AI WEEK 2026: Milan Hosts the Largest European Event on Artificial Intelligence with 700 Speakers and 25,000 Participants
Milan is preparing to host the largest concentration of expertise on artificial intelligence in Europe. On May 19 and 20, 2026, Fiera Milano Rho will be the stage for the 7th edition of AI WEEK, with over 25,000 expected attendees, more than 700 international speakers across 17 stages and over 250 companies present in the exhibition area. An event that sets the rhythm of the European debate on AI, geared toward managers, entrepreneurs, and professionals who want to understand how to concretely integrate these technologies into their processes.
Constant Growth, Accelerating Numbers
The 2025 edition had already marked a turning point: over 17,000 physical attendees, representing a +100% compared to 2024, about 8,700 unique visitors, more than 3,500 B2B networking meetings organized between companies, and over 20,000 accesses in the workshop rooms. On the digital front, the platform AI Play had accounted for 100,000 minutes of video consumed and over 100 use cases presented. For 2026, the organizers aim to exceed 25,000, with guests coming from 78 countries, both EU and non-EU, and 50% of speakers from international backgrounds, including the USA, Europe, and China.
Giacinto Fiore and Pasquale Viscanti, founders of Intelligenza Artificiale Spiegata Semplice, the largest Italian community on AI dedicated to entrepreneurs and managers, as well as the event creators, frame the goal this way: "AI WEEK 2026 sets an ambitious goal: to mark the transition from what is already the main dissemination event in Europe on the subject to becoming a prominent global stage." This statement of intent is supported by the increasing interest that arrives every year from all over the planet.
Speakers and Institutional Guests
Among the leading names in the 2026 lineup is Llion Jones, co-author of Attention Is All You Need, the 2017 paper that introduced the Transformer architecture, the backbone of all current major language models, and now CTO and co-founder of Sakana AI, a Tokyo startup focused on alternative architectures inspired by nature. Karen Hao, journalist and author of the New York Times bestseller Empire of AI, published in May 2025, an in-depth investigation into the history of OpenAI and the systemic impact of the AI industry on global society, will also take the stage.
The academic world brings substantial contributions with Philippa Webb, Professor of Public International Law at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford, and Oreste Pollicino, professor of constitutional law and AI regulation at Bocconi University. Institutional figures include Lucilla Sioli, Director of the European Office for AI, Maria Cristina Russo, Deputy Director-General for Innovation at the EU Commission, and Hovig Etyemezian, Head of Innovation Service at UNHCR. The tech industry is represented by John Abel (Managing Director EMEA of the Office of the CTO, Google Cloud), Advait Sarkar (Senior Researcher, Microsoft), and Gian Segato (Data Science Manager for Research, Anthropic).
2026 Format and Innovations
The multi-stage structure enriches this year with some innovations. The Maxi Stage is the new stage dedicated to the pioneers and leaders who are shaping the future of AI, designed for impactful interventions. The Prompt Battle makes its debut, a live challenge among creatives and experts in the art of writing effective prompts, and the Meetup and Community spaces to connect enthusiasts and professionals in the field. Live demos of cutting-edge AI technologies will be held on the Tech Stage, while the To Demo Tools section allows real-time testing of the most updated platforms. There will also be courses and practical sessions, stand-up comedy shows, and a DJ Set & Rock Party.
Five vertical summits are scheduled:
- AI Startup Summit (startups, investors, and business opportunities)
- AI Marketing Summit (focus on ChatGPT, Midjourney, Runway, and creative tools)
- AI Cyber Security Summit (risks, solutions, and future scenarios of digital security)
- AI Healthcare Summit (doctors, researchers, and health technologies)
- AI Sport Summit (from analyzing athletic performance to managing clubs and major events).
For those wishing to deepen the regulatory framework and adoption dynamics at the European level, it is worth reading our analysis on the AI Act and the EU regulatory pathway.
The sessions will run from 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM on both days. All information and tickets are available at aiweek.it, with prices expected to increase from May 8.