Are you afraid of AI? It’s OK, you’re in good company. I was afraid, too. In fact, that’s putting it mildly. When I first heard about AI technology at a Visit NC conference, I left scared. Not a little nervous. Scared. I’m a food and travel writer. I’ve spent a career putting the right words in the right order, to share and tell people’s stories. And, all I could think was that a machine was about to replace me. The thing I love to do, the thing I’ve built a life around, was about to be handed off to technology. If you feel the same way right now, The NCRLA Hospitality AI Summit is about to change your mind. its all happening on August 10 in Raleigh, NC. Don’t miss it!
People, Paper and how to Pair Them with AI
Time and knowledge are powerful things. The more I learned about AI, the more my outlook changed. I stopped seeing a threat. I started seeing a tool in my toolbox. A tool that would help to keep the mechanical stuff out of my way so I could focus on the storytelling, the people and the things I do best.
Now, anyone who knows me is laughing right now. They know I’m a paper person through and through. I don’t keep a Google calendar, and I hate an electronic meeting reminder. I will ALWAYS unapologetically choose a legal pad and a fun pen with erasable ink over a spreadsheet or an Excel doc. And, it goes without saying that I love my paper planner, stickers and all. ( C’mon, don’t tell me you don’t love stickers, too!)
I’d always rather talk on the phone than communicate electronically. Better yet, let’s sit down in person over a cup of coffee or a glass of wine. That hasn’t changed, and it isn’t going to.
But here’s what I’ve learned. AI Technology won’t change any of that, in fact, it will give me more time to do the things I love, the things only I can do.
The best way to stop fearing something is to learn to use it to your advantage. Sometimes we have to adapt. As it turns out, technology really is a great tool to help us make better use of our time. It’s not cheating. I’m not giving up my paper products, mind you; and I’m not letting AI do my work and my writing for me. But, I am making an effort to learn more, and that is exactly what this AI Summit is all about.
The NCRLA Hospitality AI Summit, August 10 in Raleigh NC
The North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association advocates every single day for North Carolina’s hospitality industry. As a part of a new Summit series initiated this year, they’re hosting the inaugural NCRLA Hospitality AI Summit on Monday, August 10, 2026. The series is meant to bring like minded people together to educate and help the industry grow. The Aug 10 summit runs from 9 am to 3 pm at the McKimmon Center in Raleigh. You’ll find it on the campus of NC State University, at 1101 Gorman Street.
Many of my regular readers know that I work with the NCRLA team on a regular basis and have for years to produce the annual NCRLA Chef Showdown.
But that’s not all the NCRLA does, far from it. The NCRLA supports its members in particular and the North Carolina hospitality industry at large. And it does so in more ways than you will ever know – far too many to list here. The NCRLA really is a bit of a caped crusader for the industry. This summit is just another way they are swooping in to keep us all on the cutting edge.
The NCRLA Summit Series is part of that same mission. It brings the hospitality industry together to learn, to connect, and to get ahead of what’s shaping our businesses. AI is absolutely one of those things.
This is a full day built for real, working hospitality people. If you are a chef, a restaurant owner, operator, manager, a content creator for a restaurant or hotel or one of the many lodging professional in the state, this summit has your name on it.
It’s for anyone curious about what all of this actually means for their business. You’ll learn through expert-led sessions, real-world case studies, and honest conversation. And you’ll walk away with strategies and tools you can put to work the very next morning.
The Conversation is About AI, but the People are the Reason You Should Attend
One of the speakers is a dear friend of mine. Normally, if her name is on the program, I’m in the room. Susan Dosier is the co-founder of DK Communications Group. Ask any food and travel writer in the country, she’s one of the sharpest tourism, hospitality, and marketing minds I know. In all the years I’ve known her, she has never once steered me wrong. And that is not something I say lightly.
Susan is presenting an afternoon session called “Winning the AI Search Race for Your Next Guest.” She’ll share the stage with Kelley O’Brien of Farlow & Co.
The two are in very good company. The day opens with a keynote fireside chat featuring Bhavana Bartholf and Jennifer Thompson of the Compass Group.
An operator panel follows, with Sean Potter of Built On Hospitality and Kyle Highberg of Biltmore Farms. Lee Bridges of Inn-Flow leads a session on profitability. Another digs into AI governance, data, and guest trust. And then, NCRLA President & CEO Allen Thomas closes the day with an action plan for what comes next.
Siri, Find a Restaurant Near Me
Think about this: All of us use AI tools everyday. We ask where to stay, where to eat, and what to do. Have ever talked into your phone and said, ” find a restaurant near me”? Then, you are already using AI on a day-to-day basis.
if you are in the hospitality industry in North Carolina or anywhere else in the world, the question this AI Summit will help you ask and answer is, “How can my business show up in Siri’s answer?”
Expect conversations about earned media, online news stories, reviews, and content creators who through their work now feed those AI recommendations. When a platform suggests a restaurant, a hotel, or a destination, that coverage is part of the mix.
I Can’t Wait to Here What You Think
Here’s my one regret. I won’t be in the room on August 10, and it’s for the best possible reason. I’ll be in Charlotte, hosting the Western North Carolina Regional Semifinal round of the NCRLA Chef Showdown mixology competition. We are working our way to the Sept. 2 Grand Finale and I can’t wait to see you there.
But first, go to the Aug 10 Summit. Take good notes. And then, let’s find a quiet corner somewhere down the road to talk about how all the good info might have changed or fine tuned your approach to AI. How are you using it in your business? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Ready to Go? Here’s How to Register
Tickets are $25 for NCRLA members and $35 for non-members. That covers the sessions, the networking breaks, and lunch.
You can register right here: portal.ncrla.org/events/ai-summit-2026
I understand being nervous about AI. I’ve been there. But I’ve also learned that fear subsides and quickly turns into power and momentum, the moment you understand the thing you feared and learn how to use it to your advantage.
Bring your questions, bring your skepticism, bring a colleague or two. You’ll be so glad you did.
Heidi Billotto is the Executive Producer of the NCRLA Chef Showdown, a widely popular annual event benefiting the NCRLA and directly giving back to North Carolina’s hospitality industry. Heidi Billotto is a culinary storyteller, educator, and on-air expert who brings local food to life wherever she goes. She connects small family farmers, independent producers, and regional makers to the people, plates, and media outlets that showcase their work, then shows her readers and followers how to bring those ingredients home to their own tables. Known for her deep relationships, genuine curiosity, joyful style, and sincere passion for all she does, Heidi elevates local food culture on the regular through cooking, teaching, travel, and media.
And whenever you see these five little words “Tell Them Heidi Sent You” (with or without the hashtag), know that they are my personal seal of approval. It means I have been there, I believe in the folks behind it, and I am sending you their way with my whole heart.
So go on… make your reservations for this Aug. 10, 2026 NCRLA AI Summit now and Tell Them Heidi Sent You!
Great work, Heidi!