The Opportunity AI Brings to Building a New Games Industry

Moderator: Josh Waite - Knowledge Park

Speakers:

Josh Waite - Knowledge Park Matt Toner - Shred Capital Amir Satvat - Tencent Games Kate Edwards - SetJetters Manny Hachey - Xsolla

📌 About this Presentation:

In this panel, Josh Waite (Knowledge Park) leads a conversation with Matt Toner (Shred Capital), Amir Satvat (Tencent Games), Kate Edwards (SetJetters), and Manny Hachey (Xsolla) as they explore how AI is reshaping game development from design to distribution. The panel examines key themes including AI-driven content generation, player personalization, production efficiency, and the evolving role of human creativity in an increasingly automated industry. Drawing on real-world case studies from indie studios to global publishers, the session highlights opportunities for innovation, challenges around intellectual property and ethics, and practical considerations for developers, investors, and policymakers looking to build a resilient and responsible games industry in Atlantic Canada and beyond.

Sovereign Energy Data: the missing infrastructure for AI-ready electrification

Moderator: Chris Dickie - RNB

Speakers:

Paul Vallee - Tehama.io Candace Pollack - ResearchNB Greg Robart - SGIN Donna Curtis Maillet - UNB

📌 About this Presentation:

In this panel, Chris Dickie (RNB) leads a conversation with Paul Vallee (Tehama.io), Candace Pollack (ResearchNB), Greg Robart (SGIN), and Donna Curtis Maillet (UNB) as they explore the critical role of sovereign energy data as foundational infrastructure for AI-ready electrification. The session examines key themes including data sovereignty, energy infrastructure modernization, AI-driven electrification, and the intersection of data governance and energy policy. Drawing on regional and national perspectives, the session highlights opportunities for leveraging energy data to accelerate electrification and AI adoption, challenges around data accessibility, security, and interoperability, and practical considerations for policymakers, energy sector leaders, researchers, and technology providers seeking to build the data infrastructure necessary for a sustainable and AI-enabled energy future.

AI, Trust, and the Future of Work in Atlantic Canada

Moderator: Sonya Hull - UNB

Speakers:

JCharles Gervais - iTransform Brogan Regier - AI2Market Reeti Rohilla - Global News Christopher Dedam - Sesgweg Software Solutions

📌 About this Presentation:

In this session, Sonya Hull (UNB) leads a conversation with Charles Gervais (iTransform), Brogan Regier (AI2Market), Reeti Rohilla (Global News), and Chris Dedam (Sesgweg Software Solutions) as they examine how artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the way Atlantic Canadians work, hire, build businesses, and consume information. The panel explores key themes including AI-enabled hiring tools, startup development, media and journalism, and public trust in an era of misinformation. Drawing on diverse perspectives from technology, business, media, and innovation, the session highlights opportunities for building a competitive AI economy, challenges around transparency and responsible adoption, and practical considerations for employers, entrepreneurs, journalists, and policymakers seeking to foster an AI ecosystem that is inclusive, accountable, and trustworthy.

Keeping People First in AI

Moderator: Andrew McIntyre - Acadia University

Speakers:

Ga Wu - Dalhousie University - Beyond Search: Interactive Information Retrieval in the Age of Agentic AI
Andrew Buzzell - VidCruiter Inc - Your AI Agent Can't Give Reasons. Can You?
Andres Rojas - Vector Institute - Collaboration in AI as a Pathway to Trustworthy Adoption
Amir Tavasoli - Sobeys/Empire - From Models to Decisions: Agentic AI for Marketing Mix Optimization
Daniel Silver - Acadia University - Managing Applied AI/DS Research Projects with Industry Partners

📌 About this Presentation

In this talks, Andrew McIntyre (Acadia University) leads a series of academic talks focused on prioritizing human-centered values in the development and deployment of artificial intelligence. The session examines key themes including interactive information retrieval, explainability and reasoning in AI systems, collaboration as a pathway to trustworthy adoption, agentic AI for decision-making, and managing applied research projects with industry partners. Drawing on cutting-edge research and real-world applications, the session highlights opportunities for keeping ethical considerations and societal needs at the core of AI innovation, challenges around transparency and accountability, and practical considerations for researchers, developers, and industry partners seeking to build AI systems that serve people first.

