Waco, Texas is set to host its first AI conference, the YOU × AI Summit, on Saturday, September 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Performing Arts & Community Center. BrainTrust Partners, an Austin-based firm specializing in data and AI readiness, has become the Founding Title Sponsor of the event, underscoring the significance of data-driven AI strategies for businesses.
Tim Hayden, CEO of BrainTrust Partners, will share insights with Waco business owners on how to identify use cases before purchasing AI tools. He emphasizes that many companies possess untapped data that can shape AI in their brand voice. “You have intelligence sitting somewhere within the pipes of your business,” Hayden said. “That's your brand. It is your brand DNA that can shape AI in your brand voice.”
Hayden founded BrainTrust in 2016 to help companies structure their data for personalization and analytics. He notes that even a decade later, most companies have not fully unified and structured their data. “Data resolved, unified, structured and labeled has AI work stronger for your brand. Skip it, and Tim says it's going to cost you much more in budget and accuracy to use any AI.”
Hayden also cautions against relying solely on enterprise AI subscriptions, suggesting that open-weight models can be trained on a company's own data, run privately, and cost a fraction of the price. His main stage talk, “Your Data, Your AI, and Your Future,” is scheduled at 9:50 a.m.
The summit features 23 speakers across four concurrent tracks: Build, Get Found, Sound Like You, and AI Safety. Bryan Eisenberg, a pioneer in conversion rate optimization, opens the day at 8:20 a.m. with his keynote “Before the Algorithm, There Was Your Story. That Hasn't Changed.” Dr. Hope Koch, a Baylor University professor and appointee to the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council, closes at 4:05 p.m. with a session on Human Opportunity and Exponential Change.
Hands-on workshops will allow attendees to build AI assistants and other tools, with a requirement to bring a laptop. Sessions include “Build an AI Assistant” by Chrissy McDannell and “None of this works! Oh...Wait...” by Mike Hamilton, co-organizer of the summit.
Fernando Labastida, co-organizer and founder of the Viral Genius Institute, explained the conference's name: “Most people think AI is the great equalizer. It's a multiplier, and multipliers widen gaps.” He highlighted Dr. Koch's message that “AI plus humans is better than AI alone,” which encapsulates the summit's premise.
The event is produced by the Viral Genius Institute and Rogue Media Network, with BrainTrust Partners as presenting sponsor. Tickets are $99, with discounts for teams of 10 or more.
