The Information Professionals Association hosted Pinnacle 2026 on February 9–10, 2026, in Reston, VA, convening senior leaders, practitioners, and innovators shaping the future of cognitive security and information advantage. Presented in partnership with Carahsoft, The Cipher Brief, and the National Center for Narrative Intelligence, the conference united government, industry, academia, and international partners at a time of intensifying gray-zone competition and the rapid convergence of influence, technology, and national resilience.

This year’s event was further strengthened by the endorsement and participation of the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), underscoring the strategic importance of cognitive advantage and integrated influence capabilities for national defense and whole-of-nation resilience. NSC engagement reinforced Pinnacle’s role as a premier forum for policy-relevant dialogue and cross-sector collaboration.

Pinnacle examined how emerging technologies, narrative ecosystems, and integrated cyber and information capabilities are reshaping strategic competition. Through keynotes, expert discussions, and both classified and unclassified sessions, participants explored the operational, institutional, and societal dimensions of cognitive security.