Women in AI and Business Breakfast
Designed for women and allies, with women leading AI across business, government and education. A highlight of every AI Week.
AI Week
Great Lakes AI Week
A week of community events and networking across Toledo, OH, anchored by a two-day conference: the AI Leadership Summit and the AI for Business Summit.
Great Lakes AI WeekNovember 9 to 11, 2027
3Days
100+Speakers
100+Sessions
JobsOhio sponsored initiative
Ohio is America's No. 1 state for business.
Ohio ranked No. 1 in CNBC's 2026 America's Top States for Business, and JobsOhio is building on that lead to make Ohio America's AI deployment capital, where companies put applied AI to work at scale. AI Ready Ohio is part of that plan: preparing Ohio's workforce for the AI economy.
Source: CNBC, America's Top States for Business 2026.
Featured event
Women in AI and Business Breakfast
Wednesday, November 10, 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM
Designed for women and allies, with women leading AI across business, government and education. Included with every ticket.
Featured event
Startup Showcase
Wednesday, November 10 at 1:00 PM
Founders: apply to pitch to customers, technology partners, investors and collaborators. Free with an ETA account, until Tuesday, October 26 at 11:59 PM.
Inside AI Week
What a week at AI Week looks like.
Scenes from Cincy AI Week 2026: keynotes, workshops, awards and the conversations in between.
Photo gallery
The week, in pictures.
Scenes from AI Weeks in Cincinnati, Columbus, Northwest Ohio and Atlanta. Select any photo to view it full screen.
The format
A festival week with a conference at its center.
Across the city
Community meetups, company demos, university showcases, startup pitches, a Women in AI breakfast and awards.
The anchor event
Day 1 is the AI Leadership Summit for executives and policy leaders. Day 2 is the AI for Business Summit for practitioners.
Where the room connects
Opening reception, happy hours, awards luncheon, speaker and sponsor dinners, a vendor showcase and leadership roundtable dinners.
Programming highlights
What's on the program
Speakers and the full agenda are announced December 10, 2026.
All 7 highlights
Keynotes and firesides
Leaders from business, government and research on what's working now, on the main stage.
Startup Showcase
Startups pitch to customers, technology partners, investors and collaborators, with live judging and a People's Choice award.
Roundtables, workshops and breakouts
Hands-on workshops that count toward ETA certificate credit, breakouts by role and industry, and leadership roundtables.
Community Happy Hour
The region's AI community in one room: attendees, speakers, sponsors and hosts.
VIP Reception
A reception for VIP ticket holders, speakers and partners.
AI Leadership Awards
Recognizing the people and organizations moving their region forward. Nominate someone and vote as an attendee.
Key topics
- AI for business
- Microsoft AI tools
- Claude
- ChatGPT
- Gemini
- AI for marketing and sales
- AI agents
- Robotics and physical AI
- AI governance and security
- AI for leaders and teams
Past speakers · Great Lakes AI Week 2025
Who's been on stage.
A few of the leaders who spoke at Great Lakes AI Week 2025, November 4 to 6, 2025.
Tom BushActual Reality TechnologiesAI Readiness Across the Great Lakes Region
Nichole FiferBowling Green State UniversityTraining students and young professionals in AI for industry
Payal ThakurJobsOhioAI Ready Ohio: Building Ohio's AI Super Sector
Matthew VersaggiGSAVUCAD World, AI as a GPT, and Agentic Technology
Charlie ApigianData InspireMastering the Future of AI Agents and Workflows
Gladson BabyFifth Third BankBalancing Enterprise AI Governence and Technology
Carl FraikCincinnati AI CatalystAI Readiness Across the Great Lakes Region
Jim GehringFoundatiaCan AI Deliver On Its Promise?
Shanda GoreMays and AssociatesWait, What!? AI is on My Team!?
Phil GreenbergJobsOhioAmerican Innovation in Artificial Intelligence: What's Now? What's Next?
Todd JamesAurora InsightsTrends in AI, What It Means For Your Organization and How To Plan Ahead
Mark SchnitterNexigenNavigating AI Governence, Risk, and Change Management
The program
Learn something you can use on Monday.
- Main stage keynotes and fireside chats
- Breakout sessions
- Hands-on workshops that count toward ETA certificate credit
- Invite-only roundtables
- Networking receptions
- Expo floor vendor showcase
- Awards and community programming
Who comes to AI Week
ExecutivesPractitionersGovernment and policy leadersFoundersEducatorsEconomic development leadersInvestorsCivic leaders
Earn credit as you go
Leave with a credential.
Sessions and workshops count toward ETA's hours-based certificates. Credits are logged in the ETA event app and carry across events.
- AI Explorer2 hours
- AI Empowered Professional4 hours
- AI Empowered Leader8 hours
Events calendar
All week across Toledo.
Community-hosted meetups, breakfasts, happy hours and showcases run alongside the conference.
The calendar fills up as hosts add their events.
Tickets
Get your ticket.
Partners
Thank you to our partners.
