Top 10 Sessions in 2026

These were the 10 most popular sessions at AI Hot 100 Summit 2026 New York — the keynotes, panels, and conversations that drew the biggest crowds and insights in May.

1. AI and the CIO Mandate: Leading Transformation in a 100-year-old Financial Institution

• Ajit Naidu, EVP, CIO - Retirement and Insurance Solutions, TIAA

2. Trust: The Key to Scaling AI and Unlocking ROI

• Andrew Reiskind, Chief Data Officer of Mastercard

3. The Key Line Item for 2026: Stop Buying Tools, Start Buying Human Adoption

• Vikram Nair, SVP, CIO at Amneal Pharmaceuticals

• Rama Donepudi, SVP, Global CIO, Mead Johnson Nutrition

• Laura Gebhardt, VP of Data & AI Strategy, Mastercard

4. Security + AI: The Next Cyber Breach in the Era of Mythos & OpenClaw

• Richard Barretto, CISO, Progress

• Pieter VanIperen, CISO, AlphaSense

• Tyson Kopczynski, Operating Partner & CISO In Residence, White Rabbit VC

5. Autonomous AI & Multi-Agent Systems: What the Future of Enterprise AI Looks Like

• Kathleen Peters, Chief Innovation Officer, Experian

6. AI Governance: Designing an Effective AI Governance Operating Model

• Haroon Abbu, SVP, Digital Technology, AI & Data Analytics, Bell & Howell

• Robert Daigle, Global Head of AI, Lenovo

• Richard Barretto, Chief Information Security Officer, Progress

7. Beyond the Hype: AI’s Real Impact on Business Value, Productivity and Headcount

• Arun Nandi, Chief Data & AI Officer, Carrier

• Tsvi Gal, CTO & Head of Enterprise Technology, Memorial Sloan Kettering

• Finnlay Morcombe, CEO & Co-Founder, Fluency

8. From Proof of Concept to Proof of Value: What It Takes to Scale AI in the Enterprise

• Scott Likens, Global Chief AI Engineer, PwC

• Hanna Helin, SVP of Data, AI and Emerging Technologies, NBCUniversal

• Ameya Bhatawdekar, Field CTO, Braintrust

9. From Mass Market to the One-to-One Store: How AI is Reshaping Retail

• Danielle Schmelkin, CIO, J.Crew Group

10. From Models to Measurable Outcomes: Responsible AI as the New ROI Engine

• Scott Zoldi, Chief Analytics Officer at FICO