AI Forum Americas 2026 - INST
About this Event
AI’s Next Frontier: Agents, Robots, and the Physical AI Economy
Having mastered language, AI is now moving into the physical world—from diagnosing disease and redesigning supply chains to defending nations and reimagining cities. As intelligence moves beyond the screen, mistakes are no longer simply wrong answers; they carry real-world consequences.
The Forum will bring together the builders, leaders, and thinkers preparing for this shift—and ask what role humans should play within it.
As a leading global business school, INSEAD is uniquely positioned to convene conversations about the relationship between human and machine intelligence and AI’s impact on people, businesses, and society.
The newly established Human and Machine Intelligence Institute (HUMII) advances this work through three areas:
Research: Supporting ambitious, thematic research programs focused on human and artificial intelligence.
Learning innovation: Providing resources for experimentation and new approaches to learning in the age of AI.
Impact: Translating knowledge into initiatives that enhance human capability, intelligence, and agency.
The INSEAD AI Forums 2026 series brings these conversations to communities around the world. The Americas edition will take place at the INSEAD San Francisco Hub for Business Innovation on September 18–19, 2026.
Ticket Information
September 18 — An alumni-led community day featuring practical workshops and discussions.
September 19 — AI Forum Americas, produced by INSEAD HUMII, featuring INSEAD faculty, industry leaders, alumni, and distinguished guests.
Save the dates and join us in San Francisco for two days of important conversations about the future of AI.
Please note that the schedule is subject to change.
DAY 1 - FRI, SEPT 18
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Leading the AI-driven customer experience
Info: Fireside Chat with Sierra CX.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Adopting AI at Enterprise
Info: Organization and AI: Exploring how Apple uses its 4-A Framework to structure and advance AI adoption.
🕑: 12:00 PM - 01:00 PM
Networking Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Thinking with Machines
Info: How LLMs are reshaping how people reason, work, and decide.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
Understanding AI Foundational Models
Info: A look at how AI models are built—from pre-training and post-training to designing evaluations and setting launch criteria. What tradeoffs shape the process, and which techniques are used throughout training?
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:15 PM
Coffee Break
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:15 PM
Bifurcation and Collaboration: Geopolitics and Physical AI
Info: How are the world’s innovation hubs responding differently to AI? This session explores shifting geopolitical dynamics, tighter knowledge security, regional approaches to Physical AI, and how automation is reshaping talent and work.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 04:15 PM - 05:15 PM
AI in Healthcare and Drug Discovery
Info: Agentic healthcare, drug development, medtech, surgical robotics and the practical limits of AI in scientific discovery.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 05:15 PM - 06:15 PM
AI in the Boardroom
Info: How boards should oversee AI strategy, adoption, risk, ethics and governance.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 06:15 PM - 08:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Info: An evening of conversation, cocktails, and community.
DAY 2 - SAT, SEPT 19
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:30 AM
Welcome and Opening Reception
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM
The R&D Pendulum: Corporate Power, Academia, and Data Sovereignty
Info: Innovation has shifted between corporate labs and universities for decades. As funding, compute, and data concentrate in industry, this session examines the impact on academic freedom, independent research, learning, privacy, and data sovereignty. Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Future of Learning: Organization Design & Implementation
Info: Mike Lee and Martin Gonzalez present frameworks for building AI-ready learning organizations from the ground up.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 11:30 AM - 01:30 PM
Networking Lunch
🕑: 01:30 PM - 02:30 PM
AI Sovereignty: Geopolitical Tension & Cohesion
Info: The Innovation Corridors panel examine how nations are competing — and cooperating — to impact the AI frontier.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Physical AI: Beyond Humanoid Robots
Info: Physical AI extends beyond humanoid robots to autonomous vehicles, industrial systems, surgical robots, drones, and defense—bringing AI into machines that perceive and act in the physical world.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 03:30 PM - 04:00 PM
Coffee Break
🕑: 04:00 PM - 04:30 PM
Featured Project Presentation
Info: Lily Fang and Soumitra Dutta share their groundbreaking project — a fresh perspective from the next generation of AI innovators.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 04:30 PM - 05:30 PM
Vivienne Ming: Decoding the Future of Work
Info: A signature keynote from one of the most original thinkers at the intersection of neuroscience, AI, and human potential, sharing her insights on how AI will reshape industries and redefine human potential, emphasizing inclusivity and innovation.
Schedule is subject to change.
🕑: 05:30 PM - 06:30 PM
Investing in AI beyond language into the real world
Info: How robotics is moving from research and experimentation into commercial deployment and large-scale investment. Where capital is moving, how investors evaluate AI companies and what separates durable businesses from hype.
🕑: 06:30 PM - 10:00 PM
AI Forum Closing Party: Celebrating Humans & Machines
Info: Join us for an evening of networking and celebration as we close out the conference—honoring the synergy between human ingenuity and artificial intelligence, with special live robotics demonstrations.
Schedule is subject to change.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 55.20
