The Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) organization has officially announced its 2026 affinity events, expanding across three global hubs: Sydney, Australia; Paris, France; and Atlanta, United States. Scheduled for December 2026, these community-driven workshops and socials aim to promote diversity, inclusion, and representation within the artificial intelligence and machine learning research community.
The Bottom Line
- Global Footprint: Events take place across three international venues—the main conference in Sydney, alongside official satellite events in Paris and Atlanta.
- New Additions: The inaugural “Africa in AI” affinity workshop joins the lineup in Atlanta on December 9th, focusing on sustainable development and resource-efficient solutions.
- Accessibility: NeurIPS is providing streaming support for all in-person affinity group components to maximize global participation.
Expanding Global Reach Across Three Continents for NeurIPS 2026
Responding to this imperative, Celia Cintas, Harshita Sahni, Sarthak Arora, and Yachna Sharma have detailed the slate of affinity events for the 2026 conference cycle. The main conference will take place in Sydney, Australia, running from Sunday, December 6th, to Saturday, December 12th, 2026.
Complementing the main Australian venue, official satellite events are scheduled across international time zones. Paris, France will host events from Wednesday, December 9th, to Sunday, December 13th, while Atlanta, Georgia will run its satellite programming from Tuesday, December 9th, to Sunday, December 13th. By decentralizing physical presence and offering strong streaming support for all in-person components, the organization aims to bridge geographical divides that traditionally lock out underrepresented voices.
Building Resilient Research Networks Through Specialized Workshops
Unlike standard technical paper sessions, affinity group workshops utilize a flexible format tailored toward community building and addressing the structural challenges faced by specific demographic and geographic groups. These sessions provide dedicated forums for researchers to showcase their work, build mentorship pipelines, and debate policies unique to their communities.
A notable addition to the 2026 schedule is the debut of the Africa in AI Affinity Workshop, slated for the Atlanta venue on December 9th. This inaugural session creates a dedicated platform for practitioners, industry partners, and policymakers working at the intersection of machine learning and sustainable development in Africa. Discussions will center around overcoming shared constraints—such as limited local compute infrastructure, funding gaps, and institutional capacity—while advancing trustworthy, resource-efficient AI models tailored to regional priorities like climate resilience and public health.
Operating alongside these regional initiatives, the GlobalSouthAI affinity event continues its mission to unite researchers facing severe resource limitations in compute, data access, and research mobility. Despite structural disadvantages, these scholars frequently pioneer efficient and reliable machine learning methodologies. The GlobalSouthAI programming establishes a sustained platform for technical exchange and mentorship, strengthening collaboration between researchers across the Global South and Global North.
A Quick Look at the NeurIPS 2026 Global Hubs
| Venue Location | Event Dates | Key Focus Areas |
|---|---|---|
| Sydney, Australia | Dec 6 – Dec 12, 2026 | Main conference venue hosting core affinity workshops and networking socials. |
| Paris, France | Dec 9 – Dec 13, 2026 | Official European satellite hub facilitating regional inclusion and community dialogue. |
| Atlanta, United States | Dec 9 – Dec 13, 2026 | North American satellite hub featuring the inaugural Africa in AI workshop on Dec 9. |
How the AI Community Can Support Inclusion Goals
Organizers emphasize that the success of these affinity groups depends heavily on active engagement from the broader conference attendance. Attendees are strongly encouraged to participate in panel discussions, attend social hours, and engage with research presentations outside their immediate institutional circles. By fostering safe, welcoming environments for networking and technical critique, NeurIPS seeks to ensure that diverse perspectives actively shape the future trajectory of machine learning governance and deployment.
