Scale Computing™ to Present at Conexxus Annual Conference on How AI is Reshaping PCI DSS Scope in Convenience Retail

AUSTIN, Texas, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Scale Computing, the leader in edge computing and network solutions, today announced its participation in Conexxus, the annual conference dedicated to technology standards, data security, and innovation across the convenience retail ecosystem, taking place January 25–29 in Arlington, Texas. Scale Computing's participation underscores its commitment to helping retailers modernize securely at the edge, enabling resilient, compliant infrastructure across thousands of distributed locations.

During the session, "Lessons From the Field: How AI Changes PCI DSS Scope in Convenience Retail," Phil Stead, vice president of sales for Scale Computing, will explore how artificial intelligence is reshaping PCI DSS scoping across convenience retail environments—from in-store systems and edge infrastructure to interconnected operational domains. The session will take place January 26 at 11:30am on the main stage of the conference.

As AI increasingly becomes embedded in day-to-day retail operations, Stead will draw on his extensive security background to address the critical questions retailers must ask when integrating AI into mission-critical systems. Among the topics highlighted will be key considerations around requirements gathering, architectural design, and threat modeling to help retailers manage risk while accelerating their AI journeys.

"As AI becomes more embedded in retail operations across infrastructure, applications and endpoints, it fundamentally changes how organizations must think about security boundaries and compliance scope," said Stead. "This session is designed to help retailers understand what's changing, what to watch for, the new attack vectors and how to adopt AI without increasing risk or compliance burden."

Stead will be joined by Justin Mitchell, chief technology officer at Refuel, who will share real-world insights on deploying AI at scale. Mitchell will discuss how Refuel has integrated AI into its operations, the tangible impacts it has delivered in terms of efficiency and security, and practical lessons learned that other retailers can apply as they modernize their environments.

Stead serves as Chair of the Conexxus Data Security Committee and holds multiple security and compliance certifications, including CISSP, CISM, PCI-QIR, and PCIP.

About the Conexxus Annual Conference

The Conexxus Annual Conference brings together leaders from across the convenience and fuel retail industry to collaborate on technology standards, data security, and operational best practices. The event features expert-led sessions, peer discussions, and real-world case studies designed to help retailers securely scale innovation across highly distributed environments.

For more information about the event, visit: https://www.conexxus.org/events/2026-conexxus-annual-conference.

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About Scale Computing
Scale Computing is the industry's largest edge-first platform company, uniquely positioned to power the AI-driven future of distributed enterprises. Providing edge computing, managed network security, re-virtualization and hyperconverged solutions, Scale Computing delivers an integrated infrastructure that adapts and scales from one to 50,000 locations. Thousands of organizations around the world rely on Scale Computing to power critical applications with unparalleled ease. Learn more at www.scalecomputing.com.

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