Rochester AI and Marketing Expert Ken Collins Returns to Syracuse University's AI Creative Summit for Second Year

Ken Collins - Director of Research and Development

Ai Creative Summit 2026

Ken Collins selected to AI Expert Panel for AI Creative Summit at Syracuse University's Newhouse School Nov. 2025

Veteran software developer and digital marketing expert returns to present, mentor and judge in Syracuse University's AI Product Design and Development track.

SYRACUSE, NY, UNITED STATES, October 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Rochester-area artificial intelligence expert, digital marketing strategist and software developer Ken Collins has been selected to return to Syracuse University's AI Creative Summit for a second consecutive year. The event, hosted by the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications, will take place November 13–14, 2026.

Collins, Director of Research and Development at YPC Media, will return as a presenter, mentor, panelist and judge, this year contributing to the summit's Product Design and Development track. Drawing on more than 25 years of software and web development experience, he will help students explore how artificial intelligence is changing the process of designing, developing and launching software applications.

At the 2025 summit, Collins presented on AI video creation, demonstrating how emerging generative AI technologies were transforming creative production. This year's focus shifts to another area of his expertise: software development and the growing role of AI in building functional digital products.

"Last year we explored how AI was changing creative production. This year, I'm excited to show students how it's changing software development," said Collins. "The ability to take an idea and turn it into a working application with AI is opening doors for people who may never have considered building software."

From Creative Production to Product Development

The 2026 AI Creative Summit expands its educational programming into two tracks, bringing together students interested in AI-generated media and those interested in product design, application development and technology entrepreneurship.

Collins will contribute to the development track, sharing insights from his career in software engineering, web development and marketing technology. The programming introduces students to AI-assisted design and development workflows, including the creation of working software prototypes.

As Director of Research and Development at YPC Media, Collins has spent decades building and managing web-based platforms, developing software solutions and integrating emerging technologies into digital marketing operations.

His work increasingly focuses on the intersection of artificial intelligence, software development and digital marketing, including AI-powered automation, search technologies and tools that help businesses become more visible across traditional search engines and emerging AI platforms.

"AI is changing who can build software and how quickly it can be developed," Collins said. "But there's still tremendous value in understanding the fundamentals of software engineering. AI can accelerate development, while experience helps turn those early prototypes into practical, reliable solutions."

Mentoring Students in the AI Creative Challenge

Beyond his presentation and panel participation, Collins will mentor students during the summit's AI Creative Challenge, a hackathon-style competition taking place Saturday, November 14.

Student teams will apply what they learned during the preceding workshops to develop original AI-assisted projects. Mentors from creative and technical disciplines will provide guidance as students work through challenges, refine ideas and prepare their projects for final evaluation.

Collins will also serve as a judge, helping evaluate student work alongside other industry professionals.

His return follows a successful inaugural summit in 2025, where he was among the industry experts helping students explore AI as a creative and collaborative tool. Syracuse University subsequently featured Collins in its coverage of the event.

Who is Ken Collins?

Ken Collins is a Rochester-area AI expert, digital marketing strategist, martech leader and software developer with more than 25 years of experience in software engineering, web development and emerging technologies. He is Director of Research and Development at YPC Media and founder of ezad.com, an AI-powered digital advertising platform.

His expertise spans artificial intelligence, AI-assisted software development, search engine optimization (SEO), generative engine optimization (GEO), answer engine optimization (AEO), marketing automation and digital technology strategy.

What is the AI Creative Summit?

The AI Creative Summit is a two-day educational event hosted at Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. The November 13–14, 2026 summit will feature workshops, industry panels and a collaborative AI Creative Challenge across creative production and product development disciplines. Sponsored by Coca-Cola, Adobe, OpenAI and the Newhouse Office of Community, Culture and Engagement.

Additional event information is available at https://events.syracuse.edu/event/the-ai-creative-summit.

Ken Collins
YPC Media
+1 585-410-6638
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