AI Transforms Science at San Francisco Summit This November

Scientists who once spent years testing hypotheses can now use artificial intelligence to spot patterns and generate ideas in weeks or even days.

That's why the Tianqiao and Chrissy Chen Institute is bringing together some of the world's brightest minds for AIAS+ 2026 this November 5-7 in San Francisco. The symposium tackles one of research's biggest questions: How can AI help scientists make discoveries faster and better?

The lineup reads like a who's who of scientific achievement. Karl Deisseroth, who just won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Medicine for his groundbreaking work in optogenetics, will join Fields Medalist Terence Tao, Turing Award winner Jeffrey Ullman, and MacArthur Fellow Yejin Choi.

These researchers are already using AI in remarkable ways. They're applying it to understand brain activity, solve complex mathematical problems, develop new medicines, and create smarter computer systems. The conference gives them space to share what's working and learn from each other's successes.

The event also celebrates practical wins. Sergey Stavisky from UC Davis will receive the 2026 Chen Institute & Science Prize for AI Accelerated Research. His work uses AI to help people communicate through brain-computer interfaces that translate thoughts into speech, including synthetic voices that sound like the person's own voice.

The symposium represents nearly a decade of progress for the Chen Institute. Since its founding, the organization has invested more than $150 million in research, supported over 300 students, and organized 170 scientific conferences across four continents. Their focus has evolved from pure brain science to understanding how AI can speed up discovery across every field.

The Ripple Effect

When scientists from different fields work together, breakthroughs happen faster. A mathematician's AI insight might help a neuroscientist decode brain patterns. A computer scientist's algorithm could help a biologist identify disease markers years sooner.

"That is the goal of AIAS+ to create a place where scientists, AI researchers, engineers and students can learn from one another and build collaborations that continue well beyond the conference," said Chrissy Luo, co-founder of the Chen Institute.

The symposium is open to anyone interested in how AI advances science, from students to industry leaders. Registration is now open at aiasplus.org, and the organizers welcome researchers, technologists, and curious minds ready to witness how artificial intelligence is reshaping humanity's ability to understand our world.

The collaborations formed in those three November days could lead to medical treatments, scientific insights, and technological advances that help millions of people in ways we can't yet imagine.