AICON 2026 Returns to Singapore, Emphasizing AI Accessibility

Singapore is set to host AICON 2026, its annual artificial intelligence festival, on October 8 and 9, 2026, at *SCAPE Singapore. This second edition of the event is centered around the theme "AI for Everyone," aiming to boost AI literacy, promote innovation, and foster collaboration across governmental, industrial, and educational sectors.

Organizers have refined the festival's format from its inaugural 2025 iteration, which primarily featured presentations and showcases. AICON 2026 will now prioritize direct engagement, enabling participants to interact with AI tools and collaboratively develop projects. The festival's structure is built on four core pillars: Learn, Create, Connect, and Play, designed to make AI more practical and approachable for a broader audience.

Emphasizing Practical AI Engagement

Jayce Tham, Co-Founder of AICON and CEO of CreativesAtWork, highlighted the festival's of making AI applications more tangible and accessible. This approach seeks to build user confidence in applying AI for concrete results in both professional and personal contexts. The program is designed to transform initial apprehension into genuine interest through practical experience.

The first day, themed "AI for Humanity: Technology, Commercialisation and Governance," will feature a forum exploring how AI benefits society. Discussions will encompass frontier technology, human cognition, educational advancements, the future of employment, corporate governance, and ethical investment strategies. Concurrently, workshops will provide hands-on experiences, including 'vibe coding' with Gemini and AI filmmaking sessions led by Singapore Polytechnic.

Diverse Applications and Global Collaboration

Day two, titled "AI for Everyone: Create, Play, Community," will focus on the practical deployment of AI. Attendees can delve into AI's function in education, its role in business development for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and its impact on the creator economy. Live product demonstrations and an awards ceremony for an AI Film Festival are also scheduled.

AICON 2026 will feature a notable presence from South Korea, with Kentertech Hub returning to demonstrate innovations in Korean content creation technology. This segment includes a masterclass on AI filmmaking and the 'K-Global × K-EnterTech Conference @ AICON' panel. Jeffrey Xu from Singapore Polytechnic, a recent grand prize recipient at the ChungKang International AI Genre Film Festival, is slated to discuss the future of AI in cinema.

Building AI Literacy and Responsible Development

Hands-on training is a central component, exemplified by Singtel's AI.dea Discovery Workshop and e2i's Emerging Skills, Emerging Jobs Zone. These initiatives aim to equip workers with the understanding and skills necessary to integrate AI into their current and future roles. The Artificial Intelligence International Institute (AIII) will anchor the main stage activities with its AI for Humanity Impact Forum, underscoring the importance of responsible AI development.

Dr. James Ong, Co-Founder of AICON and Founder of AIII, emphasized that AI literacy is now a fundamental skill for parents, educators, and business leaders. He stressed the necessity of comprehending AI systems, their governance frameworks, and associated risk management, which underpins the "AI for Humanity" framework. Jaze Phua, Co-Founder of AICON and Dear.AI, and CEO of Virality Group, noted that direct engagement with AI tools helps demystify the technology, fostering curiosity over anxiety.

Industry and Academic Support

The festival aligns with Singapore's national Digital for Life movement, securing support from a range of partners including Tesla, NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute (e2i), Singtel, Design Singapore, ASUS, Alibaba, and *SCAPE. Higher education institutions such as Singapore Polytechnic, Temasek Polytechnic, and Ngee Ann Polytechnic are also actively participating in the event.