Spur Summit and An Afternoon with AI
Hosted by the University of South Carolina, the 2026 Spur Summit brings together faculty, industry leaders, and innovators for two days of ideas, demonstrations, and meaningful conversation. Tuesday's An Afternoon with AI will explore real-world applications of artificial intelligence through faculty presentations, guest speakers, practical demonstrations, and an opening networking reception. On Wednesday, the Spur Summit will focus on innovation across tourism and retail, with keynote presentations, industry-specific sessions, panel discussions, poster presentations, and opportunities to connect. Attendees can expect practical insights, fresh perspectives, and valuable connections across academia and industry.
What You'll Learn/Purpose of Event:
* How faculty researchers are applying AI to hospitality, retail and tourism - from GenAI in education to LLMs in psychometrics and ML-based event forecasting.
* What industry leaders are learning from deploying AI in practice, including buyer behavior shifts and physical/robotics AI.
* Hands-on exposure to emerging AI tools through live faculty-led Test Drives.
* Fresh thinking on tourism and retail innovation from keynote speaker Joseph Pine, author of The Transformation Economy.
* Leadership lessons for navigating change, from explorer and leadership speaker Sunniva Sorby's closing keynote.
Why Attend/Benfit of Event:
* Connect with 200+ hospitality, retail, and tourism executives, faculty, and innovators in one place.
* Walk away with practical, applicable insights - not just theory - from practitioners already using AI and innovating in tourism and retail.
* Build relationships across academia and industry that extend beyond the two days, through structured networking, panels, and receptions.
Who Should Attend/Target Customer:
* Hospitality, retail and tourism executives and industry leaders.
* Faculty, researchers, and academic administrators working in AI, hospitality, retail, or tourism.
* Students and emerging professionals in hospitality, retail, tourism, or related fields.
* Entrepreneurs, founders, and technologists building or applying AI in these industries.
Prices range from $50.00 to $500.00 (price depends on options selected)