AI+ Expo
Rey Pickett Consulting, LLC hit the trade show circuit this year entering both the technology and defense industry spaces. The AI Expo (May 7th, 2026) initiated with protestors disrupting the keynote speaker, Maria Corina Macchado’s opening speech. I was not surprised to see protestors, as the event was open to the public and registration was [surprisingly] free. Anything that whispers the letters A & I in that sequence gets attention from the media these days, and the protestors decided it was their chance to get their voices heard. Thankfully, security was on scene and there was minimal disruption as the protesters were escorted out.
The current events of the Iran War/ conflict/ insert-approved-word-here—provided an opportunity for companies in the tech and defense space to show their real-world applications of their technology. Counter-terrorism and asset-protection were overlapping themes at the Special Operations Forces show in Tampa I attended, just a few weeks after. The difference between the shows stood out when referring to the term “assets”. The AI expo assets in questions were material goods or information. The SOF show in Tampa’s focus on assets were the human users of the tech. I saw several companies at both events. Each show had a completely different energy about them. Operational security and situational awareness were handled with precision at the SOF show. There were a few moments at the show that felt very “Black Mirror” with the pack of robot dogs, a gaggle of automaton jokesters at desks waiting for a prompt to manufacture a chuckle, and android baristas scattered about steaming and pouring while looking at the line of thirsty customer with anxiety in their eyes… like a modern Rosie from “The Jetsons”.
The intelligence game is alive and well in our Nation’s capital, or so it appears. I saw booth after booth at the show all promising accurate information/ data/ intelligence with software ranging from historical records of presidential debates to maritime security in real time from the Strait of Hormuz. Our Nation’s capital was the perfect setting for a show potentially crawling with people who may be there for information gathering. As such, it seemed only fitting to end the event at the Watergate Hotel. I scanned the Top of the Gate cantina with a suspicious eye, but thankfully…I didn’t see a single plumber.
