There have been hundreds of conferences about artificial intelligence over the past decade, but the Virginia Academy took a different approach for the 2025 summit. The focus was not exclusively on the technology. Rather, it was on fostering the creation and dissemination of AI in Virginia in ways that promote economic growth and support the wellbeing of its citizens.

Panelists reported on pioneering research underway at Virginia’s universities that is advancing artificial intelligence and using it to expand and accelerate discovery in such fields as medicine, cybersecurity, and defense. Representatives from some of Virginia’s leading businesses and healthcare providers discussed the ways they are implementing AI today and their plans for the future. Behind all these discussions was this underlying question: how can Virginia move to the front rank of states that are leaders in this field?