If you are a CEO, CIO, or senior leader in the AEC world and you’re not locking this into your 2026 roadmap, you’re leaving strategic advantage on the table. AEC INNOVATE is shaping up to be the event that separates firms that ride the tech wave from those that get swallowed by it. Hosted by PSMJ Resources and focused on the real intersection of AI, digital tools, and firm strategy, this summit is where the future of AEC gets real.
What is AEC INNOVATE?
Taking place June 16–18, 2026 at the ARIA Resort in Las Vegas, AEC INNOVATE is an executive-level summit designed for leaders making strategic decisions about technology adoption. This is not a marketing expo or vendor showroom. It’s an education and networking powerhouse tailored for senior leaders who need to understand how emerging technologies like AI are being applied to design, operations, business development, CRM, project delivery, and beyond.
Attendees include CEOs, CIOs, Chief Design Officers, CTOs, Principals, and other C-suite and digital strategy execs from architecture and engineering firms eager to bring clarity and direction to their tech plays.
3 Big Reasons CEOs and CIOs Should Attend
1. You’ll Get Practical Insights, Not Hype
The conference is built around actual case studies and real implementations, not vague trend talk. You’ll hear directly from firms that are already using AI and other tech to improve project outcomes, reduce risk, enhance collaboration, and drive revenue growth. This means you can return to your office with actionable ideas, not just slides.
Tech decisions at the top are too important to wing. AEC INNOVATE gives leaders the case studies and frameworks needed to answer questions like:
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Where should we invest first?
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What problems will AI realistically solve in 2026?
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How can we mitigate innovation risk while scaling adoption?
That level of clarity is gold when you’re driving tech strategy across a firm.
2. You’ll Build Relationships That Actually Matter
This is an executive education and networking event, not a mediocre mixer. The crowd is curated: leaders, decision-makers, digital strategy owners, and innovators ready to share challenges and solutions rather than surface-level chatter.
CEOs and CIOs who can connect with peers tackling similar technology questions walk away with perspectives they simply cannot get trapped behind a screen. From choosing the right tools to integrating them into existing workflows, the experience and intuition you pick up here is strategic ammunition.
3. It Forces a Future-Ready Strategy for 2026 and Beyond
Tech in AEC isn’t optional anymore. Firms adopting data-driven tools and AI are already reporting faster delivery, better quality outcomes, and even increased profitability. Industry analysts are clear that the shift to digital isn’t slowing down and will define competitive advantage through the rest of the decade.
AEC INNOVATE isn’t about adopting tech for its own sake. It’s about enabling leaders to:
- Understand what to adopt
- When to adopt it
- How to align it with business goals and culture
That’s exactly the kind of strategic planning CEOs and CIOs are being judged on in 2026 and beyond.
Bonus: Prep With the AI Foundations Workshop
For leaders newer to AI strategy or those who want a structured primer before the main event, AEC INNOVATE offers an optional AEC AI Foundations Workshop. This pre-conference session focuses on the fundamentals of AI in the AEC context so you walk into the bigger sessions with confidence and context.
That alone is enough to justify the time and investment for many firms.
Final Word
If you’re leading technology or strategy for an AEC firm, skip the surface-level conferences and go where leaders are actually making decisions and solving real problems. AEC INNOVATE is where you will redefine your tech roadmap, benchmark your firm against peers, and come away with strategies that will influence the next several years of growth and innovation. Register and learn more at psmj.com/innovate.
