About the Hospitality AI Summit
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the hospitality industry faster than ever before. Join us for a special summit exploring practical AI applications, workforce impacts, and emerging technologies shaping the future of hospitality.
This full-day event will bring together hospitality leaders, technology experts, industry innovators, and solution providers from across North Carolina to explore the practical applications of artificial intelligence in restaurants and lodging businesses.
Join the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association for the inaugural Hospitality AI Summit on Monday, August 10, at the McKimmon Center on the campus of NC State University in Raleigh.
Event Features:
- Marketing and customer engagement
- Workforce management and staffing
- Operations and productivity
- Revenue management and business intelligence
- Guest experiences and personalization
- Emerging technologies and future trends
Through expert-led sessions, real-world case studies, and interactive discussions, participants will leave with actionable strategies and practical tools they can implement immediately in their businesses.
PRICING
NCRLA Member Ticket: $25
Non-Member Ticket: $35
August 10, 2026
9:00 am – 3:00 pm
McKimmon Center
Agenda
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9:00 am |
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9:10 am |
Opening Keynote: The AI Driven Future of Hospitality Fireside Chat with Bhavana Bartholf and Jennifer Thompson – Compass Group Description: Join Bhavana Bartholf, Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and one of the nation’s leading voices on AI-driven business transformation, for an engaging fireside chat with Allen Thomas, President & CEO of the North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association. Bhavana will be joined by Jennifer Thompson, Vice President of Corporate Services Sales at Compass Group, who brings more than a decade of hospitality and foodservice leadership experience. |
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10:10 am |
Networking & Refreshment Break |
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10:25 am |
Operator Panel – AI in Action: Real World Lessons from Restaurants & Hotels Speakers:
Description: AI is quickly moving from experimentation to everyday operations across the hospitality industry. Join Sean Potter and Kyle Highberg as they share how their restaurant and hotel organizations are using AI to improve marketing, streamline operations, enhance guest experiences, and support better business decisions. They’ll discuss where AI is delivering real value, the challenges they’ve encountered, and the lessons they’ve learned along the way. This interactive panel will also invite operators in the audience to share their own experiences, questions, and ideas, creating a practical conversation about how hospitality businesses of every size can confidently adopt AI. |
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11:20 am |
Profitability – Smarter Operations, Stronger Margins: Using AI to Drive Profitability Speakers:
Description: Profitability starts with better decisions—and AI is giving hospitality operators new ways to improve performance without adding complexity. In this practical session, Sam Glynn and Lee Bridges, Chief Product Officer from Inn Flow will show how restaurants and hotels are using AI and operational technology to uncover efficiencies, reduce costs, and improve margins. Sam will demonstrate how AI-powered menu engineering, POS analytics, labor management, and operational assessments help restaurants control food and labor costs. Lee will share how hotels are leveraging AI and back-office technology for accounting, payroll, labor management, facilities maintenance, and financial reporting to gain real-time insights and make smarter business decisions. Attendees will leave with practical examples, actionable strategies, and a roadmap for using AI to streamline operations, improve profitability, and strengthen their business—regardless of size or where they are in their AI journey. |
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12:15 pm |
Networking Lunch |
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1:00 pm |
Winning the AI Search Race for your Next Guest Speakers:
Description: When travelers ask AI tools where to stay, where to eat, or what to do, is your business showing up? Marketing experts Kelley O’Brien of Farlow & Co. and Susan Dosier of DK Communications will show restaurant and lodging operators how artificial intelligence is changing the customer journey—and what businesses can do today to stay visible. Join us to learn how AI is reshaping the way guests discover, evaluate, and choose restaurants, hotels, and destinations. From Google Business Profiles and online reviews to maps, social search, AI-powered recommendation tools, and even media coverage, online news stories, influencer content, and recommendation engines, operators will learn how the digital signals they create increasingly influence AI-generated travel recommendations. Susan will share the hospitality marketing perspective, including how earned media placements, online news stories, and content creators are becoming part of the information AI platforms use when recommending destinations and businesses. Kelley will explain the technology behind AI search and provide practical tactics to strengthen local SEO, optimize websites, menus, amenities, FAQs, and reviews, and improve the structured content that helps businesses stand out in AI search results. Whether you’re investing heavily in digital marketing or working with limited resources, this session will help you understand where to focus your efforts for the greatest impact as AI continues to reshape how guests discover hospitality businesses. |
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1:50 pm |
Afternoon Refreshments |
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2:00 pm |
Executive Leadership – Beyond Chat GPT: What Hospitality Leaders Need to Know about AI, Brand, Data & Guest Trust Speakers:
Description: AI is transforming hospitality—but successful adoption requires more than choosing the right tools. It demands thoughtful leadership, clear governance, and a commitment to protecting your brand, your data, and your guests’ trust. In this executive-level session, marketing strategist Kelley O’Brien explores how hospitality organizations can implement AI while maintaining brand consistency, protecting the guest experience, and establishing practical governance for responsible use. Joining the conversation, Sentinel Risk Advisors will share the emerging cybersecurity, privacy, and risk management challenges every hospitality business should understand—from AI-powered phishing and data protection to internal AI policies and cyber preparedness. Whether you’re leading a single property or a multi-unit operation, you’ll leave with a practical framework for embracing AI responsibly while protecting the reputation and relationships you’ve worked hard to build. Key Takeaways
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2:50 pm |
Closing Session: The AI Action Plan – What’s Next? with Allen Thomas Recap of the Summit’s most important insights and practical applications.
A call to action for hospitality leaders to embrace innovation while strengthening North Carolina’s hospitality industry together. |
Meet Our Panelist & Speakers
Bhavana Bartholf
Jennifer Thompson
Sean Potter
Todd Keenan
Kyle Highberg
Lee Bridges
Kelley O’Brien
Sam Glynn
Susan Dosier
Event Sponsors
