The July 30th program will convene SDO chief executives and senior industry, legal and policy leaders to address the new commercial realities that AI is creating for standards developers
new york, June 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) will convene legal, technical and commercial experts for the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit on Thursday, July 30th. ANSI Legal Issues Forum: Standards at a crossroads—AI policy, practice, and protection. This half-day program at Grand Hyatt Denver explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming standard licensing and the challenges standards development organizations (SDOs) face in protecting intellectual property while adapting to new commercial realities.
“AI is rapidly changing the commercial reality of standards,” said Dr. Laurie E. Locascio, NAE, President and CEO of ANSI. “Standards developers are making consequential decisions about how to digitize content, how to work with AI platforms and enterprise users, and how to protect intellectual property in new kinds of licensing environments. This forum brings together legal, technical, and commercial expertise to help our community navigate that space.”
The forum begins with the following welcome remarks. Patricia A. GriffinANSI Senior Vice President and General Counsel, followed by the keynote address. Elham TabassiDirector of the Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies Initiative and Senior Fellow in Global Economy and Development at the Brookings Institution. This will be followed by a three-part discussion.
Panel 1: What SDO is doing Explore the different approaches SDOs are taking to digitizing standards and enabling or limiting the use of AI. Some organizations have banned AI-enabled uses outright, while others are actively negotiating AI-related rights and permissions, and this dialogue will illuminate the policy frameworks and strategic considerations driving these different positions. moderator andrew updegrovePartner at Gesmer Updegrove LLP, Panel Features christopher carnahanAssistant Vice President for Standards at the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). Emily B. DelloAssistant General Counsel and Vice President of Legal Affairs at SAE International. Andrew G. Quireta Jr.ASTM International CEO. and joan o’neilChief Knowledge Officer and Executive Vice President, Content and Services, International Code Council (ICC).
Panel 2: What businesses, system integrators, and enterprise users are building Looking to the market side, we explore how enterprises, system integrators, and resellers are bringing together digitized standards and AI-enabled platforms to create new products and commercial opportunities. This discussion explores what end users are demanding, what builders are looking for from SDOs to enable new use cases, and the opportunities and risks of enabling or restricting AI access to standard content. moderator daniel freemanChief Standards Development Officer and Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer at HL7 International, Panel Features Ségolène Descertine PanhardGlobal Technology Lead responsible for responsible AI and AI governance efforts at the AWS Generative AI Innovation Center at Amazon Web Services (AWS). grant hunterSenior Vice President and Head of Outsell Intelligence at Outsell. Danny Manimboprincipal of Shellman. and Claude PumiliaAcuris CEO.
Panel 3: How SDO protects your IP We address the urgent need for a legal framework that protects the interests of copyright holders while supporting the appropriate commercial development and deployment of AI-related products. Panelists will discuss practical legal tools (contractual frameworks, protective provisions, and enforcement approaches) for navigating AI license negotiations that protect standard content while enabling commercial distribution. Participants will leave with clear insight into key decision points, such as what terms to ask for, how to allocate responsibility, and when a partnership makes sense. moderator meaning of mirandaPartner at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, Panel Features Jorge L. ContrerasDistinguished University Professor James T. Jensen is Endowed Professor of Transaction Law and Director of the Intellectual Property and Technology Law Program at the University of Utah S.J. Quinney School of Law. Roy KaufmanManaging Director of Business Development and Government Relations at the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). Austin MayronDeputy Attorney at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). and Rich Spildea partner at Holland & Hart LLP.
Over the past several years, ANSI has provided: Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Credit In connection with this program. CLE refers to continuing professional education that attorneys must complete after admission to the bar. If ANSI is approved again this year, the Institute will make a new announcement and notify all previously registered participants to properly take advantage of this opportunity.
About the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit
ANSI Legal Issues Forum: Standards at a crossroads — AI policies, practices, and protections This is one of several events taking place during the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit (July 28-31), which also includes a technical conference. Accelerating the digital economy with AI and quantumFireside Chat with the Standards CEO, Standards Lab, ANSI Annual Business Conference, ANSI Awards Ceremony, and the US and Korean Standards Forums. For more information about the program and to register, please visit www.ansi.org/summit.
About ANSI
The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, nonprofit organization that administers and coordinates the United States’ voluntary standards and conformity assessment systems. The Institute’s mission is to improve both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the quality of life in the United States by promoting, promoting, and protecting the integrity of voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems. Its members include businesses, professional and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations. The Institute represents the diverse interests of more than 270,000 companies and organizations and 30 million professionals around the world. ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, through its U.S. national committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), is also the U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
Source American National Standards Institute
