TM Forum unveils Innovate Americas agenda for Dallas AI summit

TM Forum has announced the agenda and first speakers for Innovate Americas 2026, set for Oct. 6-7 in Dallas, as carriers across the Americas push to turn AI pilots into scalable operations. The event will focus on autonomous networks, trustworthy AI and new service models for telecom operators and their ecosystem partners.

Why it matters: - Carriers across the Americas are under pressure to turn AI from experimentation into measurable business impact. - The event is aimed at executives building AI-native telco operations, including trusted AI, autonomous networks and new revenue models. - TM Forum says the conference will bring together service providers, hyperscalers, technology partners and industry experts to share practical approaches.

What happened: - TM Forum revealed the agenda and first headline speakers for Innovate Americas 2026. - The two-day conference will take place Oct. 6-7 in Dallas, Texas. - Confirmed speakers include senior leaders from AT&T, T-Mobile, Verizon and TELUS, along with executives from the wider connectivity ecosystem. - Media and analyst registration is now open. - Accredited journalists and analysts can register for complimentary access to keynote sessions, media briefings and interviews. - Register for the event

The details: - The conference is designed for executives, architects and engineering leaders working on the AI-native telco. - TM Forum says the program will include real-life case studies, expert-led discussions, practical forums and the region’s first collaborative innovation showcase of Catalyst projects. - Agenda themes include building the AI-native enterprise, cross-domain service orchestration, autonomous networks at scale, everywhere coverage and connectivity continuity, and AI monetization and programmable networks. - Building the AI-native enterprise will focus on moving AI from experimentation into operating model change, trusted adoption, workforce transformation and measurable business impact. - Cross-domain service orchestration will center on automating services end to end across fibre, cloud, edge, core, RAN, OSS/BSS and satellite. - Autonomous networks at scale will focus on AI-native networks that improve efficiency, resilience, service assurance and customer experience in real time. - Everywhere coverage and connectivity continuity will extend connectivity beyond traditional network boundaries through 5G, fibre, NTN, direct-to-device satellite and hybrid terrestrial-satellite architectures. - AI monetization and programmable networks will focus on network APIs, service intelligence, partner ecosystems and enterprise services. - Speakers listed include Yigal Elbaz and Andy Markus of AT&T, Ankur Kapoor of T-Mobile, Arnab Chakraborty of Accenture, Kaniz Mahdi of AWS Industries, Pamela Snively of TELUS and Himanshu Polavarapu of Verizon.

Between the lines: - TM Forum is framing the conference around a shift from AI pilots to operating-model change, which signals the industry wants less experimentation and more execution. - The emphasis on trust, autonomy and monetization suggests telecom operators are looking to make AI a core part of both network operations and commercial strategy. - The inclusion of carriers, hyperscalers and technology vendors reflects a market where AI adoption depends on cross-industry coordination, not isolated telecom projects.

What's next: - The Dallas event will give operators a venue to compare deployment strategies and operational lessons. - TM Forum says attendees will be able to hear keynote sessions, join media briefings and speak with industry leaders during the conference. - The event will likely serve as a showcase for how far Americas carriers have progressed on autonomous networks and AI-enabled service delivery.

The bottom line: - TM Forum is positioning Innovate Americas 2026 as a working summit for telecom leaders trying to turn AI into scale, trust and growth.