2026 AI/ML Conference

February 17-18, 2026 | Austin, Texas

When

Feb 17, 2026 - Feb 18, 2026

Where

AT&T Hotel and Conference Center 1900 University Ave. Austin, TX 78705

PRICING AND REGISTRATION

$2,500 $2,000

Non-members that reserve their seat before January 1, 2026 will receive a 20% discount.

1 MEMBER TICKET

Members can also find the registration form at the bottom of this page.

PRICING VARIES

Pricing is based on group size. Register your interest and a member of our team will reach out with information shortly.

The AEC Industry's Premier AI Event

The annual AI/ML Conference explores the growing and increasingly complicated landscape of artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in the AEC/O industry. The event provides context to the evolving role of AI/ML technologies in the space, including details on existing and emerging solutions and use cases across all areas of the construction, building and operation process; strategies for how solutions are being implemented at the project and enterprise levels; and case studies that illustrate how companies are utilizing specific solutions and the lessons learned from their experiences.

2026 Speakers Include:

Alfonso Oliva

AECO Industry Developer Relations AI Lead, NVIDIA

Darshit Jasani

Innovation Development Manager, ARCO/Murray

Tonya Custis

Senior Director, AI Lab, Autodesk

Gavin Holiday

Principal, Unorthodox Ventures

Jean-Pierre Trou

CEO & Co-Founder, mbue

Jonas Ebrahimi

CEO, Karmen

Miguel De Urquia Palacios

Global AI Program Lead in Construction, Ferrovial

Stefani Guerra

Chief Technical Officer, The Falcon Group

Rob Leon

Chief Innovation Officer, STO Building Group

Robert Otani

Chief Technology Officer, Thornton Tomasetti

Dr. Sarah Buchner

CEO & Founder, Trunk Tools

Anna Chaney

Director of Engineering, Procore

Robin Patra

Head Data , Analytics & AI, Keeley Construction

Sean Wrenn

Director of Programming, BuiltWorlds

Mayra Arntz

Principal, Building Ventures

Steve Dell’Orto

Founder and CEO, ConCntric

Pierce Reynoldson

Vice President, Technology & Innovation, EnTech

Kushal Dagli

AI-Optimization Lead, Data Centers, Microsoft

Rosemarie Lipman

CEO, BuiltWorlds

Aleksey Chuprov

VP Data Analytics and AI, Suffolk Technologies

Raymond Zhao

CEO, Structured AI

Forest Flager

CEO and Co-Founder, Parspec

Brian Nahas

Director of Artificial Intelligence, Mortenson Construction

David Grosshuesch

Senior Manager Data Analytics, Mortenson Construction

Britton Langdon

Founder & CEO, Build Factory

Chris Velguth

Senior Business Development Manager, Orion Group Holdings

Andrew Stranger

Senior Corporate Counsel, Acciona

Den Lavrik

Co-Founder & CEO, Drawer AI

Rohan Jawali

CEO & Founder, Joist AI

Agenda

Day 1 Schedule

12:00PM – 12:30PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Registration & Check In

12:30PM – 1:30PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

AI/ML Preparedness Research Track Working Group Meeting

Session Description TBA

Speakers:
Brian Nahas, Director of Artificial Intelligence, Mortenson
David Grosshuesch, Senior Manager, Data Analytics, Mortenson

1:30PM – 2:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Break

2:00PM – 3:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Equipment & Robotics Research Track Working Group Meeting

Session Description TBA

2:00PM – 3:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Building Tech Research Track Working Group Meeting

Session Description TBA

3:00PM – 3:15PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Break

3:15PM – 3:55PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Investing in the AI Era: A VC Perspective

Panel Discussion

Speakers:
Mayra Arntz, Principal, Building Ventures (Moderator)

3:55PM – 4:10PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Break

4:10PM – 5:30PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Demo Day

All conference attendees are invited to attend the Startup Demo Competition on February 17th ahead of the general sessions on February 18th.

