AFCEA Bethesda Emerging Leaders 2027 Winter IT Luncheon

The AFCEA Bethesda Emerging Leaders are excited to host the 15th Annual AFCEA Bethesda Winter IT Luncheon on February 10, 2027, from 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM at District Winery in downtown DC.

This year’s theme is “From AI Experimentation to Mission Impact.” Through candid, small-group discussions led by government leaders, attendees will explore how agencies are moving AI from experimentation to implementation and using it to transform operations, strengthen decision-making, and advance the federal mission.

Roundtable discussions will focus on:

• AI Governance & Guardrails: Establishing strict frameworks and controls to prevent internal and external abuse, ensure safe and authorized responses, and manage costs by preventing token burning.
• AI and Cybersecurity: Securing the AI systems and infrastructure the agency implements, ensuring robust defenses against AI-specific vulnerabilities and threats.
• AI & the Federal Workforce: Ensuring employees securely adopt sanctioned AI tools and effectively leverage them as daily digital assistants to augment their work.
• AI, Data & Decision-Making: Identifying, curating, and managing the highest-quality data foundations necessary to effectively enable and power agency AI models.
• AI Acquisition & Innovation: Transitioning promising AI capabilities out of the pilot phase and successfully deploying them as scalable, enterprise-wide solutions.

The luncheon will bring together senior government officials, emerging leaders, and industry professionals for meaningful dialogue and cross-sector collaboration focused on the practical steps needed to turn AI’s potential into real-world mission impact.