Building Capacity for AI

Moderator: Luigi Benedicenti - University of New Brunswick

Speakers:

Duncan McSporran - Vimy Forge - Canada's Radar Moment
Brogan Regier - AI2Market Emily Fenton - ShiftKey Labs - Discover, Validate, and Launch - Supporting AI Startups
Misty Wade Hovey - EcoAdvisors - AI's Dual Nature: Rethinking Infrastructure for a Sustainable Future
Josh Waite - Knowledge Park - From Momentum to Movement: Building Fredericton's Next Innovation Chapter
Robyn Stewart - Independent - The Agentic Shift: Preparing Atlantic Canada's Employers, Educators, and Emerging Talent for Autonomous AI

📌 About this Presentation:
In this talks, Luigi Benedictini (University of New Brunswick) leads a series of talks focused on building organizational AI capacity and practical skills. The session examines key themes including Canada's strategic position in AI, supporting AI startups from discovery to launch, rethinking infrastructure for a sustainable future, building regional innovation ecosystems, and preparing employers, educators, and emerging talent for autonomous AI. Drawing on diverse perspectives from industry, academia, and innovation leadership, the session highlights opportunities for developing AI talent and infrastructure, challenges around sustainability and organizational readiness, and practical considerations for business leaders, educators, policymakers, and entrepreneurs seeking to build capacity for AI adoption and innovation.

Using AI in a Principled Way

Moderator: Mahtab Sarvmaili - University of New Brunswick

Speakers:

Stuart Thiel - University of Fredericton - AI Can Generate Code. That's Why Computer Science Matters More Than Ever
Chris Power - UPEI - Accessible Design of AI: Access is Not Enough
Sarah Rankin - Centre of Excellence Amanda Comeau - EECD Ryan Donaghy - EECD - Global Insights, Local Action: Responsible AI Use in the New Brunswick Classroom
Rose Boudreau - CGI Sana Kashgouli - CGI - Common Ground: The Challenges, Opportunities and Future of Artificial Intelligence
Rachel Hor - IBM - From Dyadic Trust to Trust Ecology: Reframing Trust in AI-Augmented Decision Systems

📌 About this Presentation

In this talks, Mahtab Sarvmaili (University of New Brunswick) leads a conversation with Stuart Thiel (University of Fredericton), Sarah Rankin, Amanda Comeau, Ryan Donaghy (EECD), Rose Boudreau, Sana Kashgouli (CGI), Rachel Hor (IBM) and Chris Power (University of Prince Edward Island) as they examine the multifaceted challenge of ethical AI adoption across education and society. The panel explores key themes including responsible AI use, equitable access, accessibility in design, and the evolving role of universities in preparing students for an AI-driven world. Drawing on diverse perspectives from New Brunswick classrooms to Prince Edward Island campuses, the session highlights opportunities for principled implementation, challenges around trust and control, and practical considerations for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to ensure AI serves as a tool for empowerment rather than exclusion.

AI in Healthcare

Moderator: Frank Rudzicz - Dalhousie University

Speakers:

Yilin Huang - Saint Mary's University - Exploring Applied Agentic AI to Improve MRI Appointments Scheduling
Ron Parker - Parker DHC - The Role of AI and Interoperability of Health Information Systems
Arslan Idrees - Deloitte Peter Bak - Humber River Health - AI Governance in Healthcare
Jen Woodland - UNB Vince McMullin - CanXP AI - AI at the Speed of Trust: Implementing Innovation in Real Health Systems
Richard Levesque - Vitalité Health Network - Optimizing Patient Flow: Machine Learning Approaches for Hospital Discharge Prediction

📌 About this Presentation
In this talks, Frank Rudzicz (Dalhousie University) leads a series of talks featuring healthcare and AI experts as they tackle critical challenges and innovations in healthcare AI. The session examines key themes including contestable and human-centered multi-agent systems, health information system interoperability, AI governance, responsible implementation, and predictive patient flow optimization. Drawing on real-world examples from healthcare institutions across the region and beyond, the session highlights opportunities for improving clinical outcomes and system efficiency, challenges around trust, governance, and responsible oversight, and practical considerations for healthcare administrators, clinicians, policymakers, and technology providers seeking to implement AI in complex healthcare environments.

