The Chinese Institute of Engineers in America (CIE-USA/GNYC) announced on October 15 that they will be hosting the “2026 Annual Technology Conference and Outstanding Achievement Awards Gala” on October 25 at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel in Flushing. The theme of the event is “Digital Governance in the AI Era: The Fifth Industrial Revolution and Disruptive Innovation”.
With the rapid development of Generative AI, AI agents, quantum computing, and intelligent systems, industries worldwide are facing a new wave of technological transformation. How to seize innovative opportunities, cultivate future talents, and balance technological development with social responsibility has become an important issue of concern for industries, governments, and academia.
The conference will focus on the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on fields such as work, education, healthcare, and finance, and will recognize four experts who have made outstanding contributions in the areas of technological innovation and digital governance.
Key topics for discussion at the event include AI’s impact on future education and work, AI-driven healthcare and life sciences, as well as AI governance and financial innovation. Experts from IBM, Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, as well as renowned universities and medical research institutions such as Columbia University and Yale will come together to explore the profound implications of cutting-edge technologies on industries, economies, and societies.
The event will feature 14 innovative technology showcases, including quadruped robots, Generative AI smart lighting, intelligent electronic notebooks, and AI agent applications in healthcare, cybersecurity, real estate, and corporate operations. In addition, there will be a rapid pitch competition for startups, an academic research poster exhibition, and a roundtable discussion for entrepreneurs, all aimed at promoting collaboration between researchers, businesses, and the investment community.
The afternoon keynote speeches will be delivered by Dr. Jerry M. Chow of IBM and Professor Hu Qingyang of Virginia Tech, focusing on the development of quantum computing and the future of 6G communication, cognitive semantic communication, and physical artificial intelligence.
This year, four international leaders received the CIE-USA Outstanding Achievement Awards for their outstanding contributions in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, information and communication technology, and digital governance. These recipients represent the outstanding achievements of Chinese engineering and technology talents on the international stage, highlighting the key directions of the next wave of technological revolution.
Dr. Huang Yannan, former Minister of Digital Development of Taiwan and current Director of the Information Technology Innovation Research Center at Academia Sinica, was awarded the “Outstanding Service Award”. The three recipients of the Outstanding Technology Achievement Awards are Professor Guo Yuting, former Global Vice President of Microsoft, Dr. Jerry M. Chow, and Professor Hu Qingyang.
Dr. Wang Keyan, the President of CIE-USA/GNYC, expressed that the annual meeting aims to facilitate exchange among technology researchers, industry applications, and talent development to encourage responsible innovation in response to societal needs and to deepen the collaboration foundation for the Asian Outstanding Engineer Awards event in New York in 2027.
Established in 1917, the Chinese Institute of Engineers in America saw its inception when a group of Chinese engineers working in the U.S. and international students gathered at Cornell University to advocate for its establishment. It is one of the oldest Chinese academic organizations in the United States, with seven chapters nationwide.
The conference will run from 11:30 AM to 6:00 PM and is free and open to the public. The awards dinner will take place from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM, with tickets available for purchase (members $120, non-members $150). Location: Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel, 135-20 39th Avenue, Flushing. For registration and agenda details, please visit: https://2026.cieusa-gnyc.org/