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.