Hello AI Enthusiasts,
Happy Groundhog Day—the day we find out if we'll ever escape this NC winter. But despite the cold, sleet, snow, and ice, we're heating things up at All Things AI.
This week, we're announcing our scholarship program for All Things AI 2026, and I want to explain why we do this.
It's not for PR. It's not even just because we want to help people—though we do. It's because we're building something bigger than a conference. We're building AI fluency across our community, and we want to make sure that everyone we can has access to learning and upskilling in AI.
We know it's an uncertain time, and we don't want anyone to feel hopeless or unsupported as AI reshapes our lives. Technology has been a way for both Todd and me to make a living, and many people supported us along the way.
That's a big part of why we offer scholarships. It's our way of paying it forward.
And for those of you who purchase tickets—thank you. You're not just supporting All Things AI. You're helping fund these scholarships and investing in our community's future.
Supporting Our Community Through Scholarships
Ada Lovelace was the first programmer and wrote the first algorithm and set the stage for AI
Each year, we work with partners to offer scholarships and discounts for All Things AI, and 2026 is no exception. We've named our scholarship program after Ada Lovelace—the pioneering mathematician who worked with Charles Babbage and is widely recognized as the first computer programmer.
Her legacy reminds us why expanding access to technology matters.
About Ada LovelaceScholarships
Are you a historically underrepresented individual in tech? Do you lead an organization that represents underrepresented communities? We want to help.
Also, many people in our community are in career transition, unemployed, or returning to civilian life after their time in the military (including military-connected immediate family members who served with their spouse and parents).
We also offer discounts for:
Nonprofits – Registered nonprofit organizations can request discounts for staff and members
Educational Groups – User groups and meetups can access member discounts
Group Registration – Organizations sending 5+ attendees qualify for group rates
Government – Government employees can request discount codes
For all group discount inquiries, contact us at [email protected]. For all individual scholarships, please apply here — https://2026.allthingsai.org/scholarships-discounts
Note: Scholarships are limited, but we'll make every effort to help as many people as possible.
All Things AI 2026 Workshops
Very rarely can you get a two-day conference ticket for under $1000, but with All Things AI, you get a full day of live training and a conference pass for $299. That’s an incredible value from leaders in their field.
AI for DevOps Workshop — Led by John M. Willis, co-author of The DevOps Handbook, this intensive full-day workshop bridges the gap between traditional DevOps practices and AI. Participants get hands-on experience integrating generative AI into software development lifecycles and operational workflows, with practical frameworks and architectural patterns for implementing AI-augmented systems in production environments. Best for engineers and technical practitioners.
🔗 Learn More | Register on Eventbrite
AIOS Workshop for Business Professionals — Taught by Mark Hinkle, this full-day training equips non-technical professionals with the practical skills to master generative AI tools and accelerate productivity. You'll learn to prompt ChatGPT with precision, compare Claude and Gemini strategically, deploy your own AI agents to automate knowledge work, and walk away with a customized AI action plan tailored to your role. Built for knowledge workers, managers, and business leaders — no jargon, just results.
🔗 Learn More | Register on Eventbrite
AI for Agents Workshop — This full-day workshop is designed for executives and technical leaders making AI delegation decisions. You'll work through a decision framework for choosing between agents, copilots, and automation, along with governance, security, and risk assessment tools. Walk away with practical skills for evaluating and deploying agentic AI within your organization. The workshop will be led by Don Shin, founder of Crosscom, who has been a trusted vendor for custom development in Durham
🔗 Learn More | Register on Eventbrite
All three workshops take place on Monday, March 23 (workshop day) and include full conference access on Tuesday, March 24. Note that workshops run all day, so attendees can only choose one. Workshops sold out in 2025, so early registration is recommended.
Upcoming Events
We host frequent online and live events and announce them through our All Things AI Live meetup group. I highly recommend you join to stay on top of AI learning and networking opportunities.
February 10th | Lunch and Learn: Agentic Systems: How AI Actually Gets Work Done
In this Lunch & Learn session, we’ll take a practical, non-technical look at agentic systems: how AI moves from simply responding to prompts to planning, acting, and collaborating to complete real tasks. Using a real-world example, we’ll explore what an “agent” is, how agent teams work together, and why this approach is powering the next generation of AI tools. The session will conclude with a brief demonstration and time for questions. No prior AI or technical background is required
February 10th | All Things Open Meetup - How AI can help platform engineers build better platforms
The February meetup will feature an amazing speaker, great content, networking with the RTP tech community, new swag, and food and beverages. It will also be the final All Things Open meetup before All Things AI on March 23 & 24 in downtown Durham, so come out and see us! Our speaker will be Carlos Santana, a Cloud Solutions Architect specializing in Containers, Kubernetes, and Serverless at AWS.
February 24th | Lunch and Learn: The Missing Link: Adding Your Data to Your App
So you vibe-coded a front-end app—now what? Building a sleek interface is only half the battle. The real magic happens when your data starts moving.
In this session, we'll turn static interfaces into powerful automated tools by connecting front-end platforms like Softr and Zoho Forms to Make.com. You'll learn how to capture data instantly with webhooks, map information so it lands exactly where it needs to be, and build multi-step workflows that trigger emails, update CRMs, or generate documents the moment a form is submitted.
February 26 | Ask Us Anything About AI
Tired of vendor pitches and rehearsed talking points? Join us for something different. We're bringing together experienced AI practitioners from Google, Make.com, and other leading organizations for a wide-open AMA session. No slides. No sales decks. Just direct access to people who build, deploy, and advise on AI systems every day.
Bring your toughest questions: What's actually working with AI right now? How do serious teams move from pilots to production? Where are companies seeing real ROI from generative AI and automation? What do executives consistently get wrong about AI strategy?
AI isn't slowing down, and neither are we. Whether you're just getting started or already deep in the weeds, there's a place for you in this community.
If you know someone who could benefit from a scholarship—or if that's you—don't hesitate to apply. And if you're in a position to attend, your ticket does more than get you in the door. It helps someone else walk through it, too.
See you at an AI event soon.
Best Regards,
