ASNT Convenes Industry Executives at Inaugural Thought Leaders Summit

(Columbus, Ohio) The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) recently convened senior executives from across the nondestructive testing (NDT) ecosystem for its inaugural ASNT Thought Leaders Summit, held in Miami, Florida. The invite-only gathering brought together leaders from organizations that use and supply NDT products and services for candid discussions on workforce disruption, artificial intelligence, and economic uncertainty.

Designed as a facilitated executive convening rather than a traditional technical conference, the Summit focused on peer-level dialogue and strategic insight. Discussions were conducted under Chatham House Rules, creating a trusted, non-competitive environment that encouraged open exchange on shared challenges facing the industry.

“The goal was not to arrive at immediate solutions, but to create space for meaningful conversation among leaders navigating these issues in real time,” said Neal Couture, CEO of ASNT. “The discussions reinforced how critical it is to stay ahead of workforce sustainability concerns, emerging technologies, and broader economic pressures impacting NDT.”

Key themes included the effects of demographic shifts and workforce availability on inspection capacity and infrastructure integrity, the evolving role of artificial intelligence in inspection reliability and decision-making, and how economic volatility is influencing capital investment and long-term planning.

Participants noted the value of engaging with peers outside of traditional commercial settings and highlighted ASNT’s role as a neutral convener for industry-wide executive dialogue.

The Thought Leaders Summit represents a new engagement model for ASNT, complementing its established leadership in certification, standards, and technical education. ASNT plans to build on insights from the inaugural Summit as it continues to expand executive engagement and thought leadership initiatives in support of advancing the science and practice of nondestructive testing.

About ASNT 

ASNT is the association for nondestructive testing (NDT) professionals committed to making the world a safer place. NDT professionals detect irregularities, flaws, and defects in materials, components, and structures that could compromise the safety, reliability, or functionality of an object or structure. Established in 1941, ASNT supports members with certifications, professional development, industry insights, advocacy, events, publications, and networking opportunities and is focused on fostering the growth of future generations of NDT professionals through the ASNT Foundation. Serving more than 22 000 members and certificate holders worldwide, ASNT is the largest technical society for NDT professionals. ASNT is based in Columbus, Ohio, with offices in Houston, Texas, Washington, DC, and Chennai, India. 

Media Contact: 

Garra Liming 

Director, Public Relations & Government Affairs 

The American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) 

614-274-6003; gliming@asnt.org