Pittsburgh TechFest 2026

Somewhere in every organization, someone is using an AI tool that nobody signed off on. They're doing this because it works, and because waiting for permission wasn't an option. We'll shine a light on the idea that many individuals are keeping some of the greatest value to their organizations and their career prospects hidden out of sight, due to fear of being caught doing something they're "not supposed to be doing".


This is NOT a playbook for circumventing AI acceptable use policies, but it IS a session that flips the usual "Shadow AI is a security risk" conversation on its head. We'll unpack what it actually looks like to move from quiet, unsanctioned AI use to visible, trusted leadership on AI adoption, and why the people who make that move first are becoming indispensable to their organizations.


Expect to learn from real-world experiences, gathering insights from an IT services CEO who has personally worked alongside individuals in a wide variety of industries in our region to bring AI usage out of the shadows. Employees from both technical and non-technical backgrounds who became a force multiplier for their organizations, and opened up a whole new frontier of career opportunities for themselves in the process.