Connectionists: AISB 2026 @Sussex, Registration open

[Simon Bowes]

[AISB Convention 2026 Banner]
AISB Convention 2026<https://aisb.org.uk/aisb-convention-2026/>
Registration is now open! (see the convention website: https://aisb.org.uk/aisb-convention-2026/, early bird rate ends 15th May)
1-2 July 2026
University of Sussex, Brighton, UK
The AISB Convention is a flourishing annual conference that thrives from an interdisciplinary audience and facilitates discourse amongst a diverse set of researchers and research cultures. The 2026 convention of the Society for the Study of Artificial Intelligence and Simulation of Behaviour (AISB) will be held as an in-person only event on 1st and 2nd July 2026.
Preceding the convention, on 30 June, we are holding a Day of celebration for the life and work of Prof Margaret Boden. This will include talks on themes related to her work, personal reflections by those who worked with her, and a panel discussion on her legacy. See: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/cogs/seminars/celebrating-margaret-boden
Attendance to the day of celebration is free for attendees of the AISB Convention.
Some symposia have extended deadlines for accepting abstracts. See the individual pages for more details.
Programme & Tracks

  *   AI, Consciousness and Ethics (https://www.sussex.ac.uk/research/centres/ai-research-group/news-and-events/news?id=69757)
  *   Ethics of Generative-AI Assisted Authoring (https://sussexhumanitieslab.wordpress.com/2026/01/16/aisb-2026-symposium-1-2-july-university-of-sussex/)
  *   Explainability and Transparency in AI (XTAI-2026) (https://xtai-symposium.github.io/<https://xtai-symposium.github.io/>)
  *   Foundations of computation (https://sites.google.com/view/foundations-of-computation)
  *   Is consciousness a story we tell ourselves? Internal language and consciousness after chain of thought reasoning (https://astorywetell.github.io/)
  *   Is there still life in the Turing test? (https://turingtestlives.wordpress.com/<https://turingtestlives.wordpress.com/>)
  *   Hype, Promise, and Speculation: AI Bubbles and the Replication Crisis in Computer Science (https://aisb.org.uk/aisb-2026-symposium-hype-promise-and-speculation/<https://aisb.org.uk/aisb-2026-symposium-hype-promise-and-speculation/>)
  *   Symposium on AI and Cognitive Sciences in Education (AICSED2026) (https://aicsed.github.io/2026/)
  *   Varieties of free will and agency (https://freewillandagency.wordpress.com/<https://freewillandagency.wordpress.com/>)
  *   Values and Preferences in Reasoning (https://www.vprsymposium.com/<https://www.vprsymposium.com/>)
There will also be a general track for individuals who would like to present their research. Send an extended abstract to the organiser, Simon Bowes (s.c.bowes at sussex.ac.uk<mailto:s.c.bowes at sussex.ac.uk>) by May 18th.

Outline Schedule
30th June – Maggie Boden day of celebration
1st July – Keynote: Anil Seth: Professor of Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience<https://profiles.sussex.ac.uk/p22981-anil-seth>, University of Sussex
Conference Dinner: The Seahorse (https://seahorsebrighton.co.uk/)
2nd July – Keynote: Philip Ball: Science Writer<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Ball>
Breakfast (coffee & pastries) 9-9:30, a buffet lunch 13:00-14:00, and coffee 15:30-16:00 is included. Symposia run from 11:00-17:30.
Submission
Submission of papers for each of the symposia and the general track can be made by clicking on the symposia links above.
General Information
The University of Sussex campus is a modernist masterpiece surrounded by the South Downs National Park, just a few minutes by train from the vibrant and open-minded city of Brighton, with its historical beach, famous club/pub scene, and many quirky shops. Easily reachable from Gatwick (30 mins) and London (1 hour).
Founded in the ‘60s with a charter emphasising interdisciplinarity, in the 80’s Professor Margaret Boden established the School of Cognitive and Computing Sciences (COGS), a groundbreaking centre for research and teaching in AI. COGS continues to deliver interdisciplinary education and host cutting-edge research.
Registration
Registration is available on the convention webpage: https://aisb.org.uk/aisb-convention-2026/.
Registration fees
Full

One day


Earlybird
Regular
Earlybird
Regular
Attendees – members
£250
£280
£190
£220
Attendees – non-members
£310
£340
£250
£280
Student members
£150
£170
£110
£130
Student non-members
£180
£200
£140
£160
Corporate rate
£600
£660
£450
£510

(Earlybird rate until 15th May)







Important Dates
1. Please consult the individual symposia web sites for submission deadline and related details.
2. Maggie Boden day of celebration 30th June 2026
3. Convention: 1 to 2 July 2026
Program Committee
General Chair: Bertie Müller (Swansea University)
Convention Organiser: Simon Bowes (University of Sussex)
Venue
University of Sussex
Falmer
Brighton, BN1 9RH
United Kingdom
Travel
Local Bus Services
Brighton & Hove Buses (https://www.buses.co.uk/) has an extensive network of buses around town, to the campus, and onwards to Lewes and other nearby towns.
Arriving By Train
The Gatwick Express (https://www.gatwickexpress.com/) runs from Brighton to London.
Arriving By Car
Details of getting to Sussex campus by car, parking, and other transport information can be found here: https://www.sussex.ac.uk/about/directions
Accommodation
VisitBrighton is the official accommodation booking provider for AISB26. They are delighted to offer specially negotiated accommodation rates for attendees at local hotel accommodation. This website<https://book.passkey.com/go/aisb2026> will be open for bookings until 24 June 2026 but we advise early booking in order to guarantee your preferred hotel. Through this website you can book, modify or cancel your hotel reservations at any time. On the website you can also find links to information on travel, food and entertainment in the city. We look forward to seeing you.
Delegates can also benefit from discounts to attractions, restaurants and shops: https://www.visitbrighton.com/special-offers/delegate-deals-o2311<https://www.visitbrighton.com/special-offers/delegate-deals-o2311>
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