🎤 Keynote Topic:  AI: From Chess to Skynet, Johnny Cab, and Beyond

👥 Featured Speaker:  Nicholas Errico, PMP

🍽 Evening Agenda:
* 6:00 PM: Networking & Toy Drop Off
* 6:30 PM: Chapter Business & Catered Dinner Buffet Begins
* 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM: Keynote Presentation
* 8:30 PM: Wrap-Up & Additional Networking

🍸 Cash Bar Available

👥 Featured Speakers Details: 

Artificial Intelligence did not begin with ChatGPT. Its roots stretch back decades through early rule-based systems, machine learning breakthroughs, advances in parallel computing, and the rise of cloud-scale infrastructure. Today, AI is evolving once again through the emergence of agentic systems capable of reasoning, orchestration, and autonomous action.

This engaging and highly visual presentation takes attendees on a journey through the history, evolution, and future of AI. Using memorable examples ranging from chess-playing computers and Quake III Arena to Johnny Cab, Skynet, and modern AI agents, the session demystifies how we arrived at today's AI revolution and what comes next.

Participants will gain a practical understanding of the technological breakthroughs that made modern AI possible, how AI infrastructure and cloud platforms accelerated adoption, and why business leaders, project managers, and organizations must prepare for the next wave of intelligent systems. The presentation concludes with a discussion of agentic AI, human-AI collaboration, and the growing need for responsible leadership in an AI-powered world.

The Evolution of AI

• Pattern recognition and data science fundamentals
• Rule-based systems versus learning systems
• Machine learning and neural networks
• The journey from chess-playing computers to modern AI
• Why AI became practical only recently
• Lessons from decades of AI development

The Technology Revolution

• Parallel programming and processing
• GPUs, DPUs, NPUs, and specialized AI hardware
• Quake III and the rise of massively parallel computing
• Cloud computing and hyperscale datacenters
• AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) platforms
• The convergence that created the "perfect storm" for AI adoption

The Future of AI

• Agentic AI and autonomous systems
• Reasoning and orchestration
• AI workflows vs. AI agents
• Human-AI collaboration
• Building business value with AI
• Skills, certifications, and lifelong learning in the age of AI

Nicholas Errico, PMP, known as "The New York Cowboy," is a dynamic speaker and thought leader specializing in Artificial Intelligence, Cloud Computing, and Professional Services. A PMP since 1997, Nicholas holds all 17 PMI certifications and more than 40 cloud and AI credentials across NVIDIA, Anthropic Claude, AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure.

A sought-after presenter at PMI events nationwide, Nicholas combines practical experience, humor, storytelling, and technical expertise to make complex topics accessible and memorable. He is also the author of Off the Beaten Path: A Project Management Field Guide, a resource that provides practical, experience-based guidance for project professionals.

Nicholas is passionate about helping professionals understand emerging technologies, connect innovation to business value, and prepare for the opportunities and challenges presented by the next generation of AI.