CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTSA MONTHLY AI LEADERSHIP GATHERING
Where Intelligence Meets Strategy.
The most consequential conversations about artificial intelligence don't happen on stage.
They happen when the right minds come together.
The AI Strategy brings together a carefully curated group of business leaders, AI innovators, and strategic thinkers for candid conversations about the future of intelligence—and the decisions shaping it.
20 seats. One featured speaker. One honest conversation about AI strategy.
THE IDEA
Artificial intelligence is advancing faster than most organizations can adapt.
The real challenge is no longer understanding what AI can do. It's knowing where to apply it, what to invest in, how to lead through uncertainty, and how to turn possibility into measurable impact.
The AI Strategy exists to explore those questions.
Not through keynote speeches or polished presentations, but through thoughtful, direct, unscripted conversations with people who are building, deploying, and leading through this transformation.
Less noise. Better questions. More meaningful answers.
A DIFFERENT KIND OF GATHERING
Every month, we bring together a select group of 20 leaders at ConnectLoop's Cambridge headquarters for an intimate evening of ideas, perspectives, and connections.
One distinguished guest. Two curious hosts.
A candid discussion about the decisions, breakthroughs, failures, and strategies defining the future of AI.
No sales pitches. No endless slides.
Just a conversation worth having.
A deliberately small audience of executives, founders, investors, researchers, and AI leaders.
Because the quality of a conversation is shaped by the people participating in it.
The formal conversation is only the beginning.
Every gathering creates space for genuine relationships, unexpected introductions, and collaborations that continue long after the evening ends.
Intentionally small. Intellectually ambitious.
WHAT WE EXPLORE
We explore AI at the intersection of technological possibility, strategic decision-making, and real-world business outcomes.
Where should organizations invest in AI, and where should they exercise restraint?
How will AI reshape the structure, economics, and competitive advantage of companies?
What must today's leaders understand to guide organizations through unprecedented change?
Why do promising AI initiatives struggle to deliver value, and what separates successful implementations?
What happens when intelligent systems begin executing work, making decisions, and collaborating with people?
Which emerging developments deserve the attention of business leaders—and which are distractions?
We don't gather to predict the future. We gather to make better decisions about it.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CONVERSATION
The AI Strategy is hosted by two leaders passionate about bridging the distance between emerging technologies and meaningful business transformation.
Co-host | Co-founder, ConnectLoop
Atif is a technology entrepreneur and executive with experience building software platforms and leading engineering initiatives across industries and international markets.
As the co-founder of ConnectLoop, he focuses on the practical application of artificial intelligence to business growth, customer engagement, and intelligent automation.
At The AI Strategy, Atif brings a builder's mindset—asking how ambitious ideas translate into real products, operational decisions, and measurable outcomes.
Co-host | Co-founder, IXL Center
Dr. Hitendra Patel brings a strategic perspective to conversations about innovation, leadership, organizational transformation, and the future of business.
His role at The AI Strategy is to challenge assumptions, explore the wider implications of emerging technologies, and help connect AI innovation to the strategic questions facing business leaders.
Together, the hosts aim to create conversations that are intellectually stimulating, practically useful, and genuinely memorable.
THE INAUGURAL GATHERING
November 2026
FEATURED SPEAKER
Jeff Kirchick
VP of Sales at Zorro
Jeff Kirchick is the author of “Authentic Selling: How to Use the Principles of Sales in Everyday Life.” The book predicted the rise of AI in the go-to-market space nearly seven years ago and won the Independent Press Award.
He is also the VP of Sales at Zorro, a Series A healthcare benefits startup. A graduate of Princeton University, Jeff lives in Wellesley, MA with his wife and two daughters.
The AI Strategy — Inaugural Edition
Every important community begins somewhere.
On November 18, 2026, we open the doors to the first AI Strategy evening in Cambridge.
Twenty invited and approved guests will come together for an evening of thoughtful discussion, diverse perspectives, and meaningful introductions.
Our featured speaker, Jeff Kirchick, VP of Sales at Zorro and author of “Authentic Selling,” joins us for an honest conversation on where AI should go first in a sales team, and which numbers prove it is working.
Join us as we begin building a community devoted to understanding not only what artificial intelligence makes possible, but what leaders should do next.
THE COMMUNITY
Great conversations require different perspectives.
The AI Strategy brings together people from across the AI and business landscape who share a common belief: the future is shaped by thoughtful decisions, informed debate, and the willingness to challenge conventional wisdom.
CEOs & FOUNDERS
Business leaders setting strategic direction.
CIOs & CTOs
Executives responsible for technology and transformation.
AI & INNOVATION LEADERS
Professionals implementing the next generation of intelligent systems.
RESEARCHERS & THINKERS
People advancing the understanding and applications of AI.
INVESTORS & BUILDERS
Those identifying and supporting new ideas and companies.
STRATEGIC DECISION-MAKERS
Leaders connecting technological possibility with business outcomes.
Different disciplines. Shared curiosity. Better thinking.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Attendance is limited to 20 guests to preserve the quality of the experience.
Ten seats are reserved for personally invited guests. The remaining ten are available through a short application process.
If you are leading, building, investing in, or thoughtfully exploring AI's role in the future of business, we'd welcome your interest.
Complimentary attendance. Thoughtfully curated. Limited seating.
Submitting a request does not guarantee a seat. Approved guests will receive a confirmation and event details by email.
FAQ
Yes. The AI Strategy is complimentary for invited and approved guests, and there is no product pitch.
Attendance is curated to preserve the quality of the discussion. Ten guests are personally invited, while ten seats are made available through an application process.
Not exclusively. The AI Strategy focuses on AI strategy, leadership, implementation, and business impact. Technical perspectives are welcome, but participants do not need an engineering background.
Each guest must have their own confirmed invitation or approved registration because capacity is limited. Your colleague is welcome to apply for their own seat.
Selected portions of the featured conversation may be recorded and shared. Guests will be informed about recording arrangements before the event.
At ConnectLoop headquarters, 110 Cambridge St., Cambridge, MA 02141.
Yes. The AI Strategy is intended as a monthly series. Future dates and featured speakers will be announced as they are confirmed.
Join a small community of leaders exploring the ideas, decisions, and possibilities shaping the next era of artificial intelligence.
Twenty seats. One exceptional evening.
Request Your SeatNovember 18, 2026Cambridge, Massachusetts
ConnectLoop