June 2026 Tech Upload
NEW Digital News
NEW Digital Leaders Conference Brings Together Northeast Wisconsin’s Tech Community
On Friday, May 15, nearly 200 IT & digital tech professionals from across the New North region came together at the NEW Digital Leaders Conference hosted by Kimberly-Clark in partnership with Women in Technology Wisconsin (WiT).
The event brought together IT professionals, technology leaders, and emerging talent for a morning focused on learning, networking, and exploring the latest strategies shaping the future of digital transformation. Attendees participated in sessions covering topics including AI adoption, leadership development, digital innovation, talent development, and emerging technology trends.
A huge thank you to all of our incredible speakers for sharing their expertise, insights, and real-world experiences throughout the day. Your willingness to educate, inspire, and challenge attendees is what makes this event so impactful.
A special thank you as well to our event sponsors — EDCi, FTI, Beacon Hill, and Green Bay Packaging — for your support in helping make this event possible.
And finally, thank you to everyone who attended and helped create such an engaging and energizing atmosphere throughout the day. We’re excited to continue building strong digital leadership across Northeast Wisconsin!
📷 Special thanks to Kevin Virobik of gener8tor for capture our event in photos.
Thank you to our investors.
The NEW Digital Alliance would like to thank the following for their support as Strategic Level investors!
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Upcoming northeast Wisconsin IT events
Sip & Sync Green Bay
Thursday, June 4
8:00 – 9:00 a.m.
Karvana Coffee House (Green Bay)
Organizer: Women in Technology
GRASSr00tz 2026 – A Security Conference
Thursday, June 4
8:45 – 5:00 p.m.
D. J. Bordini Center, Fox Valley Technical College
Organizer: GRASSr00tz
Cybersecurity Roundtable: A Battle-Tested Blueprint for SMBs
Thursday, June 25
12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Virtual (Zoom)
Organizer: NEW Digital Alliance
Fox Cities Chamber Announces Speaker Lineup for AI Business Summit
Early bird pricing available
The Fox Cities Chamber has announced its speaker lineup for the 2026 AI Business Summit, taking place Tuesday, November 3, at the Hilton Appleton Paper Valley.
The daylong Summit is the region’s premier event focused on helping businesses move beyond AI hype and into real-world application. Designed for all size organizations at every stage of adoption, from beginners to advanced users, the experience features a nationally recognized thought leader, local innovators, and hands-on practitioners sharing practical strategies for today’s workplace.
The summit kicks off with the return of popular keynote speaker Rebecca Ryan, futurist and economist with NEXT Generation Consulting, Inc., presenting: “Signal vs. Noise: The AI Insights Your Competitors Aren’t Talking About.” Following that, attendees will choose from a series of breakout sessions throughout the day.
The day will conclude with Pete Dulcamara (Pete Dulcamara & Associates, LLC) leading an interactive session “From Insight to Action,” which focuses on helping attendees translate learning into practical next steps.
Early bird registration is now open. Register now and not only will you save with early bird pricing – you’ll also be entered to win a pair of Meta AI Glasses: Early Bird Member Ticket: $175; Early Bird Non-Member Ticket: $195. Group discounts are also available.
New AI Data Specialist Program at Fox Valley Technical College
Fox Valley Technical College has launched a new Associate of Applied Science degree: the AI Data Specialist (Artificial Intelligence Data Specialist). The 60-credit program is designed for students who want to work at the intersection of data engineering and applied AI, and is available fully online, part-time or full-time, with financial aid eligibility.
The technical curriculum covers the core skills of modern data work: SQL, Python programming, data engineering for AI applications, ETL and data warehousing, business intelligence and data visualization, big data strategies, and AI automation. Foundational AI literacy and ethics are integrated throughout. The program wraps up with an AI Data Capstone in which students work through a complete data and AI project — from problem framing and data preparation through modeling and stakeholder communication.
The program is well-suited for career changers, recent high school graduates, or working professionals looking to formalize skills in data and AI. For IT organizations in the region, it represents a local pipeline for entry-level data and AI roles — analysts, data engineers, and AI support specialists — without requiring candidates to pursue a four-year degree.
More information is available at: https://t.ly/-QXzQ or by calling FVTC Admissions at 800-735-FVTC.
Labor Market Insights: May 2026
From a labor market data perspective, the latest jobs data is best described as stable, but hardly strong. The trend line I’m watching most closely remains the gap between hiring and quit rates.
