Emcee Weijia Jiang opens the session, welcoming AIA EVP/CEO Carole Wedge, FAIA, and AIA 2026 President Illya Azaroff, FAIA to the stage to honor this year’s Whitney M. Young Award recipient, Michael Ford, FAIA, and Architecture Firm Award winner, Duvall Decker, celebrating their transformative contributions to the profession. President Azaroff then delivers an address calling on architects to lead boldly on climate challenges through disaster risk reduction and regenerative design—a vision for a resilient, abundant future built with purpose and innovation.
Then, join New York Times bestselling author and disruptive leadership expert Charlene Li for an inspiring keynote that will transform the way architects and designers think about artificial intelligence. In this session, Charlene will explore how AI can free you to focus on your core creative skills, help you unlearn old habits, and embrace a mindset of curiosity and innovation. Through real-world examples, Charlene will demonstrate how to start with a problem and leverage AI to solve it. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, a renewed sense of optimism, and practical strategies to build AI fluency, foster team collaboration, and thrive in a rapidly evolving industry.
Learning Objectives
- Learn how AI can enhance your creative process by automating routine tasks, allowing you to focus on your core design expertise.
- Discover how to approach challenges by identifying opportunities where AI can provide innovative solutions.
- Gain a clear understanding of what AI can and cannot do and learn how to ensure the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated information.
- Explore strategies to engage your team in learning and applying AI tools, creating a culture of shared innovation and continuous improvement.