EPIA 2026

The EPIA Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a well-established European conference in the field of AI. Its purpose is to promote research in all areas of AI, covering both theoretical and foundational issues and applications, and the scientific exchange among researchers, engineers, and practitioners in related disciplines. The 25th edition, EPIA 2026, will take place in Funchal from 2nd to 4th of September 2026. As in previous editions, this international conference is hosted with the patronage of the Portuguese Association for Artificial Intelligence (APPIA).

Conference Format

The scientific program of EPIA 2026 is composed of a set of thematic tracks. In addition to the parallel sessions for the different tracks, there will be plenary sessions with invited lectures given by leading scientists, discussion sessions, and social events.
More detailed and up-to-date information may be found in the homepage.

Important Dates

• Thematic-track proposal deadline: February 18, 2026 (AoE)
• Notification of track acceptance: February 25, 2026
• 1st Call-for-papers: March 6, 2026
• Abstract submission deadline: May 15, 2026 (AoE)
• Paper submission deadline: May 22, 2026 (AoE)
• Notification of paper acceptance: July 3, 2026
• Camera-ready papers: July 13, 2026 (AoE)
• Conference dates: September 2-4, 2026

Call for Thematic Tracks

The worldwide AI research community is invited to submit thematic track proposals for EPIA 2026. Thematic tracks are intended to provide an environment that fosters an active exchange of ideas between researchers within specific sub-areas of AI, including theoretical and foundational, integrative, application-oriented, and newly emerging areas. Each track is coordinated by an Organizing Committee composed of researchers from at least two different countries. Track organizers should also create a highly international Program Committee for the track, with recognized researchers within the corresponding scientific areas.

The selection of proposed thematic tracks will be made by the Program Chairs and Steering Committee of EPIA 2026. We aim to build a strong, well-balanced conference program. With this goal in mind, the chairs may actively solicit additional proposals or suggest the merging of proposed tracks if there are significant thematic gaps or overlaps after the track proposal submission closes.

Papers accepted in thematic tracks will be published by Springer, in a volume of the Lecture Notes on Artificial Intelligence (LNAI) series.

Submitted papers should be prepared according to the corresponding format, with a maximum of 12 pages including references. Presentation slots will be accommodated in the conference program for every accepted paper, in thematic sessions that may run in parallel.

Responsibilities

The Organizing Committee should be composed of a maximum of three members. Each track will be responsible for:

• Suggesting between 15 and 20 Program Committee members for the conference, predominantly AI researchers with an international track record;
• Publicizing the track by all adequate means;
• Coordinating a double-blind review process for papers submitted to the track, ensuring each paper is reviewed by at least three PC members;
• Assisting the Program Chairs of the conference in the paper selection process;
• Ensuring the delivery of camera-ready versions of papers accepted for the track following the guidelines and deadlines defined by the conference organizers;
• Coordinating the track session chairing assignments.

The organizers of EPIA 2026 will ensure:

• Overseeing and managing the entire paper review process.
• The coordination and final deliberation on paper acceptance decisions;
• The publication of thematic track papers in the conference proceedings;
• A meeting place and time for holding the track sessions, including common equipment (e.g. computer and beamer).

EPIA 2026 organizers reserve the right to cancel a track if deadlines are missed, or if the track organizers are unable to attract a minimum number of quality paper submissions. If that is the case, the merger of track sessions may be carried out.

THEMATIC TRACK PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Track proposals should not exceed 3 pages and must be submitted as a single PDF
file, at the conference submission system:

https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=epia2026

The proposal should contain the following information:

1. Thematic track title;
2. Name, affiliation, postal address, phone, and email address of all members of the track Organizing Committee. The inclusion of a member external to the Portuguese AI community will be highly valued.
3. Identification of the Organizing Committee contact person;
4. A brief description of the specific scientific/technical scope of the track;
5. A list of topics of interest;
6. A tentative list of 15 to 20 members of the proposed Program Committee, predominantly AI researchers with an international track record;
7. A preliminary version of the track Call for Papers;
8. The planned format (e.g., invited talks, paper presentations, panel discussions, etc.) and duration of the track (2h or 4h);
9. Plans to prepare a special issue featuring papers accepted in the thematic track, specifying the journal that will host it.
10. Planned actions of publicizing the track;
11. A list of technical/room requirements for the track;
12. Sponsors or other funding initiatives for the thematic track;
13. When proposing a new thematic track, please provide an estimated number of expected paper submissions. If this track has been part of previous EPIA editions, please indicate the number of submissions and accepted papers it received in those instances.