence missions
  • Deploying AI to enhance operational capabilities
  • Harnessing human-machine integration to sustain a strategic advantage
  • Software acquisition reform for accelerated innovation
  • Safe & secure AI implementation to safeguard critical infrastructure
  • Assuring confidence, reliability, & integrity in AI systems

In an era of rapid technological advancement, artificial intelligence (AI) is fundamentally reshaping defense strategies and enhancing military operations. To maintain a strategic edge over rapidly modernizing adversaries, the United States is making substantial investments in AI research and development. For fiscal year 2025, the Department of Defense has requested $1.8 billion in funding for AI programs. The 2025 Summit will explore the latest trends, technologies, and strategies aimed at achieving and sustaining decision superiority in future warfare.

As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms the defense landscape, the 4th Annual AI for Defense Summit will bring together leaders from government, industry, and academia to examine how AI is driving advances in defense systems, natural language processing, autonomous technologies, cybersecurity, logistics, predictive maintenance, and more. Key discussions will focus on ethical and responsible AI use, training and education, strategic industry partnerships, and information dominance. Specialized panels will examine the growing role of Generative AI, operational AI applications that support the Warfighter, software acquisition reform, and AI integration across critical infrastructure sectors. Attendees of the 2025 AI for Defense Summit will gain valuable insights from commercial innovators and defense leaders on how AI innovation is being harnessed to create decision advantage and strengthen capabilities across all warfighting domains.

DSI’s team specializes in the extensive research and development of our Summit’s content and focus areas, and we will assemble the most respected minds in AI/ML as well as key policy makers across military and civilian offices. Our non-partisan approach allows us to reach across all services and organizations to bring together a truly holistic group of decision makers and solution providers.

Gain Education & Insight: Walk away with knowledge gained from our senior level speakers on some of the most complex issues facing the DoD and government as it relates to artificial intelligence and autonomous capabilities.

Build Partnerships: The agenda is designed to allow for ample networking opportunities and the ability to discover some of the latest technologies, policy considerations, and solutions of interest to the DoD and government for AI, machine learning, and autonomy.

Influence: Help foster ideas! Share your own insight and knowledge during our interactive sessions. Our town hall format is your opportunity to address our speakers with questions or comments on the current mission.

DSI’s Summit directly supports the DoD and Government mission priorities by providing a conduit for each speaker to efficiently reach audiences outside of their respective offices that directly impact their department’s mission success, at no charge to the government, and in an efficient expenditure of time.

DSI’s Summit will provide a forum to address and improve internal and external initiatives, meet with and hear from partner organizations, disseminate vital capability requirements to industry, increase visibility within the larger community, and generally support their mission. The Summit is open and complimentary to all DoD and Federal employees and is considered an educational and training forum.

(Industry and academia members are charged a fee for admission)

Summit is CLOSED TO PRESS / NO RECORDINGS

Sponsors & Exhibitors

The 2025 AI for Defense Summit provides opportunities including exhibit space, product demonstrations, and networking receptions.

BECOME A SPONSOR or Exhibitor

Platinum Sponsors

Exhibitor

Media Partners