PTC’26, held January 18–21 in Honolulu, Hawaii, brought together thousands of leaders across telecommunications, data centers, subsea networks, cloud, and investment to examine the rapidly evolving future of global connectivity. As one of the industry’s most influential annual gatherings, the conference served as a central forum for exploring how artificial intelligence is reshaping infrastructure strategy, workforce planning, and international collaboration.
This year’s agenda reflected a pivotal moment for the digital ecosystem. Discussions throughout the week made clear that AI is no longer an emerging trend, it is a core driver of network design, capital investment, and operational transformation. From subsea capacity planning to power availability and edge computing, nearly every conversation pointed to a shared reality: the infrastructure required to support AI is redefining how the industry plans, builds, and partners.
The AI Era: Technology Accelerated, People Essential
A recurring theme across the conference was the evolving relationship between AI tools and human expertise. One of the most talked-about sessions, “The Future of Recruiting: Powered by AI, Perfected by People,” captured this balance directly.
The panel featured a diverse group of industry leaders: Matt DeMartino, Partner for Competitive Telecoms Group; Phill Lawson-Shanks, Chief Innovation Officer of Aligned Data Centers; Jennifer Parkhill, Senior Director of Strategy Execution/Program Management for Verizon Partner Solutions; Aidan Walker, Founder and CEO, Infraviva; and was moderated by Rhys Morgan, Partner, Infranovus.
The panel highlighted how automation is improving résumé screening, candidate sourcing, and scheduling, while emphasizing that leadership evaluation, cultural alignment, and strategic hiring decisions still require human judgment. The takeaway resonated far beyond HR teams: AI can enhance speed and efficiency, but people remain central to innovation, leadership, and long-term success.
Industry Voices at the Center
Throughout PTC’26, the interdependence of compute, power, and connectivity shaped nearly every major discussion. Sessions focused on subsea systems, global network capacity, and AI-ready infrastructure reinforced how deeply interconnected the ecosystem has become.
Many companies contributed to these discussions. Assured Communications’ CEO Joel Ogren and Chief Growth Officer Tim Parker shared their insights through poster sessions and lightning talks examining subsea cable capacity, edge computing, and AI inference at scale. Their perspectives highlighted both the opportunities and challenges of meeting surging AI-driven demand, particularly around resilience, regulatory complexity, and global system integration.
A major highlight of the week came with the annual PTC awards ceremony. A number of companies went home with pride of being recognized as a stand out contributor among many categories of submissions, including Duos Edge AI a subsidiary of Duos Technologies Group, which received the Outstanding Innovation Award at PTC’26, one of the conference’s most prestigious honors. The award celebrated Duos Edge AI’s pioneering modular Edge Data Center platform, designed to bring AI-ready compute closer to end users through secure, scalable, and rapidly deployable infrastructure. By localizing computing power at the edge in underserved communities, Duos Edge AI enables real-time AI processing and supports use cases like telemedicine, digital learning, and municipal services.
Beyond formal sessions and awards, hundreds of private meetings and informal discussions echoed the same message: success in the AI era will require closer coordination between carriers, data center operators, technology providers, and investors than ever before.
The Road Ahead
PTC’26 emphasized a powerful reality: the future of digital infrastructure will be built at the intersection of AI, energy, connectivity, and human expertise. While technology is advancing at unprecedented speed, long-term success will depend on collaboration, adaptability, and strategic clarity.
As organizations prepare for the next wave of AI-driven demand, the conversations and relationships formed at PTC continue to serve as a foundation for progress.
For 2027, we expect the event to be as well attended as this year. Strategic support is available, particularly for companies new to the sector or seeking to differentiate and gain greater exposure. Data Center POST’s parent company, iMiller Public Relations provides industry-leading public relations and community engagement programs along with event and trade show marketing packages that help propel and differentiate brands. Companies can learn more by visiting www.imillerpr.com.
In the meantime, SAVE THE DATE for PTC’27 at the Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu, HI: January 17-20, 2027.
To learn more about the Pacific Telecommunications Council and upcoming events, visit www.ptc.org.
