Conference notes
All Things AI 2026 fun then looking ahead to cackalackycon and TechFest
As part of my advisor role at NC Tech, I was able to attend the all things AI conference in Durham North Carolina this week. The attendee energy was amazing and the first day session wrap Fireside Chat: The Past, Present, and Future of AI with Igor Jablokov and Mark Hinkle was incredibly thought provoking.
As a bonus, I was able to run into several peers that I haven’t seen in years then reconnect with attendees from the prior All Things AI conference and Tech Field Day alumni. This time the conference was much larger and expanded beyond the Carolina Theatre and into Durham Convention Center.
Hallway discussions informed me of cackalackycon 2026 which takes place the same week of TechFest with NC TECH in May 2026. Sponsor booths got a lot of traffic too.
This week also meant additional travel to meet with clients. Anecdotally, my airport security lines experience was normal if not lighter than expected, but connecting through ATL confirmed my suspicion that not all travelers experience the same security theatre.
