From Demo to Deployment: Why Most AI Projects Never Make It to Reality

Lessons from building real AI systems that survive beyond the hackathon.

AI projects often shine in demos or hackathons, but most fail to survive the messy realities of real-world deployment. In this talk, I’ll share insights from building agentic AI systems that actually work beyond proof-of-concept. We’ll explore where AI projects typically break: data pipelines, infrastructure, human workflows, and deployment processes. More importantly, I’ll present a framework for designing AI systems that endure, including modular pipelines, human-in-the-loop design, and practical monitoring strategies. Attendees will leave with actionable lessons on bridging the gap between flashy demos and reliable, production-ready AI solutions. This session is targeted at developers, product builders, and anyone curious about what it really takes to make AI projects work in practice.

• Intermediate
• Startups
• AI/ML
• Product