AI + Cybersecurity Conference
Where AI Gets Real. Where Cyber Defense Gets Smarter.
The AI + Cybersecurity Conference (AICC) brings together leaders from business, higher education, government, technology and research to explore how artificial intelligence and cybersecurity are reshaping the way organizations operate, compete and prepare for the future.
Hosted by the FedEx Institute of Technology at the University of Memphis, AICC connects the people building, deploying, securing and studying emerging technologies across the Mid-South and beyond.
Through keynote conversations, expert panels, applied demonstrations and cross-sector discussions, the conference moves beyond the hype to examine what is happening now, what is coming next and what organizations need to be ready.
What We Explore
Technology in the Real World
AICC focuses on the intersection of emerging technology, organizational strategy and cybersecurity, with programming shaped by the challenges organizations are facing today. Topics across past conferences have included:
Artificial Intelligence in Action
How organizations are moving AI from experimentation into practical applications, business processes and real-world environments.
AI + Cybersecurity
How artificial intelligence is changing both cyber defense and the threat landscape, and how organizations can build more resilient systems.
Infrastructure & Compute
The data centers, computing resources, networks, platforms and security infrastructure required to support AI at scale.
Industry Transformation
Applications across logistics, supply chain, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, education, government and other critical sectors.
New Ways of Working
How AI is changing jobs, workflows, decision-making, workforce development and the skills organizations need.
Responsible Innovation
The governance, security, privacy and organizational considerations that must develop alongside increasingly capable technologies.
Research & Emerging Technology
New discoveries, technical capabilities and collaborative research that are shaping the next generation of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity.
Regional Competitiveness
How universities, businesses, governments and technology organizations can work together to strengthen the Mid-South's position in the global technology economy.
Who Attends
A Cross-Sector Technology Community
One of AICC's strengths is the diversity of expertise represented throughout the conference.
Participants have included:
- Business and enterprise leaders
- AI and machine learning professionals
- Cybersecurity practitioners
- Researchers and faculty
- Technology executives and architects
- Government and public-sector leaders
- Healthcare professionals
- Manufacturing and logistics leaders
- Entrepreneurs and technology companies
- Students and emerging professionals
- Regional economic and workforce development partners
By bringing these communities into the same room, AICC creates opportunities for conversations and partnerships that often extend well beyond the conference itself.
AI + Cybersecurity Conference 2026
Mid-South Momentum: Accelerating the Mid-South's Competitiveness in the Global AI Economy
August 27, 2026
AICC 2026 examined how artificial intelligence is moving from emerging technology to foundational infrastructure for businesses, governments and communities.
Hosted by the FedEx Institute of Technology and 901 AI, the conference focused on practical implementation, resilient infrastructure, responsible innovation and collaboration across the Mid-South.
The conference featured leaders from business, higher education, healthcare, manufacturing, logistics, technology and the public sector, with Kristin Darby, Chief Information Officer for the State of Tennessee, serving as keynote speaker.
Programming explored AI deployment, industry applications, cybersecurity, AI infrastructure and compute, regional research collaboration and the partnerships needed to strengthen the Mid-South's position in the global AI economy.
Event Photography
Presentation
AI + Cybersecurity Conference 2025
Where AI Gets Real. Where Cyber Defense Gets Smarter.
August 14, 2025
AICC 2025 brought together enterprise leaders, AI architects, cybersecurity experts and researchers for a day focused on the realities of deploying and securing artificial intelligence.
Rather than focusing on speculation, the conference highlighted what organizations were already learning from implementing AI in real-world environments and protecting increasingly complex digital infrastructure.
Featured speakers included Dr. David Bray and Dr. Seth Dobrin, alongside experts from industry, research and the technology community.
Sessions explored AI in Action, the convergence of AI and cybersecurity, new ways of working and living, community collaboration and real-world cyberattack response.
Event Photography
Presentation
AI + Cybersecurity Conference 2024
August 22, 2024
The 2024 AI + Cybersecurity Conference brought together cybersecurity professionals, technology leaders, researchers and regional partners for a full day focused on cyber resilience, artificial intelligence and the development of the next generation of information security professionals.
The conference opened with an interactive Cisco Cyber Resilience Workshop, giving participants hands-on experience identifying compromises, detecting breaches and responding effectively to cybersecurity incidents.
Afternoon programming featured Pierre Landaiche, CEO of UMRF Ventures, discussing the development of future information security professionals; LaShell Vaughn, CIO of Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), exploring the utility's use of AI for data analysis, predictive insights and system growth; and Justin Perry, Systems Architect at Cisco, presenting Cisco's approach to responsible AI governance, transparency and risk management.
The conference also featured leadership from the University of Memphis, including Dr. Dipankar Dasgupta, Hill Professor in Cybersecurity and Director of the Center for Information Assurance, and Dr. Jasbir Dhaliwal, Executive Vice President for Research & Innovation.