ICC Belfast becomes new home to Ireland's largest AI Conference

AICON is back, and this year it’s looking at how artificial intelligence agents are making key decisions, and reshaping how organisations operate

Now entering its eighth year, AICON will return as Ireland’s premier AI conference at its new home in ICC Belfast, bringing together industry leaders for its most ambitious programme and widest-ranging discussions to date.

Artificial intelligence has reached a turning point. The challenge is no longer proving it works, it is making it work at scale, in production and with accountability. This year, AICON will unite Ireland's most influential AI leaders to confront those questions head on.

Curated by Kainos, AICON Belfast 2026 will return on Wednesday the 23 September for a bigger and better showcase of local and international technological dialogue. This year’s theme is ‘From Possible to Proven: Agents at Work’, which will put the focus on how agents do not just assist but act, making decisions, orchestrating workflows, and reshaping how organisations operate.

The conference will once again feature its signature ‘twin-track’ format, with two programmes running in parallel: AI Delivered and AI Frontiers.

The AI Delivered track focuses on organisations that have successfully embedded AI into their core operations. It highlights real-world experiences of scaling AI - covering challenges, organisational change, governance, and measurable results.

Beyond efficiency, it explores how AI enables new products, services, and ways of working, and what distinguishes companies that succeed. It also emphasises honest discussions about ROI, evidence of value, and lessons learned, including what didn’t work.

AI Frontiers will focus on challenging assumptions and expanding horizons on the next wave of AI. Agentic AI systems sit at the boundary between promise and risk, with wider conversations around security, implementation and autonomy coming to the forefront of industry conversations.

This track will provide a space to explore these tensions honestly and allow attendees to focus on evidence and capabilities, rather than distant futures.

AICON will bring these perspectives together on a global scale, drawing on innovation and expertise which will determine outcomes over the next several years.

Speaking ahead of the conference Gareth Workman, Chief AI Officer at Kainos said:

"Artificial intelligence is now reshaping every sector, and with it the conversations businesses, policymakers and society need to have. AICON has grown year on year into Ireland's leading forum for exactly those conversations."

This year the question has moved on. It's no longer whether AI works, but what it takes to make it work at scale, in production, and with the accountability that boards and customers now expect. That shift, from what's possible to what's proven, is what AICON exists to explore.

Our focus this year is agentic AI, systems that don't just assist, but act. That brings real opportunity, but also hard questions about integration, security and who owns the outcome when things go wrong. AICON brings practitioners together to talk honestly about both: the outcomes they've delivered and the lessons learned getting there. I'm looking forward to welcoming our broadest audience yet to ICC Belfast."

Connla McCann, Director of Aisling Events added:

“Over the past number of years, we have had the privilege of helping to grow the AICON community not only in Belfast with AICON After Hours, but internationally through events in Silicon Valley and Nova Scotia."

The move to ICC Belfast marks an exciting milestone in the conference's journey. It provides the scale and flexibility needed to accommodate growing interest from delegates, speakers and partners from around the world, while allowing us to enhance the overall attendee experience. 

"We are looking forward to welcoming our biggest and most diverse audience yet for what promises to be a truly outstanding event.”

Ross Moffett, Sales Director, ICC Belfast said:

"Becoming the new home of AICON, the leading AI conference on the island of Ireland, is a significant milestone for ICC Belfast. We are excited to welcome the conference in September 2026, which will be the inaugural event of a three year series in the city."

"Northern Ireland has established itself as one of the UK and Ireland's fastest-growing technology hubs, with internationally recognised strengths in cybersecurity, fintech, software development, artificial intelligence and digital innovation."

"ICC Belfast plays a vital role in this ecosystem, providing a world-class platform that connects global technology leaders with local expertise."

By hosting industry-leading events like this, the venue facilitates knowledge sharing, collaboration and inward investment, supporting the continued growth of the sector while reinforcing Belfast's position as a premier destination for technology conferences and business events.

AICON is curated by Kainos, and supported by Matrix, Allstate, Danske Bank, Options Technology and the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre (AICC).

For further information or registration details, please visit: https://ai-con.ai/