Event Summary
**This event will be held in person only.
Artificial intelligence is fundamentally rewriting the rules of how we learn, teach, and train. From AI-powered tutors in elementary schools to automated grading in universities and predictive upskilling in the corporate world, AI is augmenting learning and accelerating training and expertise development. The question is no longer if AI belongs in education and development, but how we manage its massive, disruptive influence and maximize its benefits while addressing its limitations.Join the Austin Forum for a dynamic, multi-perspective conversation featuring a panel of leading academic and industry experts who will explore these topics and take audience questions. We will explore the sweeping transformation of the learning landscape across the entire lifecycle—spanning K-12 classrooms, higher education institutions, professional development programs, and lifelong learning opportunities. This session will go beyond the standard talking points to look at the empirical data, real-world case studies, and systemic challenges of this new frontier.
Discussion Highlights
The Lifelong Learning Spectrum: How AI tools are being tailored for different stages of development—from fostering foundational literacy in K-12 to optimizing academic research in college and accelerating workforce retraining.
The Success Stories: An examination of where AI is genuinely moving the needle. We will look at personalized learning platforms that adapt to a student's unique pace, AI assistants that relieve teachers of administrative burdens, and immersive simulations that make professional training safer and more effective.
The Failure Modes & Pitfalls: A candid look at the dark side of digital classrooms and training modules. Our experts will tackle the complex issues of academic dishonesty, the erosion of critical thinking skills, the amplification of bias in automated assessment, and the hype surrounding expensive tools that fail to deliver actual value.
The Human-AI Synergy: Strategies for educators and corporate leaders to integrate these tools effectively. We will discuss how to design curricula that embrace AI as a collaborator rather than a crutch, ensuring learners discover how to think, not just how to prompt.
Who Should Attend?
Whether you are an educator striving to adapt your classroom, a technologist building the next generation of EdTech, a corporate leader looking to upskill your workforce, or anyone navigating the shifting professional landscape, this event will provide the insights and frameworks you need to navigate the future of learning. Bring your tough questions for an open, balanced, and essential conversation on how we can harvest the immense potential of AI while fiercely protecting integrity and human potential.
Continued Conversation & Networking
The discussion doesn’t end when the panel wraps up! Join us immediately following the presentation for post-event networking and continued conversation at Remedy, located at 3rd & Nueces. Connect with fellow attendees, swap insights from the event, and enjoy a complimentary drink on us, thanks to our amazing Austin Forum Annual Partners, Champions, and Friends.
Speakers
Luke Owings, Chief Product Officer, Abilitie
After falling in love with education at business school, Luke Owings has built his career around developing others through the power of hands-on learning. An expert in team building, leadership development, and people operations, Luke is CPO at Abilitie, where he leverages his deep expertise in designing and developing learning journeys for professional learners across industries. Before joining Abilitie, Luke was with McKinsey & Company and the Fullbridge Program. In addition to holding a BA and Certificate in Finance from Princeton University and an MBA from Harvard Business School, Luke has completed Outward Bound Instructor training and is a certified Wilderness First Responder. As a college athlete, Luke played in the NCAA Division 1 basketball tournament and was once the #6 play on Sportscenter’s Top Ten.
Amy Polvado, Founder and CEO, Facilimax
Amy Polvado is the Founder and CEO of Facilimax, an Austin-based company building AI-powered digital twin software on NVIDIA Omniverse for universities, hospitals, and data centers. She also leads Harmon Labs, a vocational school preparing workers for careers in power plant operations, data center technology, and nuclear energy, and serves as CEO of Red River Infrastructure, developing large-scale data center sites across Texas.
Amy is a doctoral student at Purdue Polytechnic Institute, where her research focuses on deploying digital twins to edge wearable devices for frontline workforce training. She is also Chairwoman of the US Proptech Council, host of the Data Center News Show, and author of From Data to Deals. Her career spans semiconductor manufacturing at Applied Materials and IBM, building a real estate private equity firm to over $1 billion in assets under management, and technology commercialization at UT Austin.
Julie Schell, Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Technology, The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Julie Schell is the Assistant Vice Provost of Academic Technology and the Director of the Office of Academic Technology at The University of Texas at Austin. She is at the forefront of stewarding the changing landscape of higher education in the age of AI. Her current passion project is UT Sage, an AI tutor and instructional design agent she conceived to drive innovative and responsible adoption of AI in the university classroom. Dr. Schell is also an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Departments of Design and Educational Leadership and Policy, teaching graduate and undergraduate courses. Dr. Schell has over 25 years of experience in higher education and has held positions at the nation's top research universities, including Stanford, Columbia, Harvard, and Yale. She completed her doctorate in Higher and Postsecondary Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, and a four-year postdoctoral fellowship in the Mazur Group at Harvard University. She was named one of Ed Tech Magazine's 2026 Higher Education Influencers to Follow in the category of Digital Learning Pioneer. Dr. Schell serves on the Higher Education Advisory Board at Anthropic.
Attendance Instructions
In-person
ACC Rio Grande: Building 3000
The Center for Government & Civic Service
1218 West Avenue Austin, TX, 78701
Parking map here! Street parking is free after 6 pm.
In-person attendees, please join us from 5:15 to 6:15 for networking and food. We look forward to chatting with you face-to-face!