Japan’s Largest AI Academic Event, 'The 40th Annual Conference of the JSAI (JSAI2026),' to be Held Starting June 8

The Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence (JSAI) will hold 'The 40th Annual Conference of the JSAI (JSAI2026)' from June 8 to June 12 at G-Messe Gunma and online.

Founded in July 1986, the JSAI aims to promote interdisciplinary academic research on artificial intelligence, contribute to the progress and development of AI-related academia and industry in Japan, and foster international contributions to the field.

With approximately 6,000 members, the society covers a wide range of themes, from foundational aspects like AI theory and knowledge information processing to applications in speech interaction, multimedia processing, Web intelligence, and bioinformatics.

The JSAI Annual Conference is one of Japan's largest AI academic events. Following the recent generative AI boom, participants represent diverse backgrounds, including researchers, corporate professionals, and students. The previous conference in Osaka drew approximately 5,000 attendees, with about 4,000 participating on-site.

JSAI2026 will feature a keynote address by Professor Jiro Kokuryo, Professor Emeritus at Keio University, and a special lecture by Daisuke Okanohara, Co-founder and President of Preferred Networks. The conference will also include general, organized, and international sessions, along with corporate exhibitions, luncheon seminars, and networking events designed to build new connections across sectors.

Furthermore, to mark the society’s 40th anniversary, the conference will hold special discussion and interview programs on the theme of 'The Future of AI in Japan' and 'Challenges,' featuring leaders from academia, research support, and industry. Planned discussions include a panel with leaders from Tokyo Institute of Science, Waseda University, the University of Tokyo, and Keio University; interviews with top officials from NICT, JST, JSPS, and NEDO; and discussions based on video interviews with top executives from Omron, Sony, Honda, and KDDI. On June 10, the society will hold its 40th-anniversary ceremony and present its recommendations for the future.

JSAI2026 is an annual venue for researchers, engineers, students, and business professionals involved in AI to meet, learn, and discuss across disciplines. We invite you to join us at this milestone 40th-anniversary conference, either on-site in Gunma or online.

Comment from JSAI President Satoshi Kurihara:

'June is fast approaching. From the moment I began my journey as a researcher, the JSAI has been an important place for me—not only for research discussions but also for significant stimulation. Now that I have been appointed as president, I have been working with fellow board members on initiatives to revitalize the society. This annual conference in Takasaki is a milestone celebration of our 40th anniversary. We have packed it with various programs and have launched several new challenges to further propel the JSAI forward. I hope you will feel this momentum on-site, and that this conference serves as a turning point for us to all boost Japanese AI research together and demonstrate a solid presence in the global AI landscape.'