Smart Tools, Human Touch: 17th Annual Readiness Summit
- May 15
- 1 min read
On March 6, 2026, the Sinclair Conference Center was filled with over 550 attendees for our 17th Annual Readiness Summit, Smart Tools, Human Touch. This year’s event tackled a rapidly evolving and sometimes controversial topic: the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in education.
The morning featured a keynote address by Isabelle Hau, Executive Director of the Stanford Accelerator for Learning. Hau provided a historical perspective on technology adoption, noting that while the internet took seven years to reach 50 million users, ChatGPT achieved the same milestone in just five weeks. She emphasized that AI innovation must remain deeply human and ethically grounded to benefit young learners.
Following the keynote, participants chose from 13 interactive breakout sessions facilitated by local leaders. These sessions allowed attendees to reflect on how AI is already changing how we do our work and how we can leverage its power in the future. The impact was immediate; one attendee shared, "Knowledge reduced my fear of AI!” Thank you to Montgomery County for continuing to be a presenting sponsor for the Annual Readiness Summit.
