Where AI Meets Action: Cross Sector Stories and Strategies at the 2025 AI Expo

What happens when educators, business leaders, nonprofit innovators, and community organizers come together to learn from one another? On August 14 at the Wenatchee Convention Center, the 2025 AI Expo returns for its fifth year with a fresh focus on real world examples of technology in motion. The centerpiece of this year’s gathering is the new Use Case Showdown, presented by Microsoft.

Last year’s event drew more than 300 attendees from across the state eager to see how artificial intelligence was at work improving workflows, revealing insights, and supporting better decision making in nearly every sector. This year’s program builds on that foundation, inviting attendees to explore AI solutions that address real challenges in education, healthcare, energy, business, and beyond.

NCW Tech Alliance is once again expecting a statewide audience and issued an open call for presenters this summer, aiming to bring real world use cases front and center so everyone can see how AI technology is changing the way work gets done. The event is a great starting place for those who are just beginning to consider AI applications to seasoned experts who appreciate the diversity and utility of these tools. 

The Use Case Showdown is a new addition to the annual event aimed at distilling the hype down to one clear question: how is AI being applied to create measurable impact? Selected presenters will be given eight minutes on the main stage to present a specific AI solution in action, followed by an audience question and answer session. Real time voting will determine the Fan Favorite live, and a $4,000 cash prize will be awarded to the winner as part of the closing session. NCW Tech Alliance hopes that the competition engages participants in considering AI tools as a means to deliver on practical results over theoretical possibilities.

In addition to the use cases, attendees will receive access to a curated collection of articles and case studies as well as online learning resources designed to extend learning and inform decisions around AI adoption. The selected use cases will be aligned to the OpenAI’s framework which outlined foundational use case primitives drawn from more than six hundred real world examples into six categories: content creation, research, coding, data analysis, ideation and strategy, and automation to serve as a guide for spotting high value opportunities with clear business benefits and measurable returns. These categories aren't necessarily mutually exclusive. A single organization that is using AI to better understand and gather insights from data and pulling that information into an automated workflow or using a chatbot, is likely using more than one foundational primitive, but these categories help leaders organize the information and consider where they might be ready to benefit from the adoption of specific applications of AI. 

Registration for the AI Expo opened in late June, and the event is once again free to attend, but tickets are limited and offered on a first come first served basis. Applications to present in the Use Case Showdown will remain open through July, with priority selection beginning on July 15th. The AI Expo is being co-hosted by NCW Tech Alliance, the Apple STEM Network, North Central Educational Service District, with support from aiEDU, Sabey Data Centers, Native Network and Microsoft.                

To register or learn more, visit www.ncwtech.org/ai-expo or call 509-661-9000. This year’s event is sure to offer more than inspiration, it's an invitation to see AI in action and to take away ideas that can be put into practice.