AI Governance Playbook authors set Las Vegas conference appearance

The authors of The AI Governance Playbook will speak at AI Governance World Conference 2026 in Las Vegas, where organizers are centering the event on agentic AI, compliance and governance. The sessions will push an information-governance-first model as companies look for practical ways to manage AI risk and accountability.

Why it matters: - AI governance is shifting from theory to operational control as companies deploy more agentic AI systems that can take actions, sign workflows and move data. - The conference is designed to help business, legal and policy leaders build frameworks that reduce risk while supporting innovation. - The book’s core argument is that organizations should adapt proven information governance methods instead of inventing a separate AI governance model.

What happened: - The AI Governance World Conference will take place Oct. 12-14, 2026, at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. - Robert Smallwood and Christopher Surdak, authors of The AI Governance Playbook: How to Secure, Control, and Optimize Artificial Intelligence Initiatives, will present sessions at the event. - The conference theme is “AI Governance at Work.” - Organizers say the three-day event will feature more than 50 global speakers. - Speakers will include executives from OpenAI, Mars, Google, Cisco, DoorDash and the United States Space Force, along with attorneys from Foley & Lardner, Clarion AI Partners, DLA Piper and Baker Hostetler.

The details: - The AI Governance Playbook, published by Bloomsbury in 2026, is framed as a practical guide for managers, policymakers, attorneys and risk professionals. - The book says core functional groups in the Information Governance Reference Model should carry key responsibilities across the AI software lifecycle. - Session topics will include agentic AI governance challenges, compliance with the EU AI Act and the NIST AI Risk Management Framework, responsible innovation, algorithmic bias, and AI risk management in healthcare, financial services, cybersecurity and defense. - The conference will also focus on trust and transparency between enterprises, regulators and consumers. - Smallwood is described as a leading information governance author, researcher and trainer, and he founded InfoGov World Magazine and chairs the Certified Information Governance Officers Association. - Smallwood created the CIGO/AI and CIGO/AI-A curricula and certifications, and his methods have been used by Fortune 500 companies and AmLaw100 law firms. - Smallwood 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’s background includes work in digital transformation, data analytics, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and information governance, plus experience advising Fortune 500 companies, startups and government entities. - Surdak’s books include Data Crush, Jerk and The Care and Feeding of Bots. - Surdak has patented a method tied to AI trust through a platform called Proof of Intent under U.S. Patent 12,505,416. - The platform is intended to bind human intent to machine actions and address liability when autonomous AI systems act without clear authorization. - Surdak says many AI pilots fail because organizations add AI onto old operating models instead of changing the structure underneath. - Smallwood said agentic AI can accelerate business performance but also create major risk if organizations fail to set accountability, ethical guardrails and secure sandbox testing.

Between the lines: - The event’s emphasis on information governance suggests the AI compliance conversation is moving toward practical controls, not just high-level ethics. - The focus on human authorization and liability signals growing concern that autonomous systems will create legal exposure faster than existing policies can handle. - By tying governance to business outcomes, the conference is framing AI readiness as an operating-model issue, not just a technology rollout.

What's next: - Conference sessions in Las Vegas will be used to outline governance frameworks, compliance approaches and implementation tactics for organizations deploying AI. - Attendees are expected to take away strategies for safer AI deployment and better alignment between innovation, regulation and accountability. - 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. - More information is available on LinkedIn.