BrainTrust Partners, an Austin-based firm that helps businesses implement AI, has become the founding title sponsor of Waco's first AI conference, the YOU × AI Summit, scheduled for Saturday, September 12, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Performing Arts & Community Center in downtown Waco. The event aims to guide business owners through the practical applications of AI, emphasizing data readiness and the enduring power of storytelling.
Tim Hayden, CEO of BrainTrust, will take the main stage at 9:50 a.m. with his talk, "Your Data, Your AI, and Your Future." He plans to share how companies can identify AI use cases within their current operations before making further investments. Hayden underscores the importance of structuring internal data, noting, "You have intelligence sitting somewhere within the pipes of your business. That's your brand. It is your brand DNA that can shape AI in your brand voice." He founded BrainTrust in 2016 to help companies organize data for personalization and analytics, and he warns that skipping this foundational step will cost businesses more in both budget and accuracy when using AI.
Hayden also cautions against relying solely on mainstream AI models like ChatGPT or Claude for all business needs. He points out that open-weight models can be trained on a company's own data, run privately, and cost significantly less than enterprise subscriptions that are trained on generic data. This approach offers a more secure and controlled AI environment tailored to a brand's specific voice.
The summit will feature two other prominent speakers. Bryan Eisenberg, a Wall Street Journal and New York Times bestselling author who helped coin the term "conversion rate optimization" thirty years ago, opens the day at 8:20 a.m. with his keynote, "Before the Algorithm, There Was Your Story. That Hasn't Changed." His session emphasizes that people connect with stories, not rates. Dr. Hope Koch, who holds the Godfrey Sullivan Endowed Chair of Information Systems and Business Analytics at Baylor University's Hankamer School of Business and was appointed to the Texas Artificial Intelligence Council this year, closes at 4:05 p.m. with a session called HOPE, designed to help non-technical individuals leverage their business knowledge into working AI tools.
In addition to the main stage, the summit offers four concurrent tracks: Build, Get Found, Sound Like You, and AI Safety. Attendees can choose from 23 speakers, including hands-on workshops where participants can create an AI assistant or marketing system. Notable sessions include Joseph Scaramucci on AI and crime, Dariia Isyk on using AI as a student mentor, and several sessions focused on using AI to enhance brand storytelling and search visibility.
The conference name includes a multiplication sign to convey a key message. Co-organizer Fernando Labastida explains, "Most people think AI is the great equalizer. It's a multiplier, and multipliers widen gaps. A business with nothing to say brings a 1, and AI takes it to 2. The competitor with a real point of view brings a 10, and the same AI takes them to 20. Same tools. Bigger gap." This theme underscores the summit's focus on combining human insight with AI capabilities.
The event is produced by the Viral Genius Institute (Austin) and Rogue Media Network (Waco), with BrainTrust Partners as presenting sponsor. Tickets are $99, with team discounts available through September 10. Registration and more information can be found at youxai.live.
