SINGAPORE — For the first time in its four-decade history, the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) Conference on Artificial Intelligence will be held outside of North America. The 40th edition is set to take place Jan. 20–27, 2026, at the Singapore EXPO, the country’s largest purpose-built MICE venue.
“After four decades of hosting our premier conference exclusively in North America, AAAI’s decision to bring AAAI-26 to Singapore represents a pivotal moment in the organization’s commitment to fostering truly global AI collaboration,” Meredith Ellison, DBA, CAE, Executive Director at AAAI, said. “This historic move reflects the rapidly evolving landscape of AI research, where Asia-Pacific has emerged as a critical hub of innovation and scholarly excellence. Singapore’s strategic position as a leading AI research center in Southeast Asia, combined with its world-class infrastructure and strong government support for artificial intelligence initiatives, made it an ideal choice for this milestone conference.”
This marks a major international step for the AAAI Conference, widely recognized as one of the premier gatherings in artificial intelligence. The event, which rotates cities annually, has previously been held in Washington, D.C. in 2023, Vancouver in 2024 and Philadelphia in 2025. Its 2026 debut in Asia underscores the growing global importance of AI and Singapore’s emergence as a strategic hub for innovation-driven business events.
“We’re honored to welcome the AAAI Conference to Singapore in 2026,” Eileen Lee, Senior Vice President, Americas, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), shared. “It’s a premier opportunity to showcase not only our nation’s long-term investment and ambitions in AI, but also our strengths as a world-class destination for meetings and events. Singapore’s innovative spirit makes it a launch pad for bold ideas — and a place business travelers return to with confidence and anticipation. We look forward to inspiring attendees both inside the conference and as they explore all that our city has to offer.”
Singapore, a Leader in AI
In July 2025, the STB and OpenAI signed a Memorandum of Understanding to advance Singapore’s tourism sector for a future driven by advanced AI. This marks the first adoption of OpenAI’s technology by a national tourism organization in Asia.
Backed by a $777.8-million national AI strategy, Singapore has launched initiatives to boost computer power, industry adoption and ethical AI frameworks. Major tech players, including Microsoft, AWS, Google and Nvidia, are partnering with the city-state to build integrated ecosystems, designed for faster-moving industries and business events that demand real-time relevance.
In addition, Singapore recently ranked third overall on the Global AI Index. The Index evaluates AI capacity across three pillars: implementation, innovation and investment. It ranked first in intensity which is AI capacity relative to population or economy.
The country is also quickly becoming a magnet for global AI conferences. In addition to AAAI-26, ICLR 2025 (International Conference on Learning Representations) and Super AI 2026 are slated to be held in Singapore.
Related. The Lion City Roars: Singapore’s MICE Industry Thrives with Ideal Market Conditions
The AAAI Conference will be held at the Singapore EXPO, which has over 1 million square feet of column-free indoor space across 10 halls, along with an integrated convention and meeting space at MAX Atria. Its tech-forward infrastructure and proximity to Changi Airport make it a strategic choice for large-scale, high-tech conferences and trade shows.
Also, Singapore EXPO is a pioneer awardee of the platinum certification under the MICE Sustainability Certification (MSC) framework developed by the Singapore Association of Convention & Exhibition Organisers and Suppliers. The MSC rewards excellence in event sustainability across environmental, social and governance pillars.
AAAI-26 is expected to draw thousands of global researchers, developers, policymakers and industry leaders, making it not just a celebration of four decades of AI progress, but a preview of what’s next in intelligent systems.
The 2025 edition in Philadelphia included 6,289 registrants, 3,118 posters, 42 technical demos and 26 sponsors and exhibiting organizations.
Reach Meredith Ellison at ellison@aaai.org
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Photo Credit: Singapore Tourism Board
