Katie Harbath

Understanding AI Without the Hype or the Fear

Every organization is being asked to make decisions about AI — what to adopt, what to allow, what to avoid — often before anyone on the team has a shared baseline for what AI actually is. This talk closes that gap. Drawing on the hands-on work building AI policies and tools for organizations navigating high-stakes environments, Katie Harbath breaks down how today's AI systems are actually developed, what the major companies are focused on and why, and what it means practically for the people in the room. The goal isn't to make everyone an AI expert. It's to make sure no one is making important decisions based just on something they read in the news. This is the talk that makes the rest of the AI conversation possible.

Attendee Outcomes:

• Understand the core concepts behind how modern AI is built and where it's headed — explained for non-engineers, without oversimplifying.
• Know the difference between what AI companies are saying, what they're building, and what that means for your organization.
• Leave with a shared vocabulary that makes internal AI conversations faster and more productive.
• Identify the specific questions your organization should be asking before adopting any AI tool.
• Walk away with a practical frame for evaluating AI claims — and the confidence to push back on the ones that don't hold up.