Nov 12, 2026

On October 28th, 2026, Heartland hosted a group of business and technology leaders for an evening of conversation about one of the biggest topics shaping the future of business: artificial intelligence.

The invitation-only event took place at Girl & the Goat in Chicago's West Loop, bringing together leaders from across retail, manufacturing, logistics, food, academia and the public sector. The evening's discussion, Practical AI: Implementation, Architecture & Governance, was moderated by Heartland's VP of Sales & Marketing, Tony Boncore. Guest speakers included Kristian Hammond, Professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University, and Shalini Neelankavil, SVP of Software, Data and AI at Brady.

The goal was to have an honest and practical conversation about how organizations are actually using AI technology, where they're seeing results, and what challenges still stand in the way.

Technology Is Only Part of the Equation

One of the clearest themes throughout the evening was that adopting AI isn't necessarily the most difficult step. Getting people comfortable with AI, integrating it into existing workflows and making sure it delivers meaningful results can be much more challenging. “Technology is the easiest thing. It’s the people and the culture and the change that is the hardest.” Said Shalini Neelankavil, SVP of Software, Data and AI at Brady.

Participants shared examples of how AI is already changing day-to-day operations. From automating repetitive administrative tasks and accelerating software development to improving and customer experiences, organizations are finding practical ways to put the technology to work. Some are further along than others, but all in attendance agreed there's still significant potential ahead.

Governance and security were also major topics. As AI agents become increasingly capable of taking action independently, organizations need to think carefully about how much access and autonomy they provide. Kristian Hammond, Professor of Computer Science at Northwestern University emphasized the importance of building smaller, specialized agents with clearly defined responsibilities rather than relying on one system to do everything. Keeping people involved in reviewing and approving important actions remains essential.

Asking the Right Questions

Another recurring point was the importance of identifying a clear business problem before choosing the technology. AI can do some impressive things, but that doesn't automatically make every application worthwhile. When implemented, it should be the best solution to solve each problem, and a clear plan of how to measure results.

Leaders discussed the need to establish clear objectives, prioritize the problems that will have the greatest impact and determine how success will be measured. Strong data is equally important. Without accurate, well-organized information, even the best AI tools can produce unreliable results.

The conversation also touched on the changing role of people in AI-enabled workplaces. Rather than focusing solely on reducing headcount, several participants described a shift toward helping existing teams accomplish more. Automating time-consuming tasks creates opportunities for employees to focus on problem-solving, collaboration and the human interactions that technology can't replace.

Keeping the Conversation Going

For Heartland, bringing these conversations to the table is about more than discussing the newest technology. It's about creating opportunities for industry leaders to share experiences, challenge assumptions, and learn from one another.

As AI continues to evolve, the organizations that get the most from it will likely be those that approach implementation thoughtfully, with the right combination of technology, business strategy and people.

Heartland thanks everyone who joined us in Chicago, along with Chicago Innovation for partnering on the event and Brady for its support. We're looking forward to continuing the conversation.