Accelerating AI Adoption Through AI Week

Summer Crenshaw is the Co-Founder and CEO of the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA), the national leader in AI and emerging technology adoption. She serves on multiple advisory boards and champions innovation, education, and responsible technology adoption. A seasoned tech entrepreneur and strategist, she previously co-founded Tilr, an AI-powered job marketplace recognized by CNBC, Forbes, and VentureBeat. Summer has been featured in major outlets and spoken on national stages, including DisruptHR and Dreamforce. In this episode… Business leaders across industries are responding to AI with a mix of excitement, fear, and uncertainty. Many want to use AI tools to accelerate business goals, yet they also worry about the risks and how these tools could disrupt jobs and existing roles. To move forward, companies need to focus on continuous learning that helps people understand and apply AI responsibly. So how can companies close the skill gaps that limit progress while ensuring their teams continue learning as AI evolves? Accelerating responsible AI adoption starts with education that connects people, communities, and industries. Organizations like the Enterprise Technology Association are helping bridge that gap through AI Week, a fast-moving initiative that brings together local leaders, educators, and companies to share insights for responsible AI adoption. These community-driven gatherings are designed around the industries and priorities of each city, creating programming that makes AI accessible to both technical and non-technical audiences. For companies to succeed, they also need to rethink how they approach governance. Rather than viewing it as a brake that hinders progress, it should serve as a steering wheel that guides teams with implementation and helps them achieve their goals.  In this episode of She Said Privacy/He Said Security, Jodi and Justin Daniels chat with Summer Crenshaw, Co-founder and CEO of the Enterprise Technology Association (ETA), about how businesses can accelerate responsible AI adoption through education and collaboration. Summer shares how AI Week launched in just five weeks and scaled across multiple cities by empowering local leaders and creating accessible AI programming. She explains why governance should enable rather than hinder AI implementation and what separates the 5% of successful AI projects from those that fail. Summer also discusses how to prepare for AI in 2026, addressing the shift from theory to measuring human impact.