How is the state performing in the AI race? Inaugural AI Tennessee Summit will answer the question
AI fluency is quickly becoming the new baseline skill that will separate competitive regions from those left behind.
For Tennessee, the stakes are high. Artificial intelligence is reshaping every sector of the economy, from education to manufacturing. Moreover, it is impacting virtually every industry in between. The states that move quickly to build talent pipelines and modernize infrastructure will benefit. Furthermore, those that create responsible deployment strategies will be the ones that win jobs, investment, and long-term prosperity.
That sense of urgency is the driving force behind the inaugural AI Tennessee Summit later this month in Nashville. It is a new statewide gathering. The event will convene senior federal and state officials, university leaders, and top industry executives. Additionally, they will explore how Tennessee is translating national AI priorities into concrete action.
The Summit brings together a broad coalition that includes the University of Tennessee, the Tennessee AI Advisory Council, SCORE, Vanderbilt University, the University of Memphis, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the Tennessee Board of Regents.
Recent White House actions have outlined national objectives for expanding the AI workforce, accelerating innovation, and strengthening U.S. competitiveness. At the Summit, state leaders will examine how those high-level goals are being implemented in Tennessee. This will happen through coordinated programs, partnerships, and targeted investments.
The Lineup
- Lynne Parker, Former Principal Deputy Director in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
- Donde Plowman, Chancellor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
- Vasileios Maroulas, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research at UT Knoxville and Director of AI Tennessee
- Jim Bryson and Kristin Darby, Co-Chairs, Tennessee AI Advisory Council
- Senator Bo Watson, Tennessee General Assembly
- Susan Hubbard, Deputy Director for Science and Technology, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
- Keith Strier, Senior Vice President for Global AI Markets, AMD
- Brent Mayo, Senior Manager for Site Builds and Infrastructure, xAI
Parker will deliver the keynote address, titled National Vision for Winning the AI Race. As one of the country’s most respected AI policy leaders and a former senior official guiding federal AI strategy, she is expected to outline how states can advance national goals by aligning education, workforce development, ethics, and infrastructure.
The Topics
- Building an AI-fluent workforce across K12, higher education, and industry
- Creating statewide infrastructure capable of supporting high-performance computing and data-intensive research
- Deploying AI responsibly in both the public and private sectors
- Developing partnerships that connect universities, companies, and government agencies
- Attracting investment and jobs driven by AI-enabled innovation
All of these sessions will answer the question: How can Tennessee move quickly and strategically enough to stay ahead in the national AI race?
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