Siobahn Grady Brings NCCU’s Perspective to IBM Think 2026

Siobahn Grady, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Research (IAIER) at North Carolina Central University (NCCU), joined a mainstage panel at IBM Think 2026 in Boston for a session focused on artificial intelligence governance, trust and organizational impact.

IBM Think 2026 was held May 4-7 at the Thomas M. Menino Convention and Expo Center in Boston. The annual conference brings together senior business and technology leaders from across industries to explore artificial intelligence, hybrid cloud, automation and emerging technologies.

The session, titled "Accelerate Trust and ROI with AI Governance," explored how organizations can strengthen trust, accountability and impact as AI becomes more integrated into business, education and society.

Grady joined Phaedra Boinodiris, IBM's global leader for responsible AI, along with Artecia Wilson, director of compliance technology at AT&T, and Sampath Chaparala, senior director of AI, data and engineering at Pfizer.

Together, the panelists discussed why responsible AI governance requires perspectives beyond engineering and data science. The conversation emphasized the importance of leaders who understand policy, ethics, workforce development, community impact and the real-world consequences of emerging technologies.

"As AI advances, the real differentiator will not be the technology itself, but how intentionally we design, govern and apply it," Grady said. "At NCCU, IAIER is focused on preparing students and leaders who don't just build AI, but who understand its broader impact across education, workforce, policy and society."