Brand Engagement Network (NASDAQ: BNAI) Co-Founder and AI Pioneer Dr. Patrick Nunally Invited to Speak at the Vatican on AI and the Human Spirit

Dr. Nunally, who holds more than 160 patents, joins a three-speaker international discussion responding to Pope Leo XIV's encyclical on artificial intelligence

WILMINGTON, Del., Oct. 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Brand Engagement Network, Inc. ("BEN") (NASDAQ: BNAI) today announced that its Co-Founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Patrick Nunally, will be a featured speaker at "Artificial Intelligence & the Human Spirit," a discussion in Vatican City on Friday, Nov. 20, 2026, at 2:30 p.m.  The conversation will explore faith, technology, and Pope Leo XIV's reflections on artificial intelligence in his first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas.

Dr. Nunally will appear alongside Jonathan Pageau, an Orthodox thinker, artist, and commentator, and Dr. Hank Wuh, a surgeon, inventor, investor, and World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer. Robert Moynihan, founder and editor-in-chief of Inside the Vatican magazine, extended the invitation. The 2:30 p.m. discussion will culminate three days of gatherings in Rome, November 18 to 20, bringing together AI pioneers, entrepreneurs, and thinkers from around the world. International media are expected to attend.

"When I began advancing neural networks 45 years ago, machines capable of learning were still considered by many to be the stuff of science fiction," said Dr. Nunally. "The work of a small group of pioneers is now reshaping civilization. The greatest question of our time is no longer what machines can learn, but what humanity must never forget. Artificial intelligence may transform what we can do, but it must never diminish who we are."

The Science Behind BEN

Dr. Nunally co-founded BEN in 2018. The company now holds an extensive portfolio of foundational patents spanning how its AI listens, understands, and acts—including speech and audio processing, computer vision, intent and sentiment analysis, AI avatars, security and privacy, and the orchestration that brings these capabilities together.

That work speaks to a central question in the Rome discussion: how to keep a qualified human accountable when AI is involved. Built on its team's pioneering machine-intelligence research, BEN's patents advance AI beyond understanding words to recognizing intent, emotion, behavior, and context, and include technology that brings a credentialed professional, such as a clinician or counselor, into an AI conversation when a person is needed.

"Investors often ask what sets BEN apart from companies that build on someone else's model. Part of the answer is visionaries like Dr. Nunally," said Tyler Luck, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of BEN. "Our technology rests on more than four decades of research and our patent portfolio. While this invitation to the Vatican is a well-deserved honor for Dr. Nunally, it also reflects the depth of thought behind everything we build."

Dr. Nunally is available for interviews in Rome Nov.18-20 and by video. Interview requests can be sent to Amy Rouyer at [email protected] or to [email protected].

About Dr. Patrick Nunally

Dr. Nunally has spent more than 45 years teaching machines to listen, recognize, and learn, working across artificial intelligence, neural networks, and signal processing. In the early 1990s, he pioneered technology that became the foundation of Arbitron and Nielsen's radio ratings systems, transforming how America measures and understands listening behavior. That achievement helped shape an enduring conviction: the greatest technological breakthroughs come not simply from making machines more intelligent, but from enabling them to better understand human behavior. More than three decades later, that same vision continues to drive his work in artificial intelligence, creating machines that understand and serve humanity.

He has been honored by IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu (IEEE-HKN) and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Beyond BEN, Dr. Nunally has founded or co-founded numerous companies, including Raise a Hood, Nethercomm Inc., ChargeCast Corp., BTT Corp., Wave Systems, PlayNet Inc., Gruppe Telekom, Intellisys Automation, and e-Metrics. He is also the co-founder of nTelesys, serves on several boards advising companies on AI strategy, and is a professor of electrical engineering and an international speaker on AI and next-generation technologies.

About Brand Engagement Network

Brand Engagement Network, Inc. ("BEN") is The Engagement AI Company. BEN builds secure, enterprise-grade artificial intelligence for the engagement layer of AI, where human intent is transformed into intelligent interactions, automated workflows, and real-world outcomes. Powered by BEN's proprietary Engagement Language Model (ELM™), BEN's technology enables conversational AI interactions that connect human intent to organizational data, workflows, and real-world outcomes. BEN's AI operates within secure closed-loop environments using approved organizational data and built-in governance and compliance controls. In June 2026, BEN acquired Cataneo GmbH, whose enterprise advertising software supports more than 1,000 media brands and 200+ channels globally. Let's start a conversation: visit www.brandengagementnetwork.com.

Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements regarding BEN's technology, intellectual property, business strategy and Dr. Nunally's participation in the event described. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including BEN's ability to develop and commercialize its technology, protect its intellectual property, compete effectively and maintain adequate capital; changes to the timing, format or occurrence of the event; and other risks described in BEN's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these statements, which speak only as of the date made. BEN undertakes no obligation to update them, except as required by law.

BEN Contacts:
Media: Amy Rouyer, [email protected] or [email protected]
Investor Relations: [email protected]

SOURCE Brand Engagement Network, Inc. (BEN)