Presenting partners
In the news
Great Lakes AI Week in the news.
Coverage of the week from newsrooms, newswires and our university hosts.
Great Lakes AI Week wraps up at UToledo with employers, researchers and students
The University of Toledo hosted the Nov. 12 day of Great Lakes AI Week, produced by ETA, opening with the Women in AI and Business Breakfast and featuring UToledo researchers on AI for Army vehicle training.
Read on UToledo2nd annual Great Lakes AI Week ends with a couple of surprises
The Blade's closing-day story from the University of Toledo's main campus, where the second annual Great Lakes AI Week wrapped up on Thursday.
Read on The BladeGreat Lakes AI Week highlights promise, pitfalls of technology
The Blade covered opening day at BGSU, where 915 attendees heard Summer Crenshaw, Zack Huhn, Steve Taplin, Tushar Kulkarni and others on AI guardrails, human judgment and AI Ready Ohio's push to certify 3,000 Ohioans in 2026.
Read on The BladeToledo AI Week opens with free AI career training as demand for AI skills soars
Great Lakes AI Week opened with Toledo AI Week proclaimed for a second year and free AI Ready Ohio certification for Northwest Ohio, as AI-skilled jobs pay a 62% wage premium.
Read on AP NewsGreat Lakes AI Week brings heavy hitters to UToledo on Nov. 12
Speakers from Capital One, Cintas, IMEG, Nexigen, Salesforce and more headed to UToledo, with free AI credentials for attendees through AI Ready Ohio.
Read on UToledoGreat Lakes AI Week coming to University of Toledo
UToledo previewed Great Lakes AI Week 2026 at BGSU and UToledo, free for students, with no-cost AI credentials through AI Ready Ohio, powered by JobsOhio and ETA.
Read on UToledoBGSU hosts region's largest AI-focused event, driving innovation in education
Bowling Green State University welcomed nearly 1,500 attendees to the inaugural Great Lakes AI Week, organized by ETA, featuring Fortune 1000 leaders, hands-on workshops, and a White House Presidential Innovation Fellow.
Read on BGSUJobsOhio and ETA launch "AI Ready Ohio" pilot to build the future workforce
AI Ready Ohio officially launched during Great Lakes AI Week. JobsOhio's partnership with ETA positions Ohio as America's AI Deployment Capital.
Read on JobsOhioGreat Lakes AI Week at BGSU
Local TV coverage of the inaugural Great Lakes AI Week in Bowling Green, Ohio, where over 1,000 Midwest professionals gathered to explore the impacts and future of artificial intelligence.
Watch on 13ABCFirst annual AI conference is coming to BGSU
BGSU's student newsroom previewed the first Great Lakes AI Week at the Bowen-Thompson Student Union, including the AI Leadership Summit and AI for Business Summit.
Read on BG Falcon MediaUToledo to lend experts, insights to Great Lakes AI Week
The University of Toledo announced its sponsorship and faculty participation in Great Lakes AI Week, hosting the AI in Healthcare Symposium as part of the inaugural regional conference organized by ETA.
Read on UToledoBGSU to host first-ever Great Lakes AI Week
BGSU announced it would host the first Great Lakes AI Week, organized by ETA, bringing more than 1,000 professionals from across the Midwest to campus.
Read on BGSUBGSU to host Great Lakes AI Week
WKYC reported that BGSU would host the first Great Lakes AI Week conference, organized by ETA, for professionals from Fortune 500 companies, startups and colleges.
Read on WKYCWho comes
Where leaders come to learn.
By far the best conferences for business development we have participated in.
My business has been on a rocketship since joining ETA.
There is not a better place to network with peers, partners, and industry experts.
People from these organizations attend AI Week
Get involved
Be part of the week.
Speak
Apply for a stage, a panel or a hands-on workshop.
Apply to speak
Sponsor
Put your people, brand and use cases in front of business and technology leaders.
Become a sponsor
Volunteer
Help produce the week and meet the region's AI community. Two shifts earn a free General Admission ticket.
Volunteer with usHost an event
Put your meetup, breakfast or demo on the official calendar.
Submit your eventThe AI Week series
AI Week, across the country.
Great Lakes AI Week is part of AI Week, produced by Enterprise Technology Association. Explore the other cities.
Dates are subject to change.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is AI Week?
AI Week is a region-wide AI festival: a week of community events and networking across the host city, anchored by a two-day conference. It is produced by Enterprise Technology Association (ETA).
How do I get tickets?
Tickets for the 2027 AI Weeks are on sale on each city's site, with early bird pricing: $50 off every ticket type for a limited time.
Does my ticket include membership?
Paid tickets include a free year of ETA Explorer membership, with a certification credit, so you keep learning after the week ends. Free registrations get ETA updates by email.
Can I earn credit?
Hands-on workshops count toward ETA certificate credit, logged through the ETA event app.
Your ticket includes membership.
Paid tickets include a free year of ETA Explorer membership, so you keep learning after the week ends.