All Things AI

The Community and the Conference

All Things AI is both a community and a conference. It brings together practitioners, business leaders, and innovators to focus on the technologies, processes, and people shaping the future of artificial intelligence.

We believe AI is and will continue to be transformative. Education, networking, and shared experiences are critical to ensure understanding, marketability, and long-term success for individuals and organizations.

(Note: This event was previously branded as All Things Open AI and has been renamed to All Things AI.)

Location/Venue

The conference will take place Monday, March 23, and Tuesday, March 24, 2026 at the Carolina Theatre and Durham Convention Center in downtown Durham, NC. Durham is a tech hub located in the Research Triangle Park (RTP) and is home to Duke University.
Expected Attendance

All Things AI is designed to be a dedicated gathering for the AI community. The target attendance is 4,000. The Carolina Theatre and Durham Convention Center can accommodate this audience across plenary sessions, workshops, and breakouts.
Target Audience

The event is for the entire AI ecosystem, including:

Active AI Technologists – Developers, software engineers, and machine learning practitioners creating the next generation of AI-driven solutions.
Business Leaders – C-level executives, directors, and product managers integrating AI into their strategies.
AI Educators – Professors, instructors, and curriculum designers shaping the next wave of AI talent.
Startups and Entrepreneurs – Innovators scaling AI ventures, networking, and showcasing solutions.
Knowledge Workers – Professionals adopting AI tools to enhance productivity and decision-making.

Format

The conference is a two-day event.

Day 1 – Monday, March 23, 2026

Workshop Day with sessions designed for three distinct audiences:

• General knowledge workers exploring how AI can improve productivity.
• Technical AI users seeking hands-on exposure to advanced tools and methods.
• Executives focused on strategy, governance, and making a tangible difference with AI adoption. (Specific workshops will be announced closer to the event.)

Day 2 – Tuesday, March 24, 2026

A full conference day featuring Keynotes, Lightning Talks, and 30-minute sessions organized across four tracks.

Tracks

• AI Builders – For developers and innovators building AI-driven applications.
• AI Engineers – For data scientists and ML professionals working on algorithms, fine-tuning, and model optimization.
• AI Users – For business professionals leveraging AI to enhance workflows and efficiency.
• AI Executives – For senior leaders and decision-makers focused on AI strategy, ROI, and organizational transformation.

Organizers

The event is a collaboration between Mark Hinkle and Todd Lewis, two technology veterans and executives with long histories in emerging technologies and open source community building.

Mark Hinkle

CEO & Founder of Peripety Labs

Mark Hinkle is the CEO and Founder of Peripety Labs, a leading digital consultancy that empowers enterprises to maximize success with AI. With over 25 years of experience in enterprise software and emerging technologies, Mark has a proven track record of driving innovation and growth in emerging tech, including AI, open source software, cloud, and DevOps.

In addition to his leadership at Peripety Labs, Mark is the Publisher of The Artificially Intelligent Enterprise (AIE) Network, a group of AI-focused newsletters that offer actionable insights for business leaders. With over 250,000 subscribers, the AIE Network provides in-depth, practical guidance on leveraging Generative AI for business success. His flagship publication, The Artificially Intelligent Enterprise, delivers cutting-edge insights on enterprise AI adoption.

A sought-after speaker on enterprise AI, Mark also co-founded the RDU Artificial Intelligence Meetup, fostering a thriving community of over 1,800 AI professionals and enthusiasts in the Raleigh-Durham area.

Mark has held key executive roles, including CEO and co-founder of TriggerMesh, a venture-backed cloud integration company funded by Cisco, Index Ventures, and Crane Ventures. He also served as an executive at Cloud.com, The Linux Foundation, and Citrix, where he played pivotal roles in advancing open source technologies.

Todd Lewis

Creator & Chair, All Things Open

Todd has created, built and grown technology companies and communities for nearly 20 years. He started the All Things Open conference, now one of the largest open source / tech / web events in the U.S., large and vibrant meetup communities across the southeast, and an open source educational portal visited by thousands called We ❤️ Open Source. Most importantly, he’s the father of two wonderful boys.

For more information on All Things AI, visit the event’s website.