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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
In the international competition to host the world’s leading conference on artificial intelligence, Bremen prevailed over significantly larger locations. The decisive factor was a comprehensive package rarely seen in this form: outstanding research, well-established transfer structures, and an AI strategy that was developed early and implemented consistently. From August 15 to 21, 2026, the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence – European Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI-ECAI) will bring several thousand AI experts from around the world to the Hanseatic city.
What sets Bremen apart is the close integration of its stakeholders. Within the U Bremen Research Alliance, the university collaborates across disciplines with 13 non-university research institutes. This collaboration is also reflected in key research areas – for example, AI-driven robotics, with applications ranging from underwater exploration and space technology to logistics and healthcare. At the same time, AI methods are being applied in digital medicine, industrial production, and climate research.
A key element of this success is the strong and consistent focus on knowledge and technology transfer. With the establishment of the Bremen AI Transfer Center, Digital Hub Industry, the state is deliberately creating structures to accelerate the transition from research to real-world application. To support this, dedicated physical spaces are being developed in both Bremen and Bremerhaven, including showrooms, experimental facilities, and event formats.
Economically, Bremen also offers ideal conditions for AI innovation. Established companies in aerospace, maritime industries, logistics, and wind energy meet a vibrant IT and startup ecosystem. Startups in fields such as autonomous robotics and digital diagnostics demonstrate how research can be translated into market-ready solutions.
Bremen’s growing international recognition as an AI hub was recently highlighted at an event on March 16, 2026, at the Representation of the State of Bremen to the European Union in Brussels. There, representatives from academia, government, and industry presented Bremen’s AI ecosystem and its integration into European initiatives.
“AI has reached the heart of society—thanks to decades of research and pioneering work. Bremen is making an international impact through its strong scientific foundation and its role as an AI hub. Research, transfer, and social responsibility come together at Bremen as a center of science. We look forward to welcoming European and international researchers to IJCAI-ECAI this summer,” says Karolina Kumar, State Secretary at the Senator for Environment, Climate, and Science.
“Bremen stands for short distances and close collaboration: from basic research and the development of human-centered AI systems and robotics to the AI transfer center driving knowledge and technology transfer, the structures are seamlessly interconnected. These strengths also impressed the reviewers of our bid to host IJCAI 2026 and provide ideal conditions for a diverse ‘Summer of AI’ program, which will take place from July to August alongside IJCAI in Bremen 2026,” explains Prof. Dr.-Ing. Tanja Schultz, Professor of Cognitive Systems at the University of Bremen and Chair of the Local Arrangements Committee.
Bremen’s AI strategy deliberately takes a holistic approach: in addition to research and industry, it also addresses societal issues—through formats for public dialogue, ethical guidelines, and applications for climate and resource protection. At the same time, the state is making targeted investments in education, new degree programs, and the recruitment of international talent.
“Bremen represents an approach to AI that translates research directly into practical applications—whether in robotics, industry, or medicine. A responsible integration of scientific depth and real-world implementation directly supports European goals for human-centered and trustworthy AI,” says Prof. Dr. Antonio Krüger, CEO of the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI).
With IJCAI-ECAI 2026, Bremen will bring these strengths to the global stage. In addition to the conference, a “Summer of AI” is planned to connect academia, industry, and society, making AI tangible and accessible.
Bremen demonstrates that what truly matters is not the size of a location, but the quality of collaboration—and the ability to translate research into concrete solutions for the major challenges of our time.
About the U Bremen Research Alliance
The U Bremen Research Alliance brings together the University of Bremen and thirteen non-university research institutions from all four major German science organizations—Fraunhofer Society, Helmholtz Association, Leibniz Association, and Max Planck Society—as well as the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Together, these partner institutions shape a coordinated space for research, infrastructure, and innovation—“from the deep sea to outer space.”
Contact
Local Press Office for IJCAI-ECAI 2026
The Local Press Office for IJCAI-ECAI 2026 coordinates all media and press activities related to the conference in Bremen. It is jointly operated by the U Bremen Research Alliance, the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI), and the German Informatics Society (GI), in collaboration with the Publicity Chairs Prof. Dr. Ralf Möller (University of Hamburg, German Informatics Society) and Prof. Dr. Rolf Drechsler (University of Bremen, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence).
Serving as the central point of contact for the media, the Press Office manages communications for IJCAI-ECAI 2026 and is available to journalists from Bremen and across Germany—starting now and throughout the conference—for all inquiries.
Media inquiries: press@2026.ijcai.org
https://www.ijcai.org Offizielle Website der International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence (IJCAI)
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