The AI Conference 2026
The AI Conference is an independent, founder-led AI event held at Pier 48 in San Francisco. The 2026 edition is the third major iteration.
Presented by
Tuesday, September 29 – Thursday, October 1, 2026
3-day independent AI conference
Pier 48
Pier 48, San Francisco, CA 94158
Who attends
Founders · researchers · applied AI engineers · executives
About this event
The AI Conference — what to expect
The AI Conference is an independent, founder-led AI event held at Pier 48 in San Francisco. The 2026 edition is the third major iteration.
Programming spans foundation models, applied AI, AI safety, and the business of AI. Speakers are typically drawn from frontier labs, AI-native companies, and applied AI teams inside larger orgs.
Smaller and more curated than the giant industry conferences. Higher signal per session, less expo floor noise.
Why it matters for Robot.com
Three reasons to track this event
-
Frontier research meets applied AI
The conference balances research-track speakers from frontier labs with applied AI practitioners. Useful blend for robotics teams that need to track both.
-
AI safety content is more rigorous
AI safety sessions are more technical and less PR-flavored than at larger events. Relevant for robotics teams thinking about safety, evaluation, and red-teaming.
-
Founder networking density
Founder-led event with strong founder/exec attendance. Useful room for partnerships and recruiting senior AI talent.
How to work the show
A playbook for the team on the ground
- Attend the applied AI and evals tracks first.
- Use the smaller size to meet 3-5 frontier lab researchers in person.
- Host an off-site dinner — the curated audience is well-suited to small operator gatherings.
Robot.com fit
Where this event maps to the product family
Direct fit
Applied AI patterns for R-kiwi customer service, REMI copilots, and internal AI tooling.
Adjacent fit
Recruiting pipeline for senior applied AI engineers and researchers considering robotics.