Presenting Companies:
Boon, Karmen, Structured AI

5:20PM – 6:30PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Reception

Day 2 Schedule

8:00AM – 9:00AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Registration & Breakfast

9:00AM – 9:10AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Welcoming Address

Speaker:
Rosemarie Lipman, CEO, BuiltWorlds

9:10AM – 9:45AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Keynote Presentation

9:45AM – 10:25AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

The Data Center Boom

Panel Discussion

As AI adoption accelerates, the demand for hyperscale and edge data centers is reaching unprecedented levels. 'The Data Center Boom' brings together leaders from the data center space to explore the 'why' behind data centers, specifically how design, construction, and operations are evolving to meet the compute needs of the future. Panelists will discuss innovations in power, cooling, and sustainability, as well as the challenges of scaling infrastructure at record speed.

Speakers:
Alfonso Olivia, Senior Manager DevRel AECO AI, NVIDIA
Kushal Dagli, AI-Optimization Lead, Data Centers, Microsoft
Eric Wages, Founder & CEO, Idealem Solutions Group

9:45AM – 10:25AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

AI for Subcontractors & Specialty Trades

Breakout Session

AI adoption looks different in the field than it does in the boardroom, and no one knows that better than the trades putting it to work. This discussion-based session invites subcontractors and specialty trades to share their unique experiences, challenges, and success stories around implementing AI on jobsites. From estimating and scheduling to materials management and QA/QC, we will explore where AI is delivering real value and where it still falls short. Participants will exchange ideas, compare tools, and surface practical insights on how to make AI work in hands-on construction environments.

Speakers:
Den Lavrik, CEO, Drawer AI

10:25AM – 10:45AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Break

10:45AM – 11:25AM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Building Ventures Spotlight Session

Spotlight Session

Session Details TBA

Speakers:
Brian Nahas, Director of Artificial Intelligence, Mortenson (Moderator)
Forest Flager, Founder and CEO, Parspec
Britton Langdon, Founder and CEO, BuildFactory
Rohan Jawali, Founder and CEO, Joist AI

11:25AM – 12:05PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Partnering with AI-Enabled Tech Startups in AECO

Breakout Session

This session will focus on how general contractors can partner with AI startups purpose-built for construction - not generic tools adopted for it. Discussion will cover what to look for in a partner that helps move AI efforts forward, illustrate the pitfalls of generic solutions and how to avoid them, and address common barriers to adoption. The conversation will highlight how AI supports experienced builders by taking on repetitive, time-consuming tasks so their expertise can be focused on strategy and informed decision-making.

Speakers:
Steve Dell'Orto, Founder & CEO, ConCntric

11:25AM – 12:05PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Implementing AI in Planning & Design: Managing Risk and Quality

Panel Discussion

In this forward-looking session, industry leaders will explore how AI is reshaping planning and design, and how firms can manage the attendant risks while safeguarding quality. The speakers will unpack proven strategies for embedding AI responsibly into workflows, ensuring trust, traceability and alignment with design intent in today’s complex project ecosystems.

Speakers:
Pierce Reynoldson, VP, Technology & Innovation, EnTech Engineering
Tonya Custis, Senior Director, AI Lab, Autodesk
Stefani Guerra, CTO, The Falcon Group
Jean-Pierre Trou, CEO & Founder, mbue

12:05PM – 1:05PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Lunch

1:05PM – 1:40PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Afternoon Fireside Chat

Session Details TBA

1:40PM – 2:20PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Human + Machine: Skills for the Next-Gen AECO Workforce

Breakout Session

AI is reshaping roles across the planning, design, construction, and operations lifecycle, demanding new technical, managerial, and creative capabilities. This session explores how human expertise and AI systems can complement one another, highlighting the competencies—from prompt engineering and data literacy to judgment, ethics, and cross-disciplinary collaboration—that will define the future AECO professional. Participants will gain insight into workforce development strategies, training models, and organizational structures needed to thrive in hybrid human-machine environments.

1:40PM – 2:20PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

The Power of Internal Incubation - CORE Studio & Thornton Tomasetti

Presentation

For more than a decade, CORE studio has advanced the frontier of AI/ML within the AEC industry, transforming Thornton Tomasetti’s 70-year legacy of structural engineering expertise into powerful, scalable digital tools. This presentation by Rob Otani will trace CORE’s evolution—from early generative design work that informed applications like Skipper for rapid floor framing design and Asterisk for ML-powered building-scale structural optioneering, to cutting-edge computer vision systems that automatically detect damage and defects from inspection imagery and video.

