Al-Ahsa, 24 Shawwal 1447 AH (12 April 2026)

King Faisal University has concluded the fifth International Conference on Computing and Machine Intelligence (ICMI 2026), organized in cooperation with Central Michigan University with wide international participation from researchers and experts, from 8 to 10 April 2026 in Al-Ahsa Governorate, a step that strengthens the Kingdom's standing as a global center for scientific research and modern technology.

International Participation and Advanced Research

The conference featured a distinguished scientific presence, presenting 175 peer-reviewed papers by more than 441 researchers representing 34 countries, reflecting growing global momentum in computing and artificial intelligence. The research covered advanced themes including large language models, generative AI, natural language processing and intelligent retrieval, along with digital safety, fairness and bias reduction, as well as image and video analysis, visual tracking and deepfake detection.

AI Applications Across Sectors

The sessions spotlighted AI applications across multiple sectors, most notably smart navigation, biological environments and healthcare through medical image analysis and disease prediction, along with cybersecurity, data protection, encryption and federated learning. Participants also discussed the role of the Internet of Things, smart communications and edge computing in supporting digital transformation and modern industrial applications.

Unithon 2026 Fosters Technological Innovation

The conference hosted the third edition of Unithon 2026, which drew 223 project submissions, of which 50 were accepted, with 36 teams representing more than 20 organizations and universities under the supervision of 12 technical mentors and 4 judges. Five winning teams from local and regional universities were crowned, including universities from the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Saudi Electronic University, King Faisal University and Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, confirming the conference's role in supporting innovation and technology entrepreneurship.

A Technology Expo Drawing Thousands

On the sidelines of the conference, the university organized a technology expo with more than 20 participating bodies presenting the latest solutions and applications in AI and digital technology. The expo drew more than 5,000 visitors, reflecting growing interest in modern technology and its role in development.

Strategic Recommendations for the Future of AI

At the close of the conference, the scientific committee approved seven main recommendations focused on developing data-driven AI applications, strengthening interdisciplinary integration, building reliable and explainable models and supporting advanced computing infrastructure. The recommendations also covered developing education and building national capabilities, strengthening governance and ethical frameworks, and ensuring the sustainability of research and development in emerging technology fields, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.

At a Glance

  • Location: Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
  • Dates: 8 to 10 April 2026
  • Countries: 34
  • Papers: 175
  • Researchers: 441
  • Unithon submissions: 223 projects
  • Winning teams: 5
  • Expo visitors: more than 5,000