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AI for Defense Summit

  • September 2-3, 2026
  • AIA Global Campus for Architecture & Design, Washington, D.C.

Event Overview

The 2026 AI for Defense Summit will convene senior leaders and innovators from the Department of War, Intelligence Community, federal government, industry, and academia to explore how AI is being operationalized for national security.   As AI continues to transition from experimentation to deployment, the 5th Annual Summit will highlight real-world applications that are enhancing decision-making, accelerating intelligence analysis, strengthening C2, and enabling resilient and responsive warfighting capabilities across multi-domains.

2026 Confirmed Speakers Include:

2026 Agenda Coming Soon!

  • Cameron Stanley

    Chief Data and AI Officer, OUSW R&E Keynote Speaker

  • Israel Soong

    Deputy Director, Office of Artificial Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)

  • Matthew Willis, PhD

    Director, Army FUZE, ASA(ALT)

  • Patrick Lincoln, PhD

    Director, Information Innovation Office, DARPA

  • Alexis Bonnell

    Partnership Manager, OpenAI; Former CIO & Director of the Digital Capabilities Directorate, AFRL

  • Alex Oliver

    Partner, Andreessen Horowitz

  • HON Veronica Daigle

    President, National Security Practice, RedCell Partners

  • Kim Sablon, PhD

    Chief Technology Officer, Riverside Research; Former Principal Director for Trusted AI & Autonomy, OUSW R&E

  • Young Bang

    Operating Executive, The Carlyle Group; Executive Vice President, Two Six Technologies; Former Principal Deputy, ASA(ALT)

  • Nancy Morgan

    CEO, Ellis Morgan Enterprises; Former Intelligence Community CDO, ODNI

  • Mark Munsell

    Executive Director, GeoSTL; Former Chief AI Officer, NGA

  • Matthew Gaston, PhD

    Director, AI Division, Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute; Founding Director, SEI’s Emerging Technology Center

About the 2026 AI for Defense Summit

TOPICS TO BE COVERED

  • Institutionalizing AI Across the Army Enterprise
  • Harnessing Innovation: Integrating Cutting-Edge AI for the Warfighting Advantage
  • From Experimentation to Warfighting Advantage: Operationalizing AI for CJADC2
  • Getting the Foundation Right: Data Management for AI
  • Delivering Capabilities at Speed: How the DoW is Looking to Use AI to Win the Fight
  • Championing Innovation and Winning the AI Race: Shaping American Leadership in AI

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing how the Department of War deters, fights, and wins in an increasingly complex global threat landscape.  As adversaries rapidly advance their own AI capabilities, the United States is operating at a rapid wartime pace to secure American leadership in AI and develop an AI-enabled Joint Force.  The 5th Annual AI for Defense Summit will explore the integration and deployment of AI across the Department of War and federal government to deliver mission outcomes and warfighting advantage from the tactical edge to enterprise decision-making.

The 2026 Summit will convene leaders from the DoW, military services, IC, federal government, industry, and academia to explore the recently released Department of War Artificial Intelligence Acceleration Strategy, integrate commercial innovations, accelerate acquisition reform, and support the development and deployment of AI tools that empower Warfighters and decision-makers. Discussions will emphasize the transition from experimentation to execution and highlight how organizations are integrating AI into workflows, advancing joint and coalition interoperability, and delivering decision advantage at speed and scale.  Through Keynotes and panel discussions, attendees will gain insights into the latest developments in generative and agentic AI, autonomous systems, data infrastructure, and AI-enabled command and control, as well as efforts to strengthen joint and coalition interoperability and deliver decision advantage.  Leaders across the community will address critical enablers to AI adoption, including workforce development, human machine teaming, model validation and trust, cybersecurity, and resilient architectures for contested environments.

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

BECOME A SPONSOR or Exhibitor

Platinum Sponsor

Exhibitor

Media Partners