As artificial intelligence shifted from buzzwords to meeting room priorities, the Heartland Developers Conference highlighted how businesses prepare for employment and measure their impact. The AIM Institute will be hosted on September 30th and October 1st, with the annual event bringing developers, IT leaders and industry experts to share knowledge, demonstrate techniques and connect with their peers.
For over 15 years, AIM's HDC has been one of Silicon Prairie's most technical conferences, offering keynote speakers, breakout sessions, exhibitor halls and networking opportunities. One aspect of this year's programme focused on AI, with sessions exploring both the technical foundation and the human aspects of adoption.
The role of the CIO
One panel, “The Role of a CIO with Organizational AI Readiness,” featured Jeanna Faulhaber of Lozier Corporation, Melissa Moreno of Lindsay Corporation, Katie Barton of CDW, and Kim Whittaker of FNTS. Together, they are openly looking at what companies need to prepare for AI adoption and why many people struggle.
The panelists agreed that AI preparation is a journey, not a milestone. Burton emphasized that most organizations are still experimenting with pilot projects, with only a small percentage reaching transformational use. Both Whittaker and Faulhaber were in valuation mode, even large companies, weighing their use cases and measuring their return on investment.
Data quality and governance emerged as the most important prerequisite. Burton pointed out that even the most sophisticated AI tools fail without clean, classified and secure data. Whittaker added that businesses need to establish robust security and intellectual property protection, especially when using cloud or third-party platforms. Moreno strengthened its point by highlighting a clear policy on how AI vendors are approved, how data is stored, and which risk levels are acceptable.
The panelists also acknowledged that culture is just as important as the code. Both Faulhaber and Barton repeatedly pointed out management management as a barrier. Employees need training, security and enhancement to successfully adopt AI tools. Whittaker assembled AI as a job augmentation rather than an alternative, but Moreno wanted practical training in the use of prompts and tools to build confidence.
Ethical questions concluded the conversation. Faulhaber must explain decisions to reject AI features that risk personal data exposure and emphasize its responsibility and transparency. Moreno and Barton said that adjusting the project to its corporate value is just as important as technical considerations.
From hype to shock
On the second day of HDC, another panel, “From Hype to Impact: Creating AI for Business Outcomes,” explained why many AI pilots can't deliver results. The discussion was addressed with Scott Data's Ken Moreano and Bill Torson and consultant Elizabeth Hallglen.
Moreano frankly surrounds the issue by citing a survey that shows that only 5% of AI projects accelerate revenue. Torson is partly attributing hype-driven decision-making, with organizations investing in tools without a clear use case. Hallgren added that companies often pursue technology for problems and overlook strategic priorities and customer needs.
The panel identified three repetitive pitfalls. Decreased data, lack of leadership buy-in, and inadequate change management. Hallgren emphasized that AI is just as much a problem for people as technical issues. She explained how the fear of employee unemployment can derail the project unless companies invest in upskills and transparent communication. Torson emphasized that there is no standards for mature industry, and warned that security and best practices are evolving too quickly for organizations to satisfy.
Speakers advocated small, targeted pilots that can solve specific business problems and scale if successful. Torson pointed out simple tools such as internal chatbots that provide measurable efficiency improvements while building cultural preparation. Hallgren explained that he worked with the company to scope the “Quick Win” project, learning from its mistakes and iterating it.
Looking ahead, panelists predicted that restrictions on data movement would shift enterprise AI to localized private deployments. At the same time, small and medium-sized businesses could leap traditional digital transformation by building AI-ready systems from scratch. Both Torson and Hallgren emphasized that curiosity, adaptability and critical thinking will become the most valuable workforce skills in this next wave.
Looking ahead
In his closing remarks, AIM CEO Dala Alphonso emphasized that building a Midwest technology ecosystem requires collective effort, collaboration and community impact.
He framed the work as both economic development and community buildings. “I strongly believe that if each of us decides to lock our weapons and really focus on moving this job forward, it will encourage economic development,” Alfonso said. “It makes technology attractive, and more importantly, it makes the Midwest a place where people want to come, work, live, grow, raise their families and do what's most important to them.”
Focusing on both AI promises and its pitfalls, HDC 2025 highlights the future of enterprise technology relies heavily on leadership, collaboration and ethics as well as infrastructure and code.
