The Department of Science and Technology-Western Visayas (DOST-6) is gearing up for a bigger edition of the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Fest 2026, with more than 1,000 participants and over 15 experts expected to gather at the Iloilo Convention Center beginning 3 August.

DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. will keynote the opening program, accompanied by Undersecretary Engr. Sancho A. Mabborang, DOST-6 Regional Director Engr. Rowen Gelonga confirmed in an interview with Radyo Pilipinas Iloilo.

Gelonga said preparations are in full swing, with several pre-event activities already underway even before the official opening of the weeklong festival.

Among the activities already conducted was the AI in Motion Technical Conference, which showcased the growing role of artificial intelligence in robotics and automation.

Organizers have likewise started evaluating entries for the SineAI, AI Hackathon, and AI Game On! competitions, while registration for the AI Technical Conference has already reached full capacity, with more than 500 participants expected to attend.

Overall, more than 1,000 participants from the academe, government, technology industry, startups, and other sectors are expected to join this year's event.

Gelonga said AI Fest 2026 is significantly larger than its inaugural edition in 2025, reflecting the region's growing interest in artificial intelligence and digital innovation.

From only four sub-events during its first staging, this year's festival has expanded to nine major events: AI Technical Conference, AI Hackathon, PGDX-AI Expo, SineAI, AI Game On!, AI in Motion, AI Speaks, AI Connect, and AI Policy Lab.

More than 15 local and international speakers are also expected to share their expertise on various AI applications, emerging technologies, digital transformation, and policy development.

Launched in 2025, AI Fest serves as an annual platform showcasing the latest artificial intelligence innovations, research outputs, and technology-driven solutions developed by researchers, startups, academic institutions, and global technology companies.

The expanded lineup aims to strengthen collaboration among innovators, policymakers, industry leaders, and the academe while positioning Western Visayas as one of the country's emerging hubs for artificial intelligence and digital innovation.