The Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM) at the National University of Singapore and the renowned Acceleration Consortium at the University of Toronto are proud to announce a joint conference — AI4X – Accelerate Conference 2026 — to be held in Singapore, 15 – 19 June 2026.
Following the successful inaugural AI4X 2025 Conference organised by I-FIM and the 4th Accelerate Conference organised by the Acceleration Consortium, the two powerhouses are combining efforts to jointly present the 2026 meeting with a more ambitious scientific programme — showcasing the very latest global ideas and research findings, and reaching students, researchers, industry, government, and thought leaders worldwide.
In recent years, the field of AI, machine learning, and self-driving labs has advanced at a breathtaking pace. The power of AI greatly enhances the efficiency and speed of research. The ability of scientists to merge human creativity and rigour with the computational power and tools of AI has led to an unprecedented acceleration of discovery.
The four-day conference will bring together over 800 participants and an exceptional panel of invited speakers from diverse disciplines who will share their perspectives on Science with AI and their visions for the future. A one-day tutorial track will feature hands-on workshops on practical, state-of-the-art methods. Industry leaders and companies that use or develop AI for Science and R&D will also participate and share their knowledge, products, and services.
About the Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM)
The Institute for Functional Intelligent Materials (I-FIM) was established in 2021 at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Funded by $100 million from Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) and $100 million from NUS, the Institute is home to a team of 18 resident academic investigators and their groups, working towards the goal of creating a library of designer materials — and developing systematic ways to describe them mathematically — as the building blocks of FIMs. Using machine learning and robotics, the FIMs will be designed and synthesised with smart applications in mind. These applications could range from neuromorphic computers, to machine vision, smart membranes, smart catalysts, artificial tissues, and more.
About the Acceleration Consortium (AC)
Based at the University of Toronto (U of T), the Acceleration Consortium (AC) is a global community of academia, industry, and government that is accelerating the discovery of materials and molecules needed for a sustainable future.
AC builds self-driving labs (SDLs) that use AI and automation to reduce the time and cost of bringing materials to market — such as sorbents to capture CO2 from the atmosphere, membranes to filter water, and molecules to treat cancer and antimicrobial-resistant disease. AC is also committed to evaluating the economic, environmental, and social dimensions of discovery, learning from Indigenous and community experts to guide our materials and technologies toward the benefit of society and the planet.
Supported by a $200 million investment from the Canada First Research Excellence Fund (CFREF), AC is building a world-leading centre for materials research and innovation. This includes six new SDLs at U of T and a scale-up lab at the University of British Columbia, led by over 35 research scientists and a cohort of more than 60 academic, industry, and government partners.
Singapore–Canada Alliance
AI4X – Accelerate Conference 2026 is organised in partnership with the National Research Foundation Singapore (NRF). The Singapore–Canada alliance reflects the growing importance of AI and materials design in global research and sets the stage for a continuing series of annual conferences dedicated to this theme.
