AI Symposium 2026 - Advancing Learning, Discovery, and Responsible Innovation
AI Symposium Event Details
May 7th, 2026
Join us for the AI Symposium, where faculty, staff, students, and industry leaders come together to communicate and collaborate on innovation, learning, and exploring:
- AI in the Workforce and Industry
- AI in Higher Education
- The Ethical and Human Elements of AI
- Interactive and "Sandbox" Concurrent Sessions on: AI Basics, AI in Arts and Music, Speed Networking with Industry Partners, etc
Date: Thursday, May 7th, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (Reception Time: 5:00 - 6:00 PM)
Location: Chumash Auditorium
AI Symposium Livestream Link: https://www.heraldocreativestudio.com/cal-poly-ai-symposium
AI Symposium 2026 Full Program Flipbook
Faculty Luncheon & AI Discussion
Wednesday, May 6th | 12:00 - 2:00 PM | Location: Swanson Center of Effort Conference Hall (Bldg. 156)
A facilitated faculty-focused discussion on AI policy and campus practice. This session offers space for dialogue, reflection, and shared learning in a collegial setting. Lunch will be provided. For more information, review the Faculty Luncheon and AI Policy Discussion document (PDF).
"AI for Competitive Advantage" Presentation
Wednesday, May 6th | 2:00 - 4:00 PM | Location: LOHR Center for Wine & Viticulture
Participants will explore real-world strategies for applying AI to decision-making, innovation, and organizational effectiveness, with clear, actionable guidance for integrating AI into daily work across academic, administrative, and industry settings. For more information, review the AI for Competitive Advantage Presentation document (PDF).
AI Symposium Agenda
Review the AI Symposium Agenda document (PDF) to see the event schedule for the AI Symposium!
AI Symposium 2026 Featured Speakers
Advancing Learning, Discovery, and Responsible Innovation
Dr. Julie Carpenter
External Research Fellow, Ethics + Emerging Sciences Group, Cal Poly
Dr. Julie Carpenter is a social scientist whose research explores how people interact with artificial intelligence, robotics, and other emerging technologies. Her work focuses on the social, cultural, and ethical dimensions of AI, including how humans form trust, relationships, and emotional connections with intelligent machines.
At the AI Symposium, Dr. Carpenter will examine how AI systems are shaping human behavior, identity, and decision-making. Her keynote will explore the evolving relationship between people and intelligent technologies and the ethical questions that arise as AI becomes embedded in everyday life.
Dr. Rama Akkiraju
Vice President of AI/ML for IT, NVIDIA
Dr. Rama Akkiraju is a leading computer scientist and technology executive working at the forefront of artificial intelligence and machine learning. At NVIDIA, she leads AI initiatives focused on applying advanced AI systems to enterprise technology operations and large-scale computing environments.
Her work spans natural language processing, decision support systems, and intelligent automation. At the AI Symposium, Dr. Akkiraju will discuss how organizations are deploying generative and agent-based AI technologies to transform business processes and complex systems.
Mike Abbott
Technology Executive and Cal Poly Alumnus
Mike Abbott is a prominent technology leader and entrepreneur who has held senior engineering and product leadership roles at companies including Apple, Twitter, Microsoft, and General Motors. He has led global engineering organizations responsible for large-scale software infrastructure, cloud services, and digital platforms used by millions of people worldwide.
As a Cal Poly alumnus, Abbott brings both industry insight and a deep understanding of innovation in the technology sector. His keynote will focus on how advances in artificial intelligence are reshaping large-scale technology systems and creating new opportunities for innovation across industries.
Dr. Chris Clark
Professor of Computer Science and Robotics Researcher
Dr. Chris Clark is a robotics and autonomous systems researcher whose work focuses on multi-robot systems and autonomous vehicles, including underwater robotics and cooperative robotic platforms. His research explores how intelligent machines can collaborate to navigate complex environments and perform tasks that extend human capabilities.
Dr. Clark previously served as a faculty member at Cal Poly, where he contributed to advancing robotics education and research within the university’s polytechnic, hands-on learning environment. His work continues to influence the field of autonomous systems and multi-robot coordination.
As the Noyce Distinguished Speaker, Dr. Clark will discuss the intersection of artificial intelligence and robotics, highlighting how advances in autonomy and machine intelligence are enabling new frontiers in engineering, exploration, and applied research.
AI Symposium 2026 Industry Panelists
Advancing Learning, Discovery, and Responsible Innovation
Frederick Roby
Head of Solutions Architecture, Hi-Tech, Electronics & Semiconductor | Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Fredrick Roby is a technology executive and serial innovator with 25+ years of building products and platforms that move industries forward. Across e-commerce, social media, direct marketing, entertainment, and cloud computing, he has consistently been the architect behind the technology that didn't exist yet, then made it work at scale.
Dhara Vaishnav
Head of solution architecture | Amazon Web Services (AWS)
With over two decades of experience leading high-performance engineering and technical teams, Dhara Vaishnav is now on a mission to build high-impact teams — ones that harness collective experiences, embrace diverse perspectives, and deliver world-class solutions that make customers' lives easier and the world more sustainable.
Anthony Young
senior engineering leader | Apple
Anthony Young is a Senior Engineering Leader at Apple, where he leads teams in the Wireless Technologies and Ecosystems organization focused on Home Automation and HomeKit. Working closely with internal and external partners, Anthony's team develops the technologies and experiences that define how people interact with their homes, devices, and the accessories around them.
Dr. Trevor Strohman
Distinguished Software Engineer | GOOGLE
Dr. Trevor Strohman is a software engineer specializing in artificial intelligence in consumer products. He was the technical lead for Google Bard and a technical lead on the Gemini app. Recently he has joined Google Labs, advising on NotebookLM and upcoming products. Previously he held leadership roles in speech recognition and synthesis for the Google Assistant. He is a co-author of Search Engines: Information Retrieval in Practice.
Contact Us!
For questions about the Cal Poly AI Symposium 2026, please contact Dr. Teshia Young Roby, AI Symposium Chair.