Hiring activity came in ~1% above the pre-pandemic average, while quit rates were nearly 9% below during that timeframe. Outside of recessionary times, we rarely see workers quitting at levels this low.
Those dynamic signals three important things:
- Most hiring activity today is tied to newly created roles rather than replacing departing employees
- Slower job switching will weigh on wage growth. Historically, workers who change jobs see significantly higher compensation increases than those who stay put, so reduced mobility has a direct impact on wage acceleration.
- Worker confidence remains remarkably weak. Employees are showing far less willingness to take career risks or test the market than we would typically expect in a healthy labor environment.
Other IT News
What makes a successful AI scale-up?
(Image credit: Getty Images)
By Emma Woollacott
ITpro.
A new report highlighted by ITPro examines what separates successful AI scale-ups from the growing number of companies experimenting with artificial intelligence. According to Barclays Eagle Labs’ “AI 100 Report,” the most successful AI companies are focused on solving real business challenges rather than simply building flashy AI tools or demos. The article notes that software-as-a-service (SaaS) and data analytics continue to lead the AI market, while investment in AI companies is reaching record levels.
The report also emphasizes that long-term AI success depends on more than just technology. High-performing AI scale-ups are prioritizing strong company culture, attracting skilled talent, planning for international growth, and understanding enterprise customer needs early in the process. Another key takeaway is that organizations seeing the most traction are moving beyond AI experimentation and focusing on practical, scalable business applications that deliver measurable value.
Your AI steering committee’s 2026 checklist: Sovereignty
(Photo cred: Microsoft)
By Jessica Hawk
Microsoft
A recent article from Microsoft Cloud Blog highlights how digital sovereignty is becoming a major focus for organizations scaling AI initiatives in 2026. As companies deploy AI across global operations, they are facing increasing pressure to manage data privacy, cybersecurity, compliance, and operational control while still moving quickly with innovation. The article notes that more than 1,000 AI, cybersecurity, and privacy-related policy initiatives are now emerging across dozens of countries, making governance and risk management critical priorities for AI steering committees.
Microsoft outlines several key areas organizations should evaluate as they scale AI, including where data is processed, who can access sensitive systems, how to maintain compliance across regions, and how to ensure resilience during disruptions. The article also emphasizes the importance of responsible AI governance, security-first strategies, observability, and sustainability as part of long-term AI success. A featured example highlights how Raiffeisen Bank International deployed an internal generative AI assistant to help employees work more efficiently while still meeting strict regulatory and operational requirements across multiple countries.
Lessons From Down Under: Why Today's IoT Deployments Demand Reliable Hosting and Robust Edge Computing
(Photo cred: IoT For All)
By Andrej Kovacevic
IoT For All
A recent article from IoT For All explores how Australia’s unique geography is shaping the future of IoT and edge computing deployments. As IoT systems become more advanced, organizations are relying less on simple cloud connectivity and more on distributed edge processing to support real-time analytics, automation, and data transmission. The article highlights that in remote and geographically dispersed environments like Australia, latency, connectivity limitations, and infrastructure reliability can significantly impact system performance.
To address these challenges, organizations are increasingly deploying ruggedized edge nodes closer to devices in industries such as agriculture, mining, and logistics. These local compute systems help reduce latency, improve resiliency, and maintain operations even in areas with limited connectivity. The article also notes that successful IoT deployments still require strong regional hosting infrastructure, cybersecurity standards, data consistency, and scalable system design to support long-term growth. The broader takeaway is that balancing edge computing with reliable cloud and hosting infrastructure is becoming essential for scalable IoT success worldwide.
From AI table stakes to AI advantage: Building competitive moats
(Photo cred: McKinsey & Company)
By
McKinsey & Company
A recent article from McKinsey & Company explores how organizations are moving beyond simply adopting AI tools and are now focusing on building sustainable competitive advantages with AI. The article explains that as generative AI becomes more accessible, basic AI implementation is quickly becoming “table stakes,” meaning companies must now differentiate themselves through how effectively they integrate AI into operations, decision-making, customer experiences, and proprietary workflows.
McKinsey highlights that the organizations gaining the most value from AI are building “competitive moats” through unique data assets, strong governance structures, deep employee adoption, and AI-enabled business processes that competitors cannot easily replicate. The article also emphasizes the importance of leadership alignment, cross-functional collaboration, and ongoing workforce upskilling to maximize long-term AI impact. Rather than viewing AI as a standalone technology initiative, leading organizations are treating it as a core business transformation strategy that can drive productivity, innovation, and market differentiation over time.