AISUM26, the AI Safety Unconference, Melbourne 2026

Much like a normal conference, except most of the agenda isn't set in advance. Attendees pitch sessions they want to run, or want someone else to run, everyone votes on what they'd like to go to, and the organisers do some constrained optimisation to build the program. So start thinking about what you might like to run, what you'd like to see others run, and how to make the most of the chance to connect with others in the community.

AISUM is for people already working on or seriously engaged with AI safety. We're aiming for a day where you can get into the weeds on the topics that matter, which might span deep learning, alignment, governance, philosophy, ethics, law, and more. We expect there'll be little '101' content: it'll be all 201+. If you'd like to get started in AI safety, we'd suggest some of the following resources, and we'd be excited to see you at future events! BlueDot Impact: structured AI safety courses, a great place to start. 80,000 Hours: career guides and intro content on AI safety. AISafety.com: an index of even more resources. AI Safety Australia & New Zealand: events and groups near you.

Fill out the short application form on this site (the Apply button above). When you submit, we email you a code to confirm your address. We review applications and send out acceptances on a rolling basis. Once you're accepted, you register and buy your ticket on this site, signed in with the email you applied with. We know this might feel unusual if you're more familiar with open-registration conferences! With limited space and significant interest, we unfortunately can't accommodate everyone we'd like. Rather than making it first-come-first-served, we use applications to thoughtfully curate the conversations. This helps us create better outcomes for each attendee individually and as a whole, get the right mix of perspectives and backgrounds, and make the day count. We recognise this means some or even many people in our community won't be able to attend, which is genuinely difficult. We don't think this should be interpreted as a comment on any individual! We hope to see and provide more opportunities for more people.

Yes. Tickets are pay what you want, with a suggested price of $50 (including GST). The ticket price only partly recoups venue and catering costs. You can pay less if you need the support, including nothing, or pay more (up to $500) if you'd like to contribute.

AISUM26, the AI Safety Unconference, Melbourne 2026 is a full-day, in-person event on 27 November 2026 at Melbourne Connect, Carlton VIC.

AISUM is run by AI Safety Australia & New Zealand (AISANZ), housed within Good Ancestors Policy Ltd, a charity registered with the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission. Good Ancestors is the legal entity and data controller.

Email the organisers at michael.kerrison@aisafetyanz.com.au. You can also read our privacy statement at https://aisanz-events.vercel.app/privacy.