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About the Global Forum 2026

The Global Forum for AI and the Social Sciences is an annual flagship event bringing together leaders across government, industry, academia, and civil society from around the world, made possible through the generous support of the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Organised by the LSE Data Science Institute, the Global Forum aims to convene international dialogue at the intersection of AI and the social sciences and to mobilise expertise, resources, and partnerships to ensure AI serves human and societal needs.

2026 edition | AI and Labour Markets

The inaugural edition of the Global Forum takes place on 16 and 17 September with a thematic focus on how AI is reshaping work and what governments, firms, and workers must do to prepare for the changes ahead. The programme is designed to take stock of existing research and policy efforts and build momentum toward a shared international agenda for understanding AI’s labour market impacts and evaluating possible public policy responses.

The Global Forum 2026 is organised in partnership with the International Labour Organization (ILO) and with the participation of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

While in-person attendance is by invitation only, key parts of the programme will be livestreamed and openly accessible.

State of AI and Society

Each edition of the Global Forum will be accompanied by the publication of an assessment of the current state of research and evidence in relation to the Forum’s theme. Findings will provide a foundation for the event and act as an anchor for discussions about the kinds of efforts and initiatives needed to enable progress.

For this year’s edition, LSE is producing assessments in three areas, designed to establish common ground and support the development of a shared agenda for understanding AI’s labour market impacts and policy options for responding to them:

  • AI’s quantitative impacts on labour markets,
  • AI’s implications for job quality,
  • Policy options for addressing and managing AI’s impacts on jobs and labour markets.

Announcements

Organisations from around the world are invited to consider the Global Forum as a platform for releasing work, launching new initiatives, or making commitments related to the Global Forum's annual focus theme. Contributing organisations may publish new research findings, release relevant data, make funding commitments, or announce other activities that advance understanding and enable new forms of coordinated and collective action in the relevant thematic area. These contributions form part of the Global Forum programme and will be announced to coincide with each edition.

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