06.10.2026

CfAA/SAINTS Conference 2026

Professor Ibrahim Habli, Director of SAINTS

It was wonderful to host the inaugural SAINTS conference, celebrating the PhD research, and, most importantly, the PhD researchers, that make SAINTS such a vibrant community. Celebrations are rarely complete without friends and partners, and co-hosting the event with colleagues at the Centre for Assuring Autonomy highlighted the breadth and depth of impactful research in safe AI and autonomy produced at York. Our keynote speakers and public panel contributors acted as our “critical friends”, providing fresh perspectives and challenges that will shape how we frame and evaluate our doctoral research moving forward. Building on the energy and excitement of this first conference, we are already looking forward to welcoming everyone back next year.

Shaun Feakins, cohort 1 SAINTS postgraduate researcher (starting 2024) & winner of best SAINTS presentation

I thoroughly enjoyed the SAINTS / CfAA conference in September, with the chance to hear about the work going on within the wider community at the CfAA, to catch up with colleagues, and to meet academics, policymakers and practitioners across so many fields related to AI safety. It was also a great chance to hear about the research of colleagues in Cohort 1 (we joined SAINTS all the way back in 2024!), and to read and hear about Cohort 2’s research via their posters. It doesn’t feel long ago that we were just beginning as the first cohort, and now two full cohorts are presenting research agendas and results. The conference also welcomed Cohort 3 to Campus East! Personally, it was an excellent opportunity to receive feedback, take stock of the last two years’ work, and to consider next steps for my research.

Thank you to the SAINTS team not just for making the conference happen, but also for supporting us through the last few years and turning a research vision into reality. Looking forward to plenty more collaborative events in future.

Sean-Lee Waddington, cohort 3 SAINTS postgraduate researcher (starting 2026)

We recently had the opportunity to attend the CfAA/SAINTS conference before officially starting as a new doctoral researcher within SAINTS. This was a unique landing experience into the department, as joining an academic community can often feel equal parts exciting and daunting, but stepping into the conference gave us an immediate, hands-on window into the vibrant research culture we were about to join.

Both days were packed with engaging discussions, cross-disciplinary presentations, and deep dives into the future of safe autonomy and AI. For new researchers, seeing the breadth and depth of work underway was both fascinating and reassuring – rather than facing an abstract wall of research topics, we could see how different ideas connect, ask questions directly, and get a clear sense of the community’s direction and shared goals. Beyond the academic content, it was an invaluable opportunity to meet future colleagues and partners, and feel welcomed before our official start date.

Overall, the conference was both a warm welcome and an inspiring preview of the collaborative environment we’re joining. It’s safe to say that we’re looking forward to bringing new perspectives this year.