Artificial Intelligence Maven Set to Offer Expert Insights in North Texas

McClane Company, Inc. is one of the leading distributors in North America serving convenience stores, mass merchants, and chain restaurants. They have announced pioneering AI executive, strategist, and thought leader Sol Rashidi as the keynote speaker for their flagship McClane Engage 2026 event taking place August 25-27 at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center in Grapevine, Texas.

Recognized as the world’s first Chief AI Officer, she has transformed how Fortune 100 companies adopt and scale artificial intelligence.

Her keynote titled “AI in the C-Store Industry: What’s Actually Working (and What's Not)” will dive into artificial intelligence adoption and how brands can prioritize and scale investments that will deliver a competitive edge and future-proof their business in an ever-evolving digital marketplace.

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“McLane Engage helps customers and supplier partners collaborate to succeed in a rapidly evolving marketplace,” said Vito Maurici, chief customer experience officer for McLane. “By bringing together leaders, innovative suppliers, and our customers for meaningful connections, educational content, and new ideas, we're strengthening partnerships to accelerate innovation and deliver greater value across the industry.”

A former 4x C-Suite executive at companies including Merck, Estée Lauder, Sony Music, and Royal Caribbean, as well as an Amazon tech leader, Rashidi helped launch IBM Watson in 2011. She holds 9–10 patents in AI and data and is the inventor of the Human Amplification Index™, a framework that measures AI’s dual impact on business ROI and workforce empowerment.

Between insightful keynote speaking engagements, Rashidi is a Senior Fellow at Harvard, an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon, and the author of the best-selling “Your AI Survival Guide” (2024).

She was named a Forbes AI Maverick & Visionary of the 21st Century, one of the Top 50 Women in Tech, and a Top 100 AI Thought Leader. Rashidi advocates for practical, ethical, and human-centric AI that amplifies human potential rather than replacing it.

For more information on how to experience this keynote, visit here.

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