Welcome to the inaugural AI4Mat Europe 2026 — a landmark conference dedicated to advancing the frontier where artificial intelligence meets materials science and engineering. In a world increasingly shaped by data and computation, AI4MatEurope 2026 will bring together leading researchers, practitioners, and industrial innovators to explore how AI can revolutionize materials discovery, design, characterization, and manufacturing.

Why AI for Materials — and Why Now?

Materials research has long been at the heart of technological progress — from developing stronger alloys and smarter polymers to designing quantum materials and sustainable energy-storage solutions. Yet traditional approaches often involve laborious experimentation and computational modeling that can be slow, costly, and limited in scale.

Artificial Intelligence changes the game. By coupling data-driven methods with physical modeling, AI enables rapid prediction of material properties, inverse design of novel compounds, and autonomous discovery of materials that never existed before. AI also enhances the interoperability of materials databases, supports virtual laboratories, and accelerates industrial integration through smart manufacturing techniques.

AI4Mat 2026 is conceived as a European hub for this transformation, aligned with key strategic priorities like Horizon Europe’s push for sustainable, efficient, and smart materials research.

Vision and Mission of the First Edition

• Cross-disciplinary collaboration: We aim to create a space where AI researchers, computational materials scientists, experimentalists, and industrial partners can interact, exchange ideas, and build new collaborations.
• Innovation acceleration: Through keynote talks, workshops, and poster sessions, we will highlight both cutting-edge research and real-world industrial applications.
• Bridging communities: AI4MatEurope 2026 will emphasize interoperability of materials databases, data standardization, and digital laboratories, facilitating future cross-institutional and cross-sector partnerships.
• Sustainable impact: With sustainability as a key thread, the conference will spotlight how AI can help design greener materials, enable energy-efficient production, and foster circular manufacturing processes.
• European leadership: By anchoring this event in Europe, we strengthen the continent’s role as a leader in materials innovation powered by AI, complementing major initiatives and funding frameworks (e.g., Horizon Europe).