February 12, 2026
9:00 AM – Noon
Museum of Aviation, Century of Flight Hangar
Join us for two panel discussions moderated by The Honorable Robert McMahon and Dr. Will Roper on the following topics:
AI for Business Executives
How are businesses, corporations, and educators using AI to simplify business, encourage critical thinking and building capacity in the future workforce, and how can you use AI to your advantage?
Pressing AI Needs Across the U.S. Defense Enterprise
What is our nation’s AI Future? Learn about emerging AI developments and how it is impacting, not only our globe, but our state, our bases, our skies, and the way we work across defense sectors.
About this event
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the global security landscape; transforming how nations defend themselves, how businesses compete, and how communities prepare for the future. As the U.S. navigates emerging threats and unprecedented opportunities, Georgia is positioning itself at the forefront of innovation, talent development, and dual-use technology.
The National Security Forum: AI & National Security convenes policymakers, senior defense leaders, industry executives, scholars, entrepreneurs, and technologists for a cross-sector conversation on what comes next.
This half-day forum demystifies AI for decision-makers, highlights urgent AI capability and workforce needs across the defense enterprise, and explores how the dual-use innovation ecosystem; spanning Middle Georgia, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, and statewide partners; is accelerating national competitiveness.
Participants will hear from leading voices shaping U.S. strategy, including experts in national defense, AI ethics, advanced manufacturing, school educators, predictive analytics, cyber operations, workforce development, entrepreneurship, and economic competitiveness.
Through keynote discussions, expert panels, and interactive conversations, the Forum will:
- Clarify what AI is; and isn’t; for policymakers, commanders, business leaders, and community stakeholders.
- Illuminate the most pressing AI challenges facing the Department of Defense, including data infrastructure, modeling & simulation, logistics, software acquisition, human-machine teaming, and responsible AI safeguards.
- Showcase dual-use innovation, where defense and industry reinforce one another through shared technologies, talent pipelines, and public-private partnerships.
- Highlight Georgia’s strategic role in shaping the nation’s AI future; including Robins Air Force Base, the Middle Georgia Innovation Corridor, Georgia AIM, USG/TCSG partners, the cyber corridor, and the state’s rapidly expanding AI and advanced manufacturing sector.
- Build new pathways for collaboration among government, industry, academia, and local communities.
This forum is designed not just to inform; but to empower leaders to act, collaborate, and accelerate solutions that strengthen America’s security and economic resilience in the AI age.
