The Hidden Tax on AI: How Connectivity and Identity Unlock Real AI ROI
Tuesday, August 4, 2026 at 11:05 AM to 11:25 AM · 20 min. (US/Pacific)
Palazzo Ballroom G
Solo Talk
CAIO, CIO, & IT Leaders
Information
What if the biggest barrier to successful AI adoption isn’t your model but the infrastructure around it?
Most companies are not trying to train their own models. They are trying to integrate AI into real products, workflows, and internal systems. The real challenge appears after the prototype works and teams try to safely connect AI to production data, internal APIs, and the services that power their applications.
Suddenly what looked like a fast path to value turns into months of networking changes, security reviews, and fragile infrastructure. This talk explores the hidden infrastructure tax that slows AI adoption through exposed endpoints, complex connectivity between services, and overprivileged systems.
I will show how identity based connectivity simplifies AI architecture, keeps services private, and enforces granular access across people, applications, and AI agents.
The result is faster time to production, stronger governance over AI enabled systems, and the ability to safely connect AI into existing products without exposing critical infrastructure. If your organization is trying to turn AI adoption into real business value, this session shows why solving connectivity is one of the fastest ways to move forward.
Most companies are not trying to train their own models. They are trying to integrate AI into real products, workflows, and internal systems. The real challenge appears after the prototype works and teams try to safely connect AI to production data, internal APIs, and the services that power their applications.
Suddenly what looked like a fast path to value turns into months of networking changes, security reviews, and fragile infrastructure. This talk explores the hidden infrastructure tax that slows AI adoption through exposed endpoints, complex connectivity between services, and overprivileged systems.
I will show how identity based connectivity simplifies AI architecture, keeps services private, and enforces granular access across people, applications, and AI agents.
The result is faster time to production, stronger governance over AI enabled systems, and the ability to safely connect AI into existing products without exposing critical infrastructure. If your organization is trying to turn AI adoption into real business value, this session shows why solving connectivity is one of the fastest ways to move forward.
Job Function Tracks
CAIO, CIO, & IT Leaders