Robotics and Sensors

Moderator: Enayat Rajabi - Cape Breton University

Speakers:

Han Hao - University of Toronto - Endeavoring the Accelerated Discovery with Self-Driving Labs
Jon Belof - AMD - Directional Winds in AI for Science & Engineering
James Cameron - NVIDIA - Unlocking Embodied AI Through Real-Time Edge Inference with NVIDIA
Sazia Mahfuz - Acadia University - Streaming Data Analytics Using Sensor Data

📌 About this Presentation:

In this talks, Enayat Rajabi (Cape Breton University) leads a series of talks exploring the intersection of robotics, sensors, and AI-driven automation. The session examines key themes including self-driving labs for accelerated materials discovery, directional shifts in AI for science and engineering, embodied AI through real-time edge inference, and streaming data analytics using sensor data across transportation, healthcare, and agriculture. Drawing on cutting-edge research and industry applications, the session highlights opportunities for enabling real-time decision-making, distributed scientific discovery, and physical-world automation, challenges around integration and scalability, and practical considerations for researchers, engineers, and technology leaders working at the forefront of robotics and sensor technologies.

Opening Keynote

Moderator: Stijn De Baerdemacker - UNB RIDSAI

Speakers:

Hossein Rahnama - Toronto Metropolitan University

📌 About this Presentation

In this session, Dr. Hossein Rahnama (Toronto Metropolitan University) delivers a visionary keynote exploring the transformative potential of Perspective-Aware AI (PAI) and the emergence of Human-AI agents as a paradigm shift in intelligent systems. Moving beyond traditional AI, PAI focuses on understanding and representing diverse human viewpoints to foster true human-AI symbiosis. The keynote introduces Chronicles, a novel software engineering innovation that uniquely blends human expertise with AI's computational power. These reasoning-ready digital models enable a new era where AI is not designed to replace human capabilities but to fundamentally augment them.

Drawing on cutting-edge research and real-world applications, the session highlights opportunities for unlocking human potential through PAI and Human-AI agents, challenges around integration and adoption, and practical considerations for the future of work, education, and collaboration across critical sectors including cities, finance, robotics, and healthcare. The talk offers an optimistic vision for the future, where individuals can explore and learn unbound by physical limitations, with their representative Human-AI agents collaborating seamlessly and executing tasks on their behalf.

Closing Remarks

As the 2026 Atlantic AI Summit came to a close, DAIR Innovation Director Aaloak Jaswal reflects on the conversations, relationships, and sense of community that emerged over three remarkable days.

While the Summit explored the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence, these closing remarks consider the people, values, and shared sense of purpose that must guide its development.

Turning AI into Impact: A Cross-Sector View on What's Working—and What's Not

Moderator: Chris Fevens - SpringBoard Atlantic

Speakers:

Remi Richard - UMoncton Michael Karch Derek Newton - Mitacs Anand Mehta - Sobeys Sarah Rankin - Centre of Excellence

📌 About this Presentation:

In this panel, Chris Fevens (SpringBoard Atlantic) leads a conversation with Remi Richard (UMoncton), Michael Karch, Derek Newton (Mitacs), Anand Mehta (Sobeys), and Sarah Rankin (Centre of Excellence) as they provide a cross-sector discussion on the current AI landscape in Canada, with a particular focus on the challenges and opportunities associated with moving AI from experimentation to meaningful real-world impact. Taking place on the third day of the summit, the session also serves as an opportunity to reflect on key ideas, themes, and tensions emerging from Day 1 and Day 2 discussions, while helping frame the conversations and opportunities still ahead throughout the remainder of the event. Drawing on perspectives from industry, academia, government, and the innovation support ecosystem, the session highlights where momentum is building, where implementation continues to stall, and what is preventing organizations from moving beyond pilots toward scaled adoption and measurable outcomes. The panel examines the broader systems required to support AI success, including commercialization pathways, industry-academic collaboration, talent development, organizational readiness, public policy, and ecosystem coordination. While the discussion includes strong Atlantic Canadian perspectives, the panel also positions the region within the broader national AI landscape and explores where Canada is succeeding — and where gaps remain.

