Austin AI Alliance Honors Local Business and Academic Leaders Advancing Responsible and Human-Centered AI

Six AI excellence awards presented at second annual State of AI in Austin event

AUSTIN, TX – February 9, 2026 — The Austin AI Alliance, a community-led organization advancing responsible, human-centered AI across Central Texas, presented six AI Excellence Awards during the State of AI in Austin event held January 26, 2026, at the Austin Central Library. The awards honored five organizations and one individual leader for translating AI innovation into real-world impact across research, workforce development, ethical practice, community benefit, and individual leadership.

Award recipients were selected by a panel of independent, Austin-based judges following a competitive evaluation of hundreds of submissions from across the region’s AI ecosystem.

The second annual State of AI in Austin convened more than 200 AI leaders, innovators, educators, policymakers, and community stakeholders for an afternoon of research insights, expert dialogue, and live demonstrations exploring how AI is influencing Austin’s economy, workforce, and civic life.

2026 Austin AI excellence award recipients

The Austin AI Alliance honored five organizations and one individual across six focus areas:

Achieve: Community & Societal Impact
OVRFLW Digital
Honored for applying AI in ways that create meaningful community and social impact.

Augment: Workforce Development & AI Literacy
Cognify Learning Company
Recognized for advancing AI education and skills development to prepare learners for an AI-enabled workforce.

Advance: Innovation & Research
Texas State University
Recognized for leadership in AI research.

Accelerate: Real-World Applications
Autonomize
Honored for translating AI innovation into scalable, real-world solutions.

Articulate: Responsible & Ethical AI
Kung Fu
Recognized for leadership in responsible AI practices, governance, and ethical deployment.

Individual Leadership Award
Steve Mudd, Talentless AI
Honored for sustained contributions to Austin’s AI ecosystem.

State of AI in Austin 2026 program highlights

The event featured discussions and presentations on topics including how AI is influencing economic development and the job market for Austinites, practical approaches to human-AI collaboration that enhance human expertise, and other AI transformation trends shaping Austin in 2026.

About the Austin AI Alliance

The Austin AI Alliance is a community-driven organization dedicated to fostering responsible AI innovation, workforce readiness, and cross-sector collaboration in Central Texas. Through research, public dialogue, and convenings like the State of AI in Austin, the Alliance works to ensure AI is applied in ways that benefit people, communities, and the regional economy across five objectives:

Advance AI capabilities through research, development, and techniques for use by Austin’s AI ecosystem of companies, universities, and workforce
Accelerate AI use and impact by companies, organizations, and professionals in Austin and beyond
Augment AI understanding, skills, and expertise of the current and future Austin workforce through education, training, and knowledge-sharing activities
Achieve positive social impact with AI projects benefiting people, communities, and society
Articulate policies for fair, responsible, and inclusive AI development and usage

For more information about the Austin AI Alliance or the State of AI in Austin, visit austin-ai.org.