AI 305 Conference Showcases FIU's Leadership in Miami's AI Scene

Published Date : 4/10/2025 

The AI 305 Conference at FIU showcased the university's commitment to becoming an AI-first institution, with a focus on collaboration, innovation, and ethical AI development. 

“Our students are the AI natives, and we want them to leave here inspired and prepared to lead in this AI-driven economy,” said Karlene Cousins, chair of FIU Business’s Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, who co-chaired the conference with Carrie Sanchez, assistant teaching professor of information systems and business analytics.

AI 305 is more than a conference. It’s a celebration of collaboration,” said Sanchez. “By bringing together industry partners, local restaurants, FIU’s colleges, faculty, staff, and our wider community, we’re not just discussing artificial intelligence, we’re building the ecosystem that will shape its future and ensure that innovation benefits everyone.”

The collaborative spirit was evident throughout the conference. Attendees encountered robots and drones from the Applied Research Center at the FIU College of Engineering and Computing, demonstrations of AI-powered healthcare tools sponsored by the FIU College of Medicine, and even a signature cocktail crafted using artificial intelligence from the FIU Bacardi Center of Excellence at the Chaplin School of Hospitality.

In a keynote address, President Jeanette M. Núñez heralded the university’s commitment to becoming an “AI-first institution,” emphasizing that higher education must prepare graduates to lead in a world reshaped by rapid advances in artificial intelligence.

We stand at the forefront of one of the most transformative eras in human history, the age of artificial intelligence,” Núñez said. “The future is right now as we’re seeing it play out in real time. It’s changing the way we work, the way we learn, the way we heal, and even the way we imagine what’s possible.”

The sold-out conference featured industry leaders from Meta, Amazon Web Services, Google, and more. Panels highlighted AI’s growing role in advertising, hospitality, healthcare, and education, while also tackling issues of workforce readiness, infrastructure, and ethics.

Google executive Andy Luc (MIS ’08), global head of core infrastructure and reporting, trust and safety, shared the company’s approach to setting and enforcing standards for their products, including the use of generative AI, automation, and machine learning to prevent policy violations like using Google products to mine for cryptocurrency.

Traditional machine learning algorithms identify policy violating activity, and then we also have human experts,” said Luc. “Now with Gen AI, we see that the bad actors are now doing things at scale, so we have to meet them where they are.”

For FIU, the conference also served as a showcase for its own AI initiatives. Núñez highlighted the university’s research in areas ranging from hurricane damage detection to Alzheimer’s and pediatric cancer diagnostics, as well as its partnerships with Baptist Health and Nicklaus Children’s Hospital.

We must leverage AI in our research in ways that are ethical, trustworthy, and groundbreaking,” Núñez said. “At FIU, we’re committed to ensuring students not only embrace AI as a tool of the present but also develop the critical thinking skills to lead responsibly in the AI era.”

Last year, FIU Business launched AI360°, a college initiative that integrates AI across research, industry, and education, creating new BBA in Business Analytics and AI and AI specializations in its Master of Science in Information Systems and Master of Science in Health Informatics & Analytics programs. The college also offers executive education in AI strategy to help South Florida companies remain competitive.

Next year’s AI 305 Conference is scheduled for September 18, 2026. View photos from the 2025 conference HERE and check back soon for conference videos. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is the AI 305 Conference?

A: The AI 305 Conference is an annual event hosted by Florida International University (FIU) that focuses on the role of artificial intelligence in various sectors, including business, healthcare, and education. It aims to foster collaboration and innovation in the AI ecosystem.

Q: Who co-chaired the AI 305 Conference?

A: The AI 305 Conference was co-chaired by Karlene Cousins, chair of FIU Business’s Department of Information Systems and Business Analytics, and Carrie Sanchez, assistant teaching professor of information systems and business analytics.

Q: What is FIU's commitment to AI?

A: FIU is committed to becoming an 'AI-first institution,' preparing graduates to lead in an AI-driven world. The university is integrating AI across research, industry, and education, offering new programs and initiatives like AI360°.

Q: What are some of the AI initiatives showcased at the conference?

A: The conference highlighted FIU’s research in areas such as hurricane damage detection, Alzheimer’s diagnostics, and pediatric cancer diagnostics. It also featured demonstrations of AI-powered healthcare tools and robotics.

Q: What is the future of the AI 305 Conference?

A: The next AI 305 Conference is scheduled for September 18, 2026. The conference continues to serve as a platform for collaboration and innovation in the AI ecosystem, with a focus on ethical and responsible AI development. 

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