Conference News: TED Celebrates America; ViVE’s Diagnostics; The BIG Show is Back
TED Rocks the Cradle of Liberty: In order to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, the team at TED will host a special event, in partnership with Visit Philadelphia on 13 June in the City of Brotherly Love. TED Democracy Philadelphia: Founding Futures will be full-day event exploring “the evolving story of democracy in the place where it all began.” According to the announcement, the day will include “brand-new TED Talks, live performances, local food and drinks, and democracy-themed activations as we imagine what America’s next 250 can be.”
ViVE’s Diagnosis is Good: After the successful launch of the Diagnostics Zone at HLTH USA 2025, sister conference ViVE is introducing it to their own conference lineup when it returns to LA from 22 – 25 February. TheDiagnostics Zone is a “space for companies advancing AI-driven diagnostics, connected lab ecosystems, at-home testing, genomics, digital pathology, and more.” Similar to HLTH, the Diagnostics Zone at ViVE will include an experience hub with hands on demos, a Live podcast booth and a matchmaking program to introduce payers, providers, life-science stakeholders and hospitals who are actively seeking diagnostic and testing solutions.
Submission Opportunity: AI DevSummit is taking place from 27-28 May 2026 in San Francisco, where they again expect 750+ live attendees who are engineers, developers and AI entrepreneurs. If you have a talk that fits into one of the 2026 tracks (AI Executives & Leadership; AI Ops & Technology Management; AI Strategy; ML & Models/Architecture; AI Frameworks, Tool, and Applied AI; Data Access, Management, and Operations) submit your idea here before the first deadline of 23 January. But if you are still catching up after a holiday break and don’t think you’ll make it in time, they will accept additional proposals until the CFP form closes completely on 27 February.
Lunchtime Learning: The Conference Board: AI Leadership Summit program is tailored for C-Suite leaders and their teams, offering an immersive look into AI’s evolving landscape, from narrow AI and robotics to generative AI. The November event covered topics that were both timely and action-oriented. Check out the session videos to find out: 10 Steps Every Organization Can Take to Unleash the Power of Gen AI; How to Scale AI for Enterprise Value and Agility; How Market Leaders Are Transforming Customer Experience with AI; What the New Era of Online Shopping looks like; and more!
Coming Up Next Week: NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show – running 11-13 January in New York – touts itself as “the industry’s number one resource for staying informed and ahead of where consumers are going.” This year’s theme invites retail ecosystem attendees to “Step into The Next Now.” From 15-17 January, DLD Munich is held at the House of Communication and offers the latest advancements in AI, quantum computing, biotech, new energy systems, and their intersections with mobility, creativity, art, and design. For over 40 years, the Future Educational Technology Conference/FETC has explored new technologies and best practices in education. FETC 2026 takes place 11-14 January at Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center. Techstrong’s annual crystal-ball-gazing event Predict 2026 is held virtually 15 January for a deep dive look at how AI is powering an entire new AI economy. And on 15 January at SAP’s AI Engineering Academy in San Ramon, the Athena Project hosts its inaugural Silicon Valley Members’ Salon, a by-invitation gathering focused on modern leadership and designed to help the next generation of leaders as they ascend into senior operating and board roles.