[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"conference-blog-article-black-ai-conferences-2026":3},{"id":4,"author":5,"authors":16,"title":18,"subTitle":14,"excerpt":19,"slug":20,"body":21,"categories":22,"tags":32,"featuredMedia":37,"publishedAt":46,"publishedAtGMT":47,"updatedAt":48,"updatedAtGMT":49,"type":50,"listicle":51,"disableContentGate":52,"disableListicleNumbers":52,"canonicalUrl":14,"socialThumbnail":14,"readingTime":53,"customFields":54,"additional":55,"acf":56},269257,{"id":6,"avatar":7,"firstName":8,"lastName":9,"displayName":10,"email":11,"username":12,"normalizedUsername":12,"description":13,"htmlBio":14,"twitter":14,"facebook":14,"instagram":14,"registeredAt":15},166,"https:\u002F\u002Fsecure.gravatar.com\u002Favatar\u002Fab302aa113b803b09fb920b51b5bba9da5261ffc0f8d659e77463318424ffae0?s=1024&d=mm&r=g","Dorian","Smith-Garcia","Dorian Smith-Garcia","dorian.smith-garcia@blavity.com","dorian.smith-garcia","Dorian Smith-Garcia is a New York-based international marketer turned commerce, health, beauty, bridal, international and family travel, and multicultural parenting writer and a Millennial mom. She can always find a reason to shop, especially when taking a “desk break” between writing articles. Having experience in both pregnancy and parenthood, along with a love for beauty, tech, and fashion, she approaches her recommendations with authenticity.\r\n\r\nBefore pivoting to writing in 2018, Dorian worked as a marketing consultant for international clients with an emphasis in Japan. She represented major label and indie artists, helping to distribute their music into the Americas as well as supported touring opportunities for them. Dorian transitioned to writing after the birth of her child because she wanted to be a present parent.\r\n\r\n\r\nHighlights:\r\nDorian’s bylines include Parents, Health.com, Travel + Leisure, Healthline, Glowsly, Forbes Vetted, GadgetReview, Nylon, Fatherly, ScaryMommy, Bustle, and more.\r\nShe worked as a marketing consultant for international clients with an emphasis in Japan, representing and assisting major label and indie artists enter the Americas.\r\nWhen she’s not sharing parental wisdom or highlighting the latest deals, you’ll find her making any excuse to use her passport, spending time with her family, gardening, and brushing up on foreign languages.\r\n\r\nFollow Dorian on Instagram: @theantibridezilla\r\nFollow Dorian on TikTok: @themelaninmamifiles","","2023-08-01T13:53:52+00:00",[17],{"id":6,"avatar":7,"firstName":8,"lastName":9,"displayName":10,"email":11,"username":12,"normalizedUsername":12,"description":13,"htmlBio":14,"twitter":14,"facebook":14,"instagram":14,"registeredAt":15},"Top Black AI Conferences To Attend In 2026","The best AI conferences for Black professionals in 2026 — from AfroTech's AI Edge training day to NVIDIA GTC. Who each one is for and how to get there.","black-ai-conferences-2026","\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI is at the forefront of virtually every industry and career path. These days, recruiters, department heads and leadership are no longer asking if AI is useful for employees but instead asking how well-versed their workforce is in \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">using the technology\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. One of the best ways to build a knowledge base and improve your career prospects is to immerse yourself in this technology. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is true of the entire workforce, but especially for \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotech.com\u002Fblavity-media-group-the-gathering-spot-exclusive-collaboration\">Black professionals\u003C\u002Fa>, who often face a more difficult hiring process or a more difficult career trajectory. Being adept at AI can give you the edge you need to succeed. \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotech.com\u002Fblack-tech-conferences-2026\">AI conferences\u003C\u002Fa> continue to be a great place for education, networking, career opportunities and \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">entrepreneurship\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. Here are 10 upcoming events you’ll want to put on your calendar. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Where Do Black Professionals Go For AI In 2026?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>1. AfroTech Conference, Houston, TX, November 2 to 6\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Ca href=\"http:\u002F\u002Fafrotechconference.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AfroTech Conference\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is the largest Black tech professional conference in the world. Originally held in San Francisco in 2016, it now draws over 40,000 attendees annually. Now in its 10th year, this community brings together over 300 speakers, 11 stages and hands-on coding courses through \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotech.com\u002Fevents\u002Fai-edge-in-person-training-afrotech-conference-2026\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">AI Edge\u003C\u002Fa>.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This conference attracts \u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotechconference.com\u002Fsponsors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">top leaders\u003C\u002Fa> in AI, like Microsoft, Google, Apple, Amazon, NVIDIA, OpenAI, Anthropic, along with engineers, developers, founders, executives, and many others who are actively looking for new talent. To support those objectives, the conference incorporates \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotech.com\u002Ftalent-infusion-connects-employers-to-diverse-talent\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Talent Infusion\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a recruiting platform that creates customized matches between attendee resumes and open roles, with \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">recruiters\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> often extending offers on the show floor.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Roughly 65% of attendees are mid-career or above, with 18% in director, VP or C-level roles, highlighting the prime opportunity this four-day event offers.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which AI Conferences Are Best For Your Career?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>2. Ai4, Las Vegas, NV, August 4 to 6\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ai4 is one of the largest enterprise AI conferences, drawing business leaders, AI practitioners and technology vendors to discuss real-world AI applications. Sessions center on practical use cases in real time. This is a good opportunity to connect directly with leaders from major AI companies and for HR and L&D teams to evaluate AI integration solutions. