Pittsburgh and Its AI Future Take Center Stage at Innovation Summit 2026  

Mayor Corey O’Connor and City of Pittsburgh Leaders Join Robust List of Distinguished Industry Experts at HIKE2’s Annual Event    

The spotlight will shine on the Steel City at HIKE2’s Innovation Summit 2026, as Mayor Corey O’Connor and City of Pittsburgh leaders open the two-day premier event with a pair of discussions centered on emerging technologies, the role AI in the workforce and the host-city’s avenues for economic growth.

Innovation Summit 2026, scheduled for March 25-26 at Bakery Square, will bring together leaders, practitioners and visionaries who are actively designing the next era of work. The two-day agenda is chock full of transformative thought leaders who provide business leaders and professionals from across the United States the opportunity to explore human-centered technology, secure and scalable innovation, compliance, business excellence and much more.   

Mayor O’Connor opens the Summit on Wednesday, March 25, alongside Gerardo Interiano, Aurora’s Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs, with a candid fireside chat, “AI & The Steel City’s Next Chapter: Powering Pittsburgh’s Economic Future.” The duo will survey emerging technologies’ roles in reshaping the region’s economy and discuss Pittsburgh’s next era of opportunity.

That same morning, City of Pittsburgh Chief Data Officer Chris Belasco and Innovation Senior Manager Andrew Hayhurst will unveil Pittsburgh’s multi-year AI strategy at the “Leading with Values: City of Pittsburgh’s Approach to Building Responsible AI in Local Government” session. The duo will speak publicly for the first time on the city’s approach to building responsible AI adoption and demonstrate Pittsburgh’s step-by-step process for governing AI in a compliance-driven environment.

“HIKE2 is honored to get the first, in-person look at the City of Pittsburgh’s AI Strategy. Our region’s leaders view AI as a tool to enhance, not replace, public servants – a practice I know many of the Summit attendees’ share,” says Amanda Wodzenski, Principal & Founder of HIKE2. “Pittsburgh continues to set the standard when it comes to embracing and deploying AI innovation, and we are excited to learn more about our region’s momentum at this year’s Summit. “

The Pittsburgh influence continues March 26, with County Executive Sara Innamorato joining Rachel Brecht (Chief People Officer, Pittsburgh Penguins), Shannon Gregg (President, Cloud Adoption Solutions) and Liv Smith (Director, Advisory Services, HIKE2) for “Humans + AI – Redesigning Work, Roles & Relationships,” a panel that will explore AI’s wide reach in the workforce.

Among the transformative thought leaders also slated to present at the Summit are:

·       Peter Mulford | Chief Innovation Officer, BTS

·       Scott Angelo | Chief Technology and Innovation Officer, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP

·       Marcus Mossberger | Chief Market Strategy Officer, Lytiqs

·       Tia Christopher | Founder, CEO, The Orange Peel Collaborative

“I’ve had the privilege of joining the Innovation Summit for the last few years, and what always stands out is the depth of the conversations and the caliber of the community it attracts,” says Angelo. “This event has become a Pittsburgh-based staple that I depend on to reconnect with key players in the industry and to learn more about what will be happening in the year to come. Each Summit raises the bar, and within the focus of redefining the future of work, 2026 is shaping up to be the most impactful one yet.”

Additional organizations and companies represented at Innovation Summit 2026 include: Red Argyle, Mayvue, Mitratech, Duolingo, Dollar Bank, Carnegie Mellon University and more.

The NFL Network’s Cynthia Frelund will deliver the keynote, “Predicting the Win: What the NFL Draft Teaches Us about Data, AI and the Next Era of Work,” offering a powerful and timely lens on how analytics is simultaneously reshaping professional sports and the future of work across every industry.

A complete agenda and list of speakers can be found on the Innovation Summit 2026 webpage.

The move to Bakery Square and Pittsburgh’s AI Avenue this month puts Summit attendees shoulder-to-shoulder with global innovators – such as Google and Duolingo – and just minutes away from Carnegie Mellon University, University of Pittsburgh and much more. In addition to learning from the exciting group of experts and panelists, attendees also will take part in breakouts, labs and roundtables centered on practical AI use cases.

Tickets for the two-day Summit are $250 and are available at hike2.com.com/events/innovation-summit-2026. Tickets also will be available for purchase each morning throughout the Summit.

MEDIA NOTE: Media are invited to attend Innovation Summit 2026 on March 25-26. Interviews with panelists, as well as HIKE2 leadership, will be available both days. Additional interviews with attendees also can be arranged. Please RSVP to Shannon Wolfgang by Tuesday, March 24, by phone (304.290.2467) or email (shannon.e.wolfgang@gmail.com). 

About HIKE2

HIKE2, a leading technology advisory and implementation services firm, helps businesses reimagine what’s possible in an era of constant technological disruption. They partner with organizations in the legal, financial services, insurance, business services, and high-tech SaaS industries to solve complex challenges with cutting-edge cloud solutions, AI-driven innovations, agentic initiatives, and robust data & analytics governance programs. Their best-in-class advisory services ensure clients stay ahead in an ever-evolving landscape.