The icon is now in its seventh year and is reaffirming its position as Ireland’s largest and most influential AI conference.
As AI is increasingly adopted in all aspects of life, a two-day meeting brings together business leaders, researchers and engineers to show that understanding AI can help businesses achieve further success and growth.
Aicon Belfast 2025 will return on Thursday, October 2nd, 2025 and Friday, October 2nd, with events taking place at two of the city’s most iconic venues.
Hosted at Titanic Belfast, the first day sets the stage with high-profile keynotes, panel discussions and networking opportunities that showcase how AI is reshaping industry and society.
Dr. Stephen Spinelli Jr., president of Babson University, will give a keynote address, highlighting how entrepreneurship education can restore stability in a turbulent world. He explores how artificial intelligence can expand entrepreneurs’ thinking & action® and promotes solutions at scale.
The meeting again posts the “twin track” format of the signature, with two programs running in parallel: AI Now and AI Next.
AI explores the latest advances in artificial intelligence with a focus on practical takeaways. The sessions provide actionable insights and best practices for adopting AI in a secure, transparent and accountable way.
AI Now track features include keynote panels from around the world. Industry with AI explores how Ruth McGuiness, Kainos, Lyndsay Shields, Danske Bank UK and NHBC’s Rachel Bland can rebuild industries around the world.
AI looks to the future of artificial intelligence and offers a visionary perspective on the possibilities of changing both society and the economy. This track explores the opportunities and challenges ahead as AI continues to evolve.
Highlights include fireplace-side chats that rethink the future of AI, leadership, and organizational change. It features Gareth Workman, Kainos and Dr. Stephen McKeun of Allstate. We will use our experience driving McKeown’s Digital Transformation in Allstate to explore how AI is reshaping business models, workforce dynamics, and leadership.
Before the meeting, Chief I Officer of Kaynos Gareth Workman said:
“AI is no longer an option. It is becoming the foundation for how value is created and how society engages. At Kainos, we believe it is not just about adopting AI, but also about shaping the future of trusted, responsible, and human-centered AI natives.
“Conferences like Icons can help AI work together to ensure that AI delivers real value to bring together industry, academia and governments to share lessons, to confront challenges and unleash new opportunities.
On Friday, October 3rd, the meeting will be moved to W5 Belfast. The day, hosted by the AI
AICC’s Chief Researcher Michaela Black added:
“Icon 2025 is looking beyond the hype to see where artificial intelligence really employs us. For Northern Ireland, it’s an opportunity to show how small regions not only adopt AI, but also shape how they are used responsibly and used for the benefit of society.
“The Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre exists to bridge industry, academia, research, government and icons. These worlds are to imagine the future and start building it today. We are particularly proud to host an event at W5 Belfast on October 3rd.
Aicon Belfast 2025 is hosted by Kainos and supported by Matrix, Allstate, Options Technology, Deloitte, Software Ni, and the Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Center (AICC).
For more information or registration details, please visit https://ai-con.ai/.