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>3. ODSC AI West, San Francisco, CA, October 27 to 29\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ODSC AI is ideal for technical professionals seeking hands-on experience with today’s most in-demand AI tools. Practical workshops covering machine learning, LLMs, data science, and production AI are core features, which is why this event tends to attract engineers, data scientists and ML practitioners who want to build technical skills.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>4. Gartner Data & Analytics Summit, Orlando, FL, March 8 to 10, 2027\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gartner’s Data & Analytics Summit supports AI strategy development that delivers measurable business value. Programming covers governance, generative AI, AI agents, analytics and workforce readiness. Expect to mingle with executives, HR leaders and L&D professionals responsible for enterprise AI adoption, change management and employee upskilling.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which Are Best For Team And Corporate Training?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>5. Black Is Tech Conference, Houston, TX, April 27 to May 1, 2027\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Black Is Tech blends AI, software engineering, cybersecurity, cloud computing, and career development into one event. AI programming has become an increasingly important part of the conference as organizations race to upskill their workforce. If you’re seeking new opportunities, this is a great place to network with recruiters, attend technical workshops, and connect with fellow Black technologists. HR and L&D leaders can also discover training resources while meeting companies actively investing in AI talent.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>6. Data + AI Summit, San Francisco, CA, June 21 to 24, 2027\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hosted by Databricks, the Data + AI Summit serves enterprise audiences who want to build modern data platforms for AI initiatives. Technical sessions and enterprise strategy brainstorming for teams working in analytics, engineering, and AI are a hallmark of this conference. Along with product announcements and customer success stories, there are also certification opportunities and sessions covering everything from data engineering to generative AI applications.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>7. HumanX, Las Vegas, NV, March 7 to 10, 2027\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">HumanX brings together executives, founders, investors, and enterprise decision-makers to explore how AI is changing business. The event emphasizes practical use over hype and is perfect for organizations and entrepreneurial developers moving beyond experimentation into production AI. Major AI players, including OpenAI, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Anthropic, Google Cloud, AWS, and Databricks, are often in attendance.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>8. Microsoft AI Tour (rolling locations and dates)\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Microsoft AI Tour is a series of regional events that prioritizes AI education within local tech communities. If you’re very interested in building your Microsoft AI skillset, sessions typically include demonstrations of Microsoft Copilot, Azure AI, security, and productivity tools for business.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>9. AWS re:Invent, Las Vegas, NV, November 30 to December 4\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similar to Microsoft, AWS re:Invent is Amazon’s AI-focused tech event designed to help everyone from founders to upwardly mobile employees and corporate teams better understand and build a knowledge base around the brand’s AI ecosystem\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Cb>. \u003C\u002Fb>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This conference features extensive programming focused on generative AI, Amazon Bedrock, AI infrastructure, and machine learning. Hands-on technical sessions, certification opportunities, product announcements, and networking are primary features of this event.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Which Are Best For Founders And Entrepreneurs?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cstrong>10. AI Engineer New York, New York, NY October 12 to 14\u003C\u002Fstrong>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The AI Engineer New York event is one of several hosted around the world that’s geared toward builders actively creating AI products and applications. The conference offers hands-on opportunities to explore production-ready tools, agent frameworks, LLM development, and deployment strategies. Developers, startup teams, and technical founders will find plenty of opportunities to learn directly from engineers building cutting-edge AI systems.\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Ch2>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How Do You Pick The Right One?\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fh2>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The right conference will vary depending on individual goals and interests. Consider whether you’re seeking hands-on learning opportunities, networking options, or a career change. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you need all of the above, the AfroTech Conference and specifically \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003Ca href=\"https:\u002F\u002Fafrotech.com\u002Fevents\u002Fai-edge-in-person-training-afrotech-conference-2026\">\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AI Edge\u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fa>\u003Cspan style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which combines all three features. More importantly, it attracts mid- and senior-level professionals, investors, and founders, making it a smart investment for your career and growth. \u003C\u002Fspan>\u003C\u002Fp>\n",[23,28],{"id":24,"name":25,"slug":26,"description":14,"image":27},15187,"Career","career",null,{"id":29,"name":30,"slug":31,"description":14,"image":27},15189,"Professional Development","professional-development",[33],{"id":34,"name":35,"slug":36,"description":14,"image":14},8304,"AfroTech Conference","afrotech-conference",{"url":38,"thumbnail":38,"credit":39,"title":40,"alt":41,"type":42,"width":43,"height":44,"mimeType":45},"https:\u002F\u002Fcdn.afrotech.com\u002Fwp-content\u002Fuploads\u002F2025\u002F06\u002Fchristina-wocintechchat-com-KAULAzQwxzE-unsplash-scaled.jpg","(Christina WOC In Tech\u002FUnsplash)","Black-Owned Staffing Agencies In Atlanta","a group of Black women sit around a table smiling while doing work on their laptops","image",160,107,"image\u002Fjpeg","2026-08-13T16:39:17-04:00","2026-08-13 20:39:17","2026-08-31T17:41:04-04:00","2026-08-31 21:41:04","default",[],false,4,{"disableConnatixPlayer":52},{"disableAd":52,"disableConnatixPlayer":52,"enabledComments":52,"headScript":27,"hidePhotoAttribution":52},{"reviewer_name":14}]