AI Governance and Ethics

Moderator: Rachor Hor - IBM

Speakers:

Andres Rojas - Vector Institute Rich Taylor - TrojAI Tony Sheehan - NorthBound Advisory Frank Rudzicz - Dalhousie University Shahzad Tariq - Deloitte

📌 About this Presentation


In this panel, Rachor Hor (IBM) leads a conversation with Andres Rojas (Vector Institute), Rich Taylor (TrojAI), Tony Sheehan (NorthBound Advisory), Frank Rudzicz (Dalhousie University), and Shahzad Tariq (Deloitte) as they examine the critical frameworks, principles, and practices needed to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and deployed responsibly. The panel explores key themes including AI governance structures, ethical guidelines, risk management, regulatory compliance, and the balance between innovation and accountability. Drawing on diverse perspectives from industry, academia, and the innovation ecosystem, the session highlights opportunities for building trustworthy AI systems, challenges around transparency, bias, and oversight, and practical considerations for organizational leaders, policymakers, and technology developers seeking to navigate the complex landscape of AI governance and ethics.

Positioning Education for AI

Moderator: Hossein Rahnama - Toronto Metropolitan University

Speakers:

Sheldon Levy - TMU Wade Machlaclan - UNB Hemant Kumar - GNB Matt McGuire - University of New Brunswick

📌 About this Presentation

In this panel, Hossein Rahnama (Toronto Metropolitan University) leads a conversation with Sheldon Levy (TMU), Wade MacLauchlan (UNB), Hemant Kumar (GNB), and Matt McGuire (University of New Brunswick) as they explore how education can position itself for artificial intelligence. The panel examines key themes including curriculum transformation, institutional adaptation, lifelong learning, and the evolving relationship between education and the workforce. Drawing on perspectives from academia, government, and educational leadership, the session highlights opportunities for preparing learners and institutions for an AI-driven future, challenges around systemic change and resource allocation, and practical considerations for educators, administrators, and policymakers seeking to ensure education remains relevant, accessible, and future-ready as AI continues to evolve.

Strategies for AI Adoption

Moderator: Danny Silver - Acadia University

Speakers:

Tony Sheehan - NorthBound Advisory - From Pilots to Productivity: How Small Businesses Can Actually Adopt AI
Ryan Proudfoot - Smartskin Technology - How AI has Transformed Smartskin's Roadmap, How We Work and Hire
Charles Gervais - iTransform - Beyond the AI Consultant: The Rise of the Managed Intelligence Provider (MIP)
Jon Barry - MNP - How Task-Level AI Discovery Turns Adoption into Transformation
Robert Chen - Kardio Diagnostix - Saving Lives and Healthcare Budgets Using AI

📌 About this Presentation

In this session, Danny Silver (Acadia University) leads a series of talks featuring five Atlantic Canadian experts as they explore how small and mid-sized organizations can move beyond AI experimentation and into real, lasting transformation. The session examines key themes including practical adoption lessons, AI-driven hiring shifts, the rise of Managed Intelligence Providers, task-level AI discovery, and healthcare applications of AI. Drawing on real-world examples from across the region, the session highlights opportunities for turning pilots into productivity gains, challenges around implementation and organizational change, and practical considerations for employers, educators, and emerging talent preparing for the next wave of autonomous systems.

AI Everywhere!!!

Moderator: Aaron Tabor - UNB

Speakers:

Andrew Fisher - University of New Brunswick - AI-Driven Construction Intelligence: From Design Understanding to Manufacturing Optimization
Alaidine Ben Ayed - CCNB-INNOV - AI for Municipal Use Cases
Mahtab Sarvmaili - University of New Brunswick - Responsible AI: From Understanding to Control
Hung Cao - University of New Brunswick - Explainability is Insufficient: Navigating Contestable Futures in Human-Centered Multi-Agent Healthcare AI
Shadi Aljendi - University of Fredericton - The Future of Universities in the Age of AI: Netflix, LinkedIn, Apprenticeships or Something Else?

📌 About this Presentation

In this talks, Aaron Tabor (UNB) leads a fast-paced collection of five short talks exploring how artificial intelligence is showing up across different sectors and disciplines. The session examines key themes including AI-driven construction intelligence, municipal AI applications, responsible AI from understanding to control, contestable futures in healthcare AI, and the future of universities in the age of AI. Drawing on diverse perspectives from construction, municipal planning, healthcare, higher education, and responsible AI research, the session highlights opportunities for AI adoption across sectors, challenges around governance, explainability, and institutional adaptation, and practical considerations for professionals, policymakers, and educators navigating AI's expanding reach.