AI 4 Infrastructure Workforce Forum
Description
AI 4 Infrastructure (AI4I) Workforce Forum
Where Colorado's infrastructure leaders, innovators, and next-generation workforce meet AI head-on.
September 16, 2026 | Jake Jabs Event Center, CU Denver
The Infrastructure Workforce Is Changing. Be in the Room Where It's Being Shaped.
AI is already reshaping how infrastructure gets planned, built, and maintained — and it's rewriting what the workforce behind it needs to look like. The AI4I Workforce Forum brings together 100+ leaders from industry, government, and academia for one day of candid conversation, real solutions, and direct access to the people building what's next.
This isn't a vendor showcase or an academic exercise. It's a working session for the people who have to actually solve this: infrastructure owners staring down workforce gaps, contractors and technology companies building the tools, and the students who will be our future workforce.
Sponsored by CU Denver, Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and WSB with partners Colorado State University, Trimble, and HDR.
Why Industry and Government Leaders Should Be There
You're facing the workforce question from both ends — recruiting and retaining skilled talent while figuring out where AI actually fits into your infrastructure strategy. AI4I is built around that exact tension:
Hear directly from infrastructure owners on the workforce challenges they're navigating right now, and where they see the biggest opportunities ahead.
Socialize your AI 4 Infrastructure ideas by applying before August 14th to present in our Lightning Talks
Compare notes with peer agencies and infrastructure owners on what's actually working and what's not
Hear how industry partners are thinking about AI-driven workforce strategy — and what that means for public-sector partnerships
Connect with the emerging talent pipeline coming out of Colorado's universities
For Students: Your Work, In Front of the People Who Hire
Winning teams from the AI4I Challenge Student Competition will present AI-driven infrastructure solutions they've built — to real industry problems, in front of the people who could hire them next. Interested? Sign up here by September 3rd to compete.
Reserve Your Seat
Spots are limited to keep the conversation working-session sized, not conference sized.
📍 Jake Jabs Event Center, CU Denver 📅 September 16, 2026 | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Agenda
- 9:00 am
Arrival and Coffee
- 9:30 am
Welcoming Remarks - CU Denver Chancellor, Kenneth Christensen
- 9:40 am
Future Workforce Keynote - Jon Chiglo, COO of WSB
How is technology changing our infrastructure workforce demands for the future? How should it? What is the strategy with AI at WSB? Jon Chiglo Bio: Jon Chiglo is Chief Operating Officer at WSB, a national design and consulting firm specializing in engineering, planning, environmental, and construction services. Chiglo leads the firm’s operational strategy, aligning business lines and teams to drive performance, scalability, and long-term growth across all operating markets. Jon oversees a broad portfolio of leaders and service areas, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of infrastructure solutions that support communities, transportation systems, energy networks, and the environment. He is deeply focused on advancing how WSB delivers work, championing investments in technology, digital delivery, and data-driven workflows that improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance client outcomes. Recognized for his perspective on delivering smarter projects with cutting-edge tools, he brings a forward-looking leadership style to WSB, centered on accountability, innovation, and empowering teams to deliver meaningful impact for clients and partners.
- 10:00 am
Owner Perspective Panel
Infrastructure owners speak about the current workforce challenges AI presents and the opportunities they see for the future. Panelists: Amy Ford, Executive Director, Denver DOTI Katie Gathright, Innovation Program Manager, Jefferson County Will Jones, Public Works Director, City of Loveland Moderator: Farnoush Banaei-Kashani, Associate Professor, CU Denver
- 10:45 am
Break
- 11:00 am
AI4I Student Competition Winners
Winning student teams present infrastructure AI solutions they’ve built to real industry problems
- 12:15 pm
Lunch and Tabletop Discussion
Enjoy lunch and tabletop discussion about the critical questions facing AI and the infrastructure workforce
- 1:00 pm
AI4I Solution Lightning Talks
5 minute talks on Infrastructure problems being approached with AI from three perspectives: 1. Infrastructure Owners 2. Academia 3. Industry
- 2:00 pm
Industry Perspective Panel
Contractors and technology companies share their perspective on current and future workforce needs Panelists: Amy Northcutt (P.E.), Director of Education and Outreach, Trimble Bryan Cook, Executive Director of Construction Workforce Foundation at Colorado Contractors Association Ed Shappell, VP of Strategy and Technology, WSB Moderator: Mohammed Hashem Mehany (PhD) Associate Professor, Colorado State University
- 2:45 pm
Networking Reception
- 4:00 pm
Closing
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity