What it is: The 28th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, held jointly with a large number of affiliated conferences under one management and registration. It's one of the biggest academic/research gatherings in the HCI field, covering everything from core human-computer interaction to specialized areas like AI, cybersecurity, gaming, aging populations, and cross-cultural design. When: July 26–31, 2026 Where: Montreal Convention Centre in Montreal, Canada. Time: 8 AM - 6 PM - PROGRAM Register Here to attend - It runs as an on-site conference with an option for online participation. Why people should attend: Breadth of topics — the conference spans thematic areas and affiliated conferences including core HCI, Human Interface and Management of Information, Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, Augmenting Cognition in the AI-Accelerated Era, Universal Access, Cross-Cultural Design, Social Computing and Social Media, Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality, Digital Human Modeling, Design/UX/Usability, Culture and Computing, Distributed/Ambient/Pervasive Interactions, HCI in Business/Government/Organizations, Learning and Collaboration Technologies, HCI for Aging Populations, Adaptive Instructional Systems, HCI for Cybersecurity/Privacy/Trust, HCI in Games, HCI in Mobility/Transport/Automotive, AI in HCI, and mobile communications design — so researchers and practitioners from many adjacent fields find relevant sessions. High-profile recognition — Professor Yoshua Bengio will receive the HCI Medal for Societal Impact during the Opening Plenary Session, and he'll deliver a keynote titled "The Current AI Trajectory Poses Catastrophic Risks - Is There a Safer Path?" — notable for anyone tracking AI safety discourse. Publication prestige — proceedings are published by Springer, and the best paper from each thematic area, plus the best poster, receives an award. Good for academics building a publication record. Special interactive event — the HCII Design Café returns for its second edition focused on "Human-AI Teaming," a forum for discussing HCI issues tied to broader societal and economic questions, running Friday July 31 from 1:30–6:00 p.m., with limited, registration-required spots. World Usability Day tie-in — HCI International sponsors the World Usability Day Design Challenge awards, with winners presenting their work in a special hybrid session chaired by Elizabeth Rosenzweig, Director of World Usability Day, and receiving complimentary registration. Academic credibility — the conference's Google Scholar H5-Index is 45 (as of May 2026), signaling solid research impact. Who it's for: Primarily academics, HCI/UX researchers, and industry practitioners in design, cognitive science, AI, accessibility, and related fields - less of a startup/networking event and more a research-and-paper-presentation conference, though the Bengio keynote and Design Café give it some crossover appeal for AI-focused attendees too.
