Beyond Chatbots: Operationalizing Agentic AI at DAFITC 2026

The conversation around artificial intelligence in government is changing quickly. The question is no longer whether teams can use AI. It is how to operationalize AI securely, responsibly and at mission speed.

That question will be front and center Wednesday morning at the Department of the Air Force Information Technology & Cyberpower Training and Education Event (DAFITC), where CORAS.ai President and CTO Dan Naselius will moderate Beyond Chatbots: Operationalizing Agentic AI to Modernize the Business of Government.

The August 26 panel brings together leaders who understand AI from very different—and highly practical—perspectives: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kolin Harris, Deputy Chief of Program Development, Air Force Reserve Command; Dr. Amanda Bullock, AI Adoption and Deployment Manager at OpenAI; and Suzanne Chartol, Vice President of Customer Experience at CORAS.ai. Together, they will explore what happens when AI moves beyond experimentation and becomes part of real government business and mission processes.

A Conversation Built for This Moment

The panel aligns directly with DAFITC 2026's theme, “Accelerating the Digital Edge: From Enterprise to Orbit.” The Department of the Air Force describes that digital edge as a continuous thread connecting enterprise networks through orbital assets—and emphasizes speed, resilience, integrated data and AI-augmented architecture as essential to future mission success.

DAFITC is also, fundamentally, a training and education event. Its 2026 program includes more than 140 breakout sessions and dedicated tracks on AI-Driven Legacy System Modernization and Upskilling for the AI Age, including how to build an AI-fluent workforce that can effectively combine human judgment with machine intelligence.

That makes operational experience particularly important.

Ms. Harris brings the perspective of an Air Force practitioner working within the realities of program development and mission requirements. Dr. Bullock brings expertise in AI adoption and deployment. Ms. Chartol brings the customer perspective of translating complex government processes, data and requirements into working AI-enabled environments. Mr. Naselius, a USAF veteran and longtime government technology leader, will guide the conversation toward the practical question facing agencies now: What does it actually take to put Agentic AI to work?

From AI Answers to Accountable AI Action

For CORAS.ai, moving “beyond chatbots” means moving from AI that simply answers questions to an accountable digital workforce that can help people analyze information, execute workflows, accelerate decisions and build mission applications—with humans remaining firmly in control.

That distinction matters in defense environments. The CORAS.ai approach pairs Agentic AI with secure infrastructure and governance: IL5 ATO and FedRAMP High environments, 130+ validated agents and 1,300+ reviewed prompts, with human approval at every stage and actions logged with rationale.

The goal isn't AI for AI's sake. It is equipping the force with capabilities that improve how work gets done, strengthen readiness and help people make better decisions faster.

That is precisely the kind of education and practical exchange DAFITC was built to foster—and an increasingly important conversation as the Air Force works to accelerate technology, strengthen its digital workforce and enable mission speed.

Join the conversation:
Wednesday, August 26 | 7:55–8:45 a.m.
Riverview Room 7 | DAFITC 2026, Montgomery, Alabama

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