Balancing the AI Equation in Healthcare: Convene 2026

The 8th annual Convene conference, hosted by Minnesota Carlson’s Business Advancement Center for Health (BACH), united medical industry leaders and academic researchers to explore the ethical, practical and technological pathways to ensure timely and equitable healthcare in an increasingly automated world. The event reinforced the Twin Cities' position as a global hub for medical leadership and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Convene opened with a keynote from Dr. Charles Bruce, physician innovator and chief innovation officer at Mayo Clinic in Florida. He outlined a roadmap for health systems, focusing on how AI can be integrated without sacrificing the human element of clinical trust. His talk was followed by a fireside chat with Sachin H. Jain, the CEO of SCAN Group & SCAN Health Plan, who explored the idea of “turning humans into superhumans” through incorporating AI strategies into various processes.

The morning continued with a panel session centered on the “Intelligent Health Economy,” which featured Cris Ross, venture partner of Aegis Ventures; Finance Professor Stephen Parente, Minnesota Carlson associate dean of the Carlson Global Institute and Minnesota Insurance Industry Chair of Health Finance; and Dr. Archelle Georgiou, a Minnesota Carlson Medical Industry Leadership Institute executive in residence. To round out the day, Dr. Emily Chapman, president and CEO of Children’s Minnesota, presented insights on implementing AI in the pediatric health system, and the conference closed with a networking lunch.

“The rapid changes in AI technology present great opportunities and challenges for the healthcare industry,” said Minnesota Carlson Finance Professor Pinar Karaca Mandic, the founding director of BACH. “Through Convene, we are bringing diverse leaders together to examine the complex puzzle of ensuring AI effectively serves the overlapping interests of patients, payers and providers alike.”

The Convene Conference was made possible by the conference steering committee and the generous support of its sponsors: University of Minnesota Research Computing, Fredrikson, and the University’s Office of Academic Clinical Affairs.