UB to host national artificial intelligence leaders this June

National leaders in higher education, industry and policy will converge in Buffalo this June to shape the future of how artificial intelligence is employed to address society’s most pressing challenges.

The landmark gathering — Inside Higher Education’s US AI Summit 2026 — will be held June 3-4 at UB’s Downtown Campus.

It will bring several thought leaders and speakers — including UB faculty experts in computer science, medicine and other fields — together with attendees from more than 100 universities and organizations. They will discuss how they are unleashing AI’s incredible potential to improve health care, education, the environment and other areas.

“There is no clear agenda for public AI, for what we as a society want AI to do for the public good,” says Jeff Grabill, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “We look forward to hosting an event focused on the role of the university in advancing trustworthy and responsible AI for the public good.”

Co-organized by Times Higher Education, the summit will position AI as a shared societal resource and responsibility to be treated as public infrastructure. Attendees will explore how the technology can be harnessed in ways that are democratic, responsible and equitable. Through high-level panels, applied case studies and collaborative discussions, attendees will examine how AI can expand economic opportunities, and enhance human creativity and problem-solving.

Attendees also will discuss the governance frameworks, cross-sector partnerships and practical decisions required to advance trustworthy and responsible AI.

Early registration is open now through April 10. UB employees and students can use the code UB-20 for a 20% discount on registration fees. The full agenda and list of speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

The event comes as UB continues to build upon its decades of leadership in AI, data science and related fields.

In recent years, UB was awarded a $20 million grant to establish the National AI Institute for Exceptional Education, which is creating AI-based solutions for children who require, but may not be receiving, timely and effective speech and language therapies. UB also received a $10 million award to establish the Center for Early Literacy and Responsible AI, which is harnessing AI to transform early literacy instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.

UB was also selected as the home of Empire AI, a newly formed statewide research consortium that is backed by more than $500 million with the goal of leveraging AI to solve societal problems. UB researchers are already utilizing its supercomputer to help people with motor neuron diseases such as ALS speak more effectively, speed up the discovery of new drugs to treat serious disease and improve medical imaging and surgical outcomes.

“UB is known worldwide for its decades of leadership in artificial intelligence. This legacy of innovation continues today, with UB researchers developing AI-driven solutions for personalized medicine and deepfake detection to designing new materials for microelectronics and clean energy technologies, as well as education solutions that support children with language and communication challenges,” says Venu Govindaraju, senior vice president for research, innovation and economic development.

UB’s international leadership in AI, Govindaraju says, makes the university an ideal host for the summit.

Representatives from Academic Affairs, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Division of University Communications, the Office of Research, Innovation and Economic Development, and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences are serving on the team organizing the summit.