SMART Symposium 2025: AI Technology Strategy Highlights

Small businesses keep asking how to translate ambitious AI roadmaps into practical wins. The SMART Centre Research Symposium brought innovators, researchers, and founders together to answer that question head-on, and this recording captures the full conversation.

Why watch it

• Hear how the SMART Centre team frames high-quality data as the fuel for every AI initiative, from pilot projects to production rollouts.
• See real-world demonstrations that demystify AI tooling and compare when to build locally versus in the cloud.
• Meet regional entrepreneurs who are already deploying AI-enabled services, sharing candid lessons on cost, talent, and governance.
• Explore how Conestoga College is pairing research and custom training to help organizations adopt automation responsibly.

Put the insights to work

• Audit your own data readiness while experts walk through quality, accessibility, and stewardship checkpoints.
• Capture the questions panelists use to evaluate AI vendors so your next procurement stays aligned with business goals.
• Note the exercises on cross-functional alignment, then adapt them to prep your team for its next AI or analytics sprint.

If you are shaping an AI strategy or supporting a client who is, set aside time for this session. It delivers a grounded view of how academic partners and entrepreneurs are building trustworthy, human-centered automation. That balance is exactly what we champion with every engagement.