Join us for a virtual experience designed to help organizations find their footing and chart the right trail toward adopting AI quickly, affordably and confidently with SAS.
Charting a path toward AI adoption doesn’t have to feel like navigating unmarked terrain. This event is designed to give businesses a clear, practical route forward – grounded in research, real-world experience and expert guidance. You’ll walk away with the insights and direction you need to move from exploration to execution with confidence.
What you’ll discover:
- A clear understanding of how AI can be implemented without complexity or high cost.
- A preview of insights from the SAS-IDC AI for SMBs: Closing the Readiness-Reality Gap report
- Real-world examples from customers and partners who are successfully navigating their AI journeys.
- Breakout sessions tailored to six use cases (fraud prevention, forecasting, etc.) with an industry spin (banking, health care/life sciences, manufacturing, retail).
- Direct access to SAS experts and partners to help you build your own path for AI adoption.
Agenda
Welcome to the Park: Your AI Journey Starts Here
- Event opening and welcome.
Ranger Briefing: Fast-Track Your AI Success
- Discover how companies can adopt AI quickly, affordably and with confidence.
- Get a preview of IDC Small to Medium Businesses AI Compass Framework.
Guided Trail Stories: Winning With AI
- See real-world wins, partner insights and practical steps to make AI work for your business through a “show, not tell” SAS customer and partner panel.
Rest at the Overlook
- Light engagement break with our SAS partners.
Choose Your Trailhead: Use Case Sessions A (pick 1 of 3)
- AI Readiness Trail: Get Your Data AI Ready
- 60% of AI initiatives stall due to poor data quality. Hear how companies have turned data into their strongest asset.
- Insight Trail: Make Better Decisions
- Analytics is a core investment for companies. Discover how organizations use AI to improve decisions, customer experience and their bottom lines.
- Trust Trail: ROI-Driven AI
- Set KPIs, monitor ROI and build trust with practical, ethical AI that keeps your business on course.
Choose Your Trailhead: Use Case Sessions B (pick 1 of 3)
- Safeguard Trail: Stay Vigilant With Fraud Prevention
- Learn how to combat growing threats with AI-detected anomalies to reduce losses and ensure compliance.
- Launchpad Loop: Pathway to Patient Impact
- Hear how companies are charting new routes for patients with AI.
- Prediction Path: Forecast With Confidence
- See how AI-powered forecasting improves demand planning, inventory and operations for companies.
Trail’s End: Your Next Adventure Awaits
- Event closing and next steps.
Session 1
Title: Welcome to the Park: Your AI Journey Starts Here
Speakers: John Carey, Senior Vice President, Global Channels, SAS
Session Description: Event opening and welcome remarks.
Session 2
Title: Ranger Briefing - Fast Track Your AI Success
Speakers: Stephen Yeo, Global Channel Marketing Director, SAS
Session Description: Discover how companies can adopt AI quickly, affordably and with confidence. Get a preview of the SAS-IDC AI for SMBs: Closing the Readiness-Reality Gap report
Session 3
Title: Guided Trail Stories: Winning with AI
Speakers:
- Michelle Wells, Director of Marketing for Global Industry and Vertical Solutions, SAS
- David Gardner, Senior Director of Analytics, Boddie-Noell
- Bonner Garrison, Director of Data Strategy, Prime Pursuits
- Rob Stevens, Managing Partner, First Analytics
Session Description: See real-world wins, partner insights and practical steps to make AI work for your business through a “show, not tell” SAS customer and partner panel.
Session 4
Title: AI Readiness Trail: Get Your Data AI Ready
Speakers:
- Jarno Lindqvist, Senior Systems Engineer, SAS
- Peter Meyer, Head of Delivery, Demarq
- Carl Oakes, Sales and Commercial Director, Agria Pet Insurance
Session Description: 60% of AI initiatives stall due to poor data quality. Hear how Agria Pet Insurance, with the help of Demarq and SAS, has turned data into its strongest asset.
Session 5
Title: Insight Trail: Make Better Decisions
Speakers:
- Youssef Abdel Nasser, Associate Systems Engineer, SAS
- Yann Radenac, Director of Data, Relais Colis
- Paolo Vacilotto, AI & Data Platforms Leader, CBTW
Session Description: Analytics is a core investment for companies. Discover how Relais Colis, with the help of CBTW and SAS, uses AI to improve decisions, customer experience and their bottom lines.
Session 6
Title: Trust Trail: ROI-Driven AI
Speakers:
- Melanie Boynton, Director of Institutional Research and Analytics, Reynolds Community College
- Jennifer Scott, Senior Business Development Manager, SAS
Session Description: Set KPIs, monitor ROI and build trust with practical, ethical AI that keeps your business on course.
Session 7
Title: Safeguard Trail: Stay Vigilant with Fraud Prevention
Speakers: Mauro Souza, Channel Pre-Sales and Solution Advisor, SAS (specializing in Fraud, AML, Risk & AI Decisioning)
Session Description: Learn how to combat growing threats with AI-detected anomalies to reduce losses and ensure compliance.
Session 8
Title: Launchpad Loop: Pathway to Patient Impact
Speakers:
- Victoria Gregorio, Director of the Center for Discovery, Innovation and Development, Children’s Specialized Hospital
- Sarah Myers, Senior Product Industry Marketer, SAS
- DJ Penix, President and CEO, Pinnacle Solution
Session Description: Learn how to combat growing threats with AI-detected anomalies to reduce losses and ensure compliance.
Session 9
Title: Prediction Path: Forecast with Confidence
Speakers:
- Gustavo Villa, Chief Executive Officer, Dataloop
- Daniela Morales, Supply Chain Analytics Director, Dataloop
- Jose Luis Reyes, Global Principal Consultant, SAS
Session Description: Hear from Dataloop and SAS how AI-powered forecasting improves demand planning, inventory and operations for companies.
Session 10
Title: Trail’s End: Your Next Adventure
Speakers: John Carey, Senior Vice President, Global Channels, SAS
Session Description: Hear closing remarks and learn how to register for SAS Innovate 2026.
Couldn’t join us for our global event on March 26, 2026? No worries – we are bringing this virtual series around the globe to your region. Click below to register now for one of our upcoming regional Trailblaze summits.
Please note that not all registration pages are available yet; check back soon if one is unavailable.
APJ (English) | September 2
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EMEA (English) | October 8
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German | September 17
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North America | October 21
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French | September 24
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Italian | October 15
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Portuguese | October 6
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Spanish | October 22
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