AI Governance Playbook authors set to speak at Las Vegas conference

The AI Governance World Conference returns to Las Vegas Oct. 12-14 with more than 50 speakers focused on agentic AI, compliance and governance. Authors Robert Smallwood and Chris Surdak will present a playbook that argues AI governance should build on information governance rather than inventing a new framework.

Why it matters: - The conference is aimed at organizations trying to control AI as agentic systems move from experimentation to real business use. - The event puts a spotlight on governance, compliance and liability questions that are becoming more urgent as AI tools take on more autonomous actions. - The authors’ message is that AI governance can affect both performance and risk, especially when companies deploy agentic AI without clear accountability.

What happened: - The AI Governance World Conference will take place Oct. 12-14, 2026, at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. - The three-day event will center on the theme “AI Governance at Work.” - Robert Smallwood and Chris Surdak, authors of The AI Governance Playbook: How to Secure, Control, and Optimize Artificial Intelligence Initiatives, are scheduled to present sessions. - The conference will feature more than 50 global speakers from companies and institutions including OpenAI, Mars, Google, Cisco, DoorDash and the U.S. Space Force. - Speakers from law firms including Foley & Lardner, Clarion AI Partners, DLA Piper and Baker Hostetler are also on the roster.

The details: - The AI Governance Playbook argues that AI governance should use proven information governance principles, models and best practices instead of creating a separate governance structure for AI. - The book says the core functional groups in the Information Governance Reference Model must carry out key responsibilities across the AI software lifecycle. - Smallwood is the founder of InfoGov World Magazine and chair of the Certified Information Governance Officers Association. - Smallwood created the CIGO/AI and CIGO/AI-A curricula and certifications. - Smallwood has more than four decades of experience and has authored eight books on information governance, including Information Governance: Concepts, Strategies, and Best Practices. - Surdak is CEO and founder of ReLeaf Financial, a startup that offers AI trust software. - Surdak is an award-winning author and technology strategist with more than 30 years of experience in digital transformation, data analytics, AI, cybersecurity and information governance. - Surdak’s books include Data Crush, Jerk and The Care and Feeding of Bots. - Both sessions will draw from Bloomsbury’s 2026 release of The AI Governance Playbook. - The sessions will cover algorithmic bias, scaling governance frameworks and aligning compliance with innovation. - The conference will also address AI governance challenges, the EU AI Act, the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, responsible innovation, healthcare, financial services, cybersecurity, defense, trust and transparency. - The conference is hosted annually by the Certified Information Governance Officers Association and includes keynotes, an executive forum, AI governance training, networking receptions and group dinners.

Between the lines: - The playbook’s core argument is a direct challenge to the idea that AI needs a wholly new governance regime. - Surdak’s focus on “human authorization” suggests a coming legal debate over who is responsible when autonomous systems act, sign or transfer data. - Smallwood’s framing reflects a broader industry concern that AI adoption can outpace the guardrails needed to make it safe and defensible. - Surdak argues that many AI pilots fail to scale because companies add AI to outdated operating models, limiting ROI.

What’s next: - Attendees will hear practical guidance on how to operationalize AI governance as regulations and enterprise AI deployment continue to evolve. - The conference is likely to surface strategies companies can use to manage agentic AI, reduce bias and improve oversight before broader rollout. - Surdak’s Proof of Intent platform, which is tied to U.S. Patent 12,505,416, is positioned as one possible answer to the human authorization problem. - The conference’s broader program suggests growing demand for governance tools, training and cross-functional coordination around AI risk.

The bottom line: - AI governance is shifting from theory to operational necessity, and Las Vegas will be a test case for how business, legal and technical leaders plan to keep pace.