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The Long Island Association and HIA-LI are hosting the Long Island Artificial Conference at Long Island University’s Tilles Center on April 3.

At the conference – the first joint effort of the two organizations – businesses, entrepreneurs, academia and government officials will have the opportunity to discuss how the region can play a leading role in developing and implementing AI.

The event’s keynote speaker is Radhika Dirks, an AI advisor to  Fortune 100 companies, international organizations, and startups. Dirks is the CEO and founder of XLabs, which supports AI innovations whose impacts include advancements toward curing cancer, according to a news release about the upcoming conference at the Tilles Center.  Additional expertise includes predicting global socio-economic disruptions, venture capital in vestments and more. She holds a Ph.D. in quantum computing and an M.S. in nanotechnology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, according to the news release.

“Long Island has always been at the forefront of technological innovation and our region is now poised to continue that legacy with artificial intelligence,” said Matt Cohen, LIA president and chief executive officer, said in the news release.

Earlier this year, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced a $400 million plan for an AI consortium. The initiative would be funded by public and private partners, with as much as $275 million from the state and $125 million from seven institutions that include Columbia University, Cornell University, New York University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, the State University of New York, the City University of New York, and such private partners asthe Simons Foundation and Tom Secunda, co-founder of Bloomberg LP.

At the upcoming conference at Tilles, Long Island leaders could gain insights into the role the region could play in furthering AI advancements.

“With our world-class research and academic institutions, and a highly skilled workforce, Long Island has the tools to be a national leader of an emerging 21st century industry that promises new, high-paying jobs and groundbreaking scientific advancements,” Cohen said.

“It is important for business leaders to understand how to effectively integrate AI to support their company’s expansion and growth, further solidifying Long Island’s position as a hub for creativity and economic prosperity,” Cohen said.

“Artificial intelligence represents a transformative frontier for our members, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation and efficiency,” Terri Alessi-Miceli, HIA-LI President and CEO, said in the news release.

“This technology is pivotal for businesses of all sizes, enabling small firms to scale rapidly and large corporations to optimize their operations,” she added. “We are excited to join forces with the Long Island Association and Accelerate Long Island, both of which are valued partners, in advancing this groundbreaking initiative for our members.”

The conference will begin at 12 p.m. with a networking lunch followed by the keynote session at 1:00 p.m. and topical breakout sessions from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Accelerate Long Island, a not-for-profit organization that focuses on supporting the growth of startups and commercializing research from Long Island’s world class academic institutions, is also partnering on the event.