2026 Berlin Summer School on Artificial Intelligence and Society

Under the theme “Responsible design of AI-driven autonomous systems”, the Summer School will take place from 14–17 September 2026 at BIFOLD on the TU Berlin Campus Charlottenburg in Berlin, Germany. It brings together researchers and practitioners to explore how AI systems that act autonomously can be designed to be robust, verifiable, explainable, secure and aligned with societal values.

The programme focuses on fundamental questions at the intersection of autonomous systems, trustworthy machine learning and robotics, with applications in critical domains such as healthcare and scientific infrastructures. Participants will engage with both technical approaches to responsible AI system design and broader perspectives from digitalization research, ethics and governance.

The 3.5‑day curriculum combines:

• Keynotes by leading experts on machine learning, data management, robotics and the societal implications of AI

• In-depth lectures on state-of-the-art methods and projects related to autonomous systems

• Hands-on sessions offering practical tools and interactive formats

• Excursions, poster sessions and networking opportunities to foster interdisciplinary exchange and collaboration

The Summer School is designed primarily for doctoral and postdoctoral researchers from the Weizenbaum Institute, the Learning and Intelligent Systems lab, the network of German Centres of Excellence for AI (BIFOLD, DFKI, Lamarr, MCML, ScaDS.AI, and TUE.AI), and from other universities and research institutes who are passionate about machine learning, data management, robotics, and the societal impact of AI. Interested Master’s students in their final year are also warmly invited to apply.

There is no participation fee. Travel and accommodation costs are not covered; coffee and lunch breaks will be provided. ELLIS PhD students may apply for travel grants to support their participation.

• Location: BIFOLD, Technische Universität Berlin, Franklinstr. 28–29, 10587 Berlin

• Dates: 14–17 September 2026

• Application deadline: 30 June 2026

For more information on the programme, speakers and organisational details, and to apply, please visit the official Summer School website.