INSEAD 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
🕑: 09:00 AM - 09:45 AM
Registration
🕑: 09:45 AM - 10:00 AM
Opening Remarks and launch of the INSEAD Future Council
Host: Vic Woo
🕑: 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Forefront of AI- Drug Discovery
Host: Amaka Uzoh
Info: Fireside Chat.
🕑: 11:00 AM - 11:45 AM
Automation and Augmentation - Designing the Future of Work
Host: Josh Cohen
Info: Organization and AI: Exploring how Apple uses its 4-A Framework to structure and advance AI adoption.
🕑: 11:45 AM - 01:00 PM
Networking Lunch
🕑: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Thinking with Machines
Host: Ruchi Soparkar - Moderator
Info: How LLMs are reshaping how people reason, work, and decide.
What it means for humans, for business and for the world when the machine becomes a thinking partner
🕑: 02:00 PM - 03:00 PM
The Innovation Pendulum
Host: Heinz Blennemann
Info: IFC investigates resources for research and development is shared between academia and corporate innovation labs. Speakers to be announced.
🕑: 03:00 PM - 03:15 PM
Coffee Break
🕑: 03:15 PM - 04:15 PM
Bifurcation and Collaboration: Geopolitics and Physical AI
Host: Jing Liao - Moderator
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
Host: Sabeen Shaikh - Moderator
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
Board AI Governance: Power Steering, Not a Brake
Host: Robert Maciejko - Moderator
Info: The company has become AI-first. The boardroom has not. What boards should actually do about it, and how to show they did.
🕑: 06:15 PM - 08:00 PM
Welcome Reception
Info: An evening of conversation, cocktails, and community.
DAY 2 - SAT, SEPT 19
🕑: 08:30 AM - 09:30 AM
Registration
🕑: 09:15 AM - 09:30 AM
Opening Remarks and Introduction to INSEAD Future Council
Host: Vic Woo
🕑: 09:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Future of Learning & Research
Host: Heinz Blennemann - Moderator
Info: A special fireside chat with Yossi Matias, Head of Google Research.
🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Future of Learning: Organization Design & Implementation
Host: Mike Lee - Moderator
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
The Model Isn't the System: The Design of AI Workflow
Host: Xinyu Liang
Info: Xinyu Liang - Assistant Professor of Technology & Operations Management, INSEAD
🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PM
Physical AI: Beyond Humanoid Robots
Host: Vidya Sarma
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
Project Cyborg Presentation
Host: Lily Fang
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
Host: Vivienne Ming
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 - 06:00 PM
Live Demo: AI in Motion - Autonomous Delivery with Robot.com
Info: See physical AI in action with a live demonstration from Robot.com. Attendees will get an up-close look at an autonomous delivery robot and explore how AI, robotics, and real-world autonomy are moving beyond the screen and into everyday environments.
🕑: 06:30 PM - 09:30 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. MUST PURCHASE SEPARATE TICKETS
Schedule is subject to change.
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 55.20
