Expert Events

Trusted AI Begins with Governance: Building the Foundation for Enterprise AI at Scale

Name: Trusted AI Begins with Governance: Building the Foundation for Enterprise AI at Scale
Start: 2026-08-26T18:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-08-26T21:00:00-04:00
Location: Zakia

Join Blend and IBM in Atlanta for an executive discussion on building the governance foundations required to scale trusted AI across the enterprise. Explore how leading organizations are balancing innovation with accountability, creating trusted data foundations, and enabling AI adoption with confidence.

Zakia

August 26, 2026

to August 26, 2026

6:00 pm

- 9:00 pm

About this event

Enterprise AI has entered a new phase. The challenge is no longer identifying use cases or proving AI’s potential – it’s ensuring AI operates responsibly, consistently, and at enterprise scale.

As organizations move from experimentation to production, governance has become the critical foundation for trusted AI. Leaders must establish clear policies, trusted data, runtime controls, and accountability frameworks that allow AI systems to make decisions confidently while remaining transparent, compliant, and aligned with business objectives. Without strong governance, even the most promising AI initiatives risk stalling before they deliver meaningful value.

Join Blend and IBM for an executive virtual roundtable exploring how leading organizations are evolving AI governance from a compliance exercise into a strategic capability. Together, we’ll discuss how technology leaders are balancing innovation with control, creating trusted data foundations, governing AI in real time, and building the organizational confidence needed to accelerate AI adoption across the enterprise.

Our speakers

Bruce McCormack

Data & AI Platform, IBM Horizon | IBM

Bruce McCormack is a Data & AI Platform Leader with the IBM Horizon team. He is a thought leader in enterprise data and AI strategies with two decades of experience helping global enterprises modernize data platforms, strengthen governance, and accelerate cloud transformation. As a trusted executive advisor, he has guided highly regulated clients in building trusted data foundations that enable data-driven competitive advantage and responsible AI outcomes.

His expertise spans enterprise data governance, data fabric frameworks, AI readiness, and platform modernization across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Bruce focuses on the practical realities of operationalizing AI within complex enterprises, where trust, governance, and accountability are essential to business adoption. He has led strategic data initiatives that translate executive vision into program execution — delivering mission-critical capabilities while reducing operational risk and improving cross-team agility.

Bruce is a frequent speaker at industry events on enterprise AI strategy, data governance and quality, and modern human-in-the-loop (HITL) design practices that strengthen data and AI foundations.

Lexi Bowden

Event Host | Blend

Lexi Bowden is a sports reporter and host known for her ability to guide engaging conversations and bring compelling stories to life. With experience leading interviews and moderating live discussions, she helps translate complex ideas into clear, engaging dialogue for audiences. Bowden is passionate about connecting people through meaningful conversation and storytelling.

Key themes & discussion topics

Building Trusted AI Through Effective Governance
The governance frameworks, policies, and controls needed to ensure AI is transparent, compliant, and ready for enterprise-scale deployment.

Creating Trusted Data Foundations for AI
How data quality, ownership, and governance underpin reliable AI outcomes and enable organizations to scale AI with confidence.

Balancing Innovation with Accountability
How organizations can accelerate AI adoption while maintaining clear oversight, managing risk, and establishing accountability across technology and business teams.

Preparing for the Future of Enterprise AI
How AI governance is evolving to support real-time decision-making, emerging regulations, and the next generation of enterprise AI capabilities.

Event agenda

Cocktails & networking

6:00 – 6:30 PM

Opening remarks & panel discussion

6:30 – 7:15 PM

Dinner & guided discussion

7:15 – 8:45

Event wrap-up & group reflection

8:45 – 9:00PM

Why should you attend?

Learn how leading organizations are building trusted AI governance frameworks that enable innovation while managing risk.

Gain practical insights into creating trusted data foundations that support enterprise AI at scale.

Exchange strategies with senior technology leaders on balancing AI innovation, accountability, and regulatory expectations.

Leave with actionable perspectives on turning trusted data and responsible AI into measurable business value and competitive advantage.

Who should attend

This session is designed for senior technology and transformation leaders responsible for AI strategy, governance, enterprise architecture, and digital transformation. The discussion will be particularly valuable for leaders responsible for moving AI from experimentation into trusted enterprise execution.

Venue

Zakia

3699 Lenox Rd NE, Ste 3
Atlanta
GA
30305
United States

Apply to participate