AI 305 Conference brings tech leaders to campus to explore AI’s impact

From robots entering the workplace to AI systems taking on tasks once handled by employees, the pace of technological change — and how businesses are responding — took center stage at FIU Business’s second annual AI 305 Conference.

The sold-out event brought together executives from Microsoft, OpenAI, Google, Meta and Amazon Web Services, along with industry experts and university faculty, to explore AI’s growing role in business, healthcare, transportation and other sectors.

Under the theme “AI for Good: Profit, Performance and Social Impact,” the conference also examined the opportunities, risks and responsibilities that come with the technology’s rapid adoption.

“The question is no longer what AI can do,” Karlene Cousins, chair of FIU Business’s Department of Information Systems, said at the event’s opening. “The question is what we will choose to do with it — and whether we will use this extraordinary power to create havoc or to create a better world.”

The conference opened with robotic dogs dancing onstage to the music of a live cellist. Luka, an interactive bipedal humanoid robot developed by VaultBots, also made an appearance.

“Live the moment. This is the time to start your adventure,” said Maher Nana, CEO of Orimus, an AI robotics security firm. “AI gives you the power to move forward.”

Gary Khachatryan, CEO of VaultBots, described how robots such as Luka could be programmed for jobs in hospitality, restaurants, elder care and medical offices, helping businesses reduce costs and address staffing needs.

“The biggest challenge is to cut costs,” Khachatryan said. “Once restaurants and hotels are more defined, they can go to more locations and expand out to public locations and open events, finally becoming part of the environment in cities and communities.”

The discussion moved from robotics to the latest advances in artificial intelligence, as executives from leading technology companies examined how AI is changing productivity, work and business operations.

Asked what AI can accomplish today that seemed unrealistic just two years ago, Trey Johnson, an account executive at Google, pointed to the technology's rapid evolution.

“Twenty-four months ago, AI was a chatbot,” Johnson said, adding that today it can “simulate new dynamic worlds with one sentence” and contribute to scientific discovery.

Panelists also acknowledged challenges involving financing, data and the workforce as organizations move toward broader AI adoption.

“You need better leadership to extract the full value and build from the ground up,” said Ana Simoes, principal specialist, Gen AI Frameworks, at Amazon Web Services. “It’s exciting to see how access to AI is growing productivity and frees open talent to redesign work.”

An audience question about the future of entry-level jobs brought the discussion to the impact of AI on employment.

Rich Chambers, director of Cloud Solution Architecture for Microsoft State & Local Government and Education, emphasized the importance of developing skills to work alongside the technology.

“AI isn’t going to take your job. For people using AI, new jobs are on the way,” Chambers said. “You have to be better. You will be better with AI.”

In his keynote address, Fred Voccola, CEO of Simpro Group and a member of FIU’s Board of Trustees, discussed how AI is changing the structure of organizations and the way employees work.

“Every type of industry is changing in real-time because of AI,” Voccola said.

He described the growing role of digital workers, which can take on responsibilities previously handled by employees and perform tasks faster and more efficiently, allowing organizations to rethink how work gets done.

Voccola stressed that businesses must be prepared to adjust as AI capabilities continue to develop. “Organizations have to be comfortable with change, good at pivoting, good at adapting.”

Beyond the discussions about AI's future, conference panels examined how organizations are already applying the technology in critical industries, including aerospace, aviation and transportation.

Moderated by Ziyi Zhao, an assistant professor in FIU Business's Department of Information Systems, one panel brought together executives from NASA, Brightline, Miami International Airport and FEAM Aero.

Their discussion focused on using AI to improve operational efficiency, analyze data, identify problems and strengthen safety, while keeping people involved in decision-making.

At NASA, AI is helping engineers accelerate technical analysis and identify corrective measures.

“We analyze the bend ratio of the liquid hydrogen design and we’re able to provide corrective action within hours,” said Edsel Sanchez, associate director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center Engineering Directorate. “Accelerate analysis, engineering and accountability.”  

Miami International Airport is also exploring AI across 26 operational priorities, including systems that could help manage passenger traffic and improve coordination across airport operations.

 “The plan is to build technology architecture for enterprise scale, so it all speaks the same language; manage the flow of traffic, currently 55-56 million per year,” said James St. Louis, MIA's chief information officer.

Other conference discussions examined AI's applications in healthcare, hospitality, sports and entertainment, as well as its impact on South Florida businesses and communities.

Participants also had opportunities to work directly with AI tools through hands-on workshops, including one focused on Meta AI for business applications and another, powered by CloudHesive, that demonstrated how Claude can automate business processes.

Funds raised by AI 305 will benefit FIU Business’s ATOM Think Tank, where students participate in hands-on learning, receive industry insights, and network for career opportunities.

“Watching students who once said, ‘I can’t’ say ‘I can,’ watching them find their voice, take risks, build confidence, compete, lead, and discover that they are capable of so much more than they thought is the best reminder of why AI305 matters,” said Carrie Sanchez, director of the ATOM Think Tank and event co-chair.

View more photos here.