IABC World Conference 2026: Rise of AI Creates Suite Spot for Communications

Note: This piece was written by my colleague Saks Jain and first appeared on the IABC DC Metro website. As a chapter board member, I'm pleased to share insights that help communications professionals learn, grow, and succeed. 

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IABC World Conference 2026: Rise of AI Creates Suite Spot for Communications
By Saks Jain

Lead with Human Intelligence (HI), not Artificial Intelligence. From sessions like Why AI Sucks, and How We Should View AI as Communications Professionals, to Irreplaceable in the Age of AI: Leverage Your Human Edge, the message was clear at this year’s IABC World Conference in Toronto: Lean into your own cognitive prowess as a starting point for communications strategy, not AI bots that too often serve slop.

With World Cup soccer fan cheers as the backdrop, thousands of attendees gathered last month inside frosty conference rooms at the Westin Harbour Castle to hear industry experts share trends, tips, and a cheery outlook for communications professionals.

As a first-time attendee, I found ample opportunity to meet with peers or mentors at the networking roundtables, speed mentoring, and regional receptions. But it was the sessions and spotlights that offered meatier considerations on the future of communications and challenged the current AI status quo.

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