June 11-12
Jackson Mississippi
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Southern Spark 2026
Grounded Futures: AI in the South
What to ExpectSouthern Spark 2026 celebrates AI applied in real-world contexts across the South, with a focus on community impact and actionable learning.
Participants leave with tools, partnerships, frameworks, and real examples they can bring back to their classrooms, workplaces, and communities. Southern Spark 2026 is an invitation to build across disciplines, sectors, and communities. We look forward to learning from what you are building—and sharing what works—together.
A speaker lineup you don’t want to miss.
Keynote Speakers:
Dr. Loretta Moore,
Professor of Computer Science
Dr. Chris Chism
Superintendent,
Pearl Public School District
Hosts:
Krystal Chatman, Bob Buseck,
Dr. Nashlie Sephus, David Collins
Southern Spark 26
At Southern Spark, attendees won’t just hear about AI. They’ll work with it, question it, and imagine what it can make possible for the South. From hands-on training and classroom strategies to product thinking, governance, startup ecosystems, and social equity, the agenda is designed to connect ideas with implementation. Southern Spark brings together educators, entrepreneurs, technologists, policymakers, and community leaders for three days of learning, collaboration, and momentum-building in Jackson, Mississippi.
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Start with hands-on workshops built for people who want to use AI, not just talk about it. From classroom applications and customer discovery to workflow design and LLM development, Day 1 offers practical sessions for educators, builders, and professionals ready to apply AI in real-world settings.
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Day 2 is where strategy meets implementation. With sessions spanning education, business, innovation ecosystems, governance, and product thinking, attendees will gain insight into how AI is being deployed across Mississippi and the South, and what it takes to do it well.
Fireside Chat Nominations
Southern Spark 2026 is now accepting Fireside Chat nominations (including self-nominations).
What is a Fireside Chat?
A 5–10 minute moderated conversation with host Krystal Chatman, featured throughout the conference.
Goal
These short conversations spotlight must-hear voices and real-world AI leadership across the South. This is an opportunity for attendees to hear directly from someone making an impact, big or small, in their community.
Who can be nominated?
Educators, students, startup founders, nonprofit leaders, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners applying AI in real contexts.
