The first time AI Day was offered in Hartford in 2022, it drew a small but enthusiastic group of 68 participants. It was before the release of ChatGPT, and both the capabilities of the technology and its potential impact on business and society were not widely recognized.
This year, some 800 people are expected at AI Day events spread across two days – a kickoff and thought leadership keynote on Tuesday, April 22, and a day-long learning forum on Wednesday, April 23.
The 2025 program, based in Downtown Hartford, provides opportunities for local students, startups, and professionals to learn from and connect with one another. It’s being hosted by Launc[H] and is part of a larger effort to engage and grow the region’s innovation and technology community.
UConn is serving as the lead academic sponsor and The School of Business is hosting the daylong learning forum at its Graduate Business Learning Center at 100 Constitution Plaza.
“This year, demand for this type of forum has really spiked among both the business and higher education communities because what many of us refer to as ‘AI’ has blossomed into a vast set of rapidly evolving technologies,’’ says Michelle Cote, Director of Launc[H], and a lead instructor for the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation at UConn. “AI is no longer ‘emerging,’ but, instead, it’s playing an increasingly large role in the ways in which we interact with each other and the world around us. The pace of change that these technologies will prompt will only get faster and faster.’’
Hartford Seeks to Be ‘Center of Excellence’ for AI
“The goal of the event is to continue to convene and strengthen a community that will support efforts that the City of Hartford is making to emerge as a ‘Center of Excellence for Applied AI,’” she continues. “We also strive to highlight the sources of thought leadership on this topic that are available here in our community, and facilitate development and recruitment of local talent.”
“Businesses are navigating how to use AI responsibly and for the right set of applications. Subjects like data integrity, cybersecurity, privacy, and consumer protection are critical to our ability to navigate the complexities of getting AI ‘right’ for our core industries—insurance, finance, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing,’’ she says. “AI Day serves as one mechanism to help bring our community together to work through these opportunities and challenges.’’
Event Serves Everyone from Students to Executives
Hartford AI Day kicks off from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 22 at the Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front St., in Hartford. During that evening, Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulampalam will discuss the city’s strategy for becoming a Center of Excellence in applied AI, as well as emerging partnerships in that effort. UConn President Radenka Maric will speak about the university’s investments in AI research and education. And the event’s presenting sponsor, Capgemini, has asked Murad Lodhi, Chief Information Officer at IFG Companies to offer a keynote, highlighting the impact that AI will have on the insurance industry over the next year to 18 months.
On Wednesday, April 23, the day-long learning forum opens at the School of Business’ Graduate Business Learning Center at 100 Constitution Plaza. That event, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., features prominent speakers from the Hartford business and higher education community. They will offer four learning tracks: Doing Business with AI; AI-Powered Startups; Skill Building in AI, and the AI-Powered Workforce.
Speakers will include experts from Accenture, Google, Travelers, Slalom, Otis, Zinnia, Connecticut Insurance and Financial Services and from UConn, Central Connecticut State University and Charter Oak State College.
UConn Accelerates AI Learning
OPIM professor Wei Chen, an expert in AI, says UConn student teams will be showcasing hands-on applications of AI, such as how to build a chatbot and how GenAI can be used to streamline work. These demos are drawn from real-projects completed in UConn labs and courses.
The University is expanding its courses in AI, including a new AI concentration and graduate certificate as part of a graduate degree in Business Analytics and Program Management. Students can take courses in Generative AI for Business, Deep Learning, Building Advanced GenAI Systems, and AI Governance.
At the undergraduate level, students can explore AI through the Analytics and Information Management program. Students have completed multiple undergraduate and graduate capstone projects on AI, with partners such as Potoo Solutions and Ananda AI.
UConn’s Innovate Lab, located in the graduate center, will be open throughout the AI Day, allowing attendees the chance to try out emerging technologies firsthand—including GenAI tools, vision-language interfaces, and AI-powered productivity apps.
The April 22 kickoff program is from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Infinity Music Hall, 32 Front Street, in Hartford. The April 23 event is from 9 to 5:30 p.m. at School of Business’ Graduate Business Learning Center at 100 Constitution Plaza. Tickets are $75, but some free tickets are available for students. For more information or to register, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/hartford-ai-day-2025-tickets-1269360664919?aff=oddtdtcreator