The session will also feature a brief highlight of T2D2, one of Thornton Tomassetti's early R&D initiatives that has matured and spun out into a commercial platform, redefining façade and infrastructure inspection.

Speaker:
Robert Otani, Chief Technology Officer, Thornton Tomasetti

2:20PM – 2:30PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

BuiltWorlds Research Presentation

Presentation

2:30PM – 3:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Networking Break

3:00PM – 3:40PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Can AI Solve Construction's Efficiency Challenges?

Panel Discussion

Construction has long faced productivity and efficiency hurdles, from fragmented workflows to labor shortages and schedule overruns. This panel brings together industry leaders to examine whether AI can move the needle—exploring real-world applications in project planning, scheduling, resource optimization, and predictive analytics. Participants will gain a nuanced understanding of where AI delivers measurable efficiency gains, the limitations it currently faces, and strategies for integrating these tools into complex construction operations without adding risk or complexity.

Speakers:
Miguel Urquía, Global AI Program Lead in Construction, Ferrovial Construction
Dr. Sarah Buchner, CEO & Founder, Trunk Tools
Robin Patra, Head Data, Analytics & AI, Keeley Companies
Rob Leon, Chief Innovation Officer, STO Building Group

3:40PM – 4:20PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Cutting Through the Noise: How Will AI Influence Existing Workflows?

Panel Discussion

As AI tools proliferate across design, construction, and operations, the critical question shifts from what AI can do to how AI actually reshapes how we work. This session will spotlight real-world workflow transformations, how AI is being embedded into planning, modelling, handover, and field execution, and examine the practical implications for roles, decision-making, collaboration, and process governance in AECO.

Speakers:
Aleksey Chuprov, VP, Data Analytics and AI, Suffolk Construction
Anna Chaney, Director of Engineering, Procore
Andrew Stanger, Senior Corporate Counsel, Acciona Construction
Christopher Velguth, Senior Business Development Manager, Orion Construction

4:20PM – 5:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Building an AI Roadmap for Your Organization

Breakout Session

As AI matures from experimentation to enterprise-scale deployment, organizations need a clear, actionable roadmap—not just a collection of pilots. This hands-on workshop will guides participants through defining high-value use cases, assessing organizational readiness, setting governance and data foundations, and creating a phased adoption plan aligned to business outcomes. Attendees will leave with a practical framework they can immediately apply to steer AI strategy within their own teams.

4:20PM – 5:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Financing & ROI of AI in Large Projects

Breakout Session

At an inflection point for the built-environment industry, this session will explore how organizations can evaluate and capture the business value of artificial intelligence initiatives in major projects. The group will share frameworks for quantifying return on investment, aligning AI funding with project KPIs, and de-risking large-scale deployments — giving owners, contractors and technologists a blueprint for investment that moves beyond techno-optimism to measurable business outcomes.

4:20PM – 5:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Ethics & Data Ownership in AECO

Breakout Session

As digital collaboration and connected technologies reshape the AECO industry, data has become one of the most valuable — and most contentious — assets on the jobsite. Who truly owns the data generated across a project’s lifecycle? How should it be shared, protected, and used responsibly? “Ethics & Data Ownership in AECO” will bring together a diverse group of participants — including leading general contractors, specialty trade contractor, investors, technology solution providers, and an independent consultants — to unpack the complex ethical, contractual, and operational challenges surrounding project data. From questions of transparency and competitive advantage to evolving standards for consent and cybersecurity, this discussion will explore how organizations can collaborate more effectively while safeguarding both their proprietary information and the trust that underpins every project partnership.

5:00PM – 5:10PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Closing Remarks and Live Polling

5:10PM – 6:00PM
AT&T Hotel and Conference Center

Closing Reception

Member Registration

Please use the form below to register yourself and your colleagues. The contact information section will be auto-populated based on your login information. Click “Add Ticket” to register either yourself and colleagues for the event. When you have entered the information for all tickets, please click “Submit Order” to complete the registration. You will receive a confirmation email with a ticket number. 

If you experience issues, please reach out to info@builtworlds.com for assistance. 

Thank you! 

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