Submission Instructions
FF2026 will be both in‑person and hybrid!
Submission deadline 16th April 2026.
Submit your proposal via:
Fantastic Futures 2026 – ConfTool Pro – Login
The information below is for planning purposes and may change or expand.
The Program Committee will accept the following types of proposals:
- Must be submitted as an abstract of between 250 and 500 words.
- Must include citations, links or screenshots supporting or exemplifying the work.
- Must include 1 main topic.
- Must be submitted as an abstract of between 1000 and 1500 words.
- Must include citations, links or screenshots supporting or exemplifying the work.
- Must include 1 main topic.
Panels should include diverse viewpoints and facilitate critical engagement with 1 main topic. Preference is given to panels with multi-institutional representation.
Proposals must be submitted as an abstract of between 1000 and 1500 words and include:
- Title and panel description
- 1 main topic, and 3-5 keywords
- Name(s), contact details and organizational affiliation(s) of the panel proposer(s)
- Name(s) of panelists during the live session and the moderator
- Examples of the questions that the panelists will discuss.
If presentations are included, please provide short abstracts for each presentation supported with links, citations or other supporting evidence.
These 5-minute talks might pitch an idea, call for collaborators, throw out a provocation, or just provide a short update to a previously presented project.
- Ideally 300 – 500 words, including any key references.
- Abstracts can be up to 1500 words.
- Must include 1 main topic, and 3-5 keywords.
Posters are perfect for project updates – what went well, what would you do differently, what lessons can others take?
- Ideally 300 – 500 words, including any key references.
- Abstracts can be up to 1500 words.
- Must include 1 main topic, and 3-5 keywords.
Most workshops and tutorials will be scheduled concurrently with the AI4LAM Member Day and Board meetings on September 15; however, if space allows, some workshops may be offered as an additional track during the conference or in hybrid time blocks between September 16-17.
Workshops & Tutorials should have hands-on or participatory elements. Include in your submission how these elements will be structured for either in-person or hybrid formats. Indicate who will be involved in the workshop and who will be the contact person to make arrangements for either hybrid or in person set ups. Also indicate if any pre-work will need to be done by participants.
1000 – 1500 words including an overview, proposed resources required and anything attendees need to know in advance, planned outcomes, and additional information about instructors and/or the working group if relevant.
Workshop leaders will be asked to report out to AI4LAM about the topic, process, and results from the workshops during either a plenary session later in the conference or in an AI4LAM community call following the conference, as schedules allow.
Selection criteria:
Proposals will be reviewed by professionals and experts from the AI4LAM community. Final programming and format decisions will be made by the Program Committee.
For context, 150 proposals were submitted to the 2025 conference, and 80 were accepted. Proposals are welcome from both AI4LAM members and non-members.
What are AI4LAM reviewers looking for when reviewing proposals?
These guidelines outline what reviewers are looking for when evaluating proposals. Each submission should follow the conference’s submission instructions.
1. Thematic Relevance (25%)
Reviewers evaluate how well the proposal aligns with the conference’s intellectual focus.
Key questions for reviewers:
- How relevant is the proposed work to the conference theme and the topics outlined in the call for proposals?
- Does the proposal clearly align with the AI4LAM vision, mission, and priorities?
2. Innovation and Significance to the GLAM Sector (25%)
Reviewers assess the originality, methodological clarity, and potential impact of the work.
Key questions for reviewers:
- Are the technical or practical innovations clearly articulated?
- To what extent could this work influence future research, practice, or policy in the GLAM sector?
- Is it clear how digital research was conducted or how digital methodologies were applied in a GLAM context?
- Are limitations or challenges acknowledged and thoughtfully discussed?
3. Quality of Presentation (25%)
Reviewers consider the clarity, structure, and accessibility of the proposal.
Key questions for reviewers:
- Does the proposal demonstrate strong evidence, research, or practical experience?
- Are the research questions, methods, and major findings clearly articulated?
- Are the ideas, methods, results, and discussions well‑presented and logically structured?
- Is the proposal written clearly and accessibly for a broad, cross‑sectoral, international audience?
- Is domain‑specific terminology or methodology explained in a way that is understandable to a diverse AI4LAM community?
4. Overall Evaluation (25%)
Reviewers provide a holistic assessment of the proposal.
Key questions for reviewers:
- What is your overall evaluation of the proposal’s quality and contribution?
- How useful or applicable is the proposed work to the AI4LAM community?
5. Additional Format‑Specific Considerations
The following criteria is applied when relevant:
- Workshops: Should emphasize interaction, hands‑on learning, and practical application.
- Panels: Should include diverse perspectives, expertise, and institutional or geographic representation.
Note: The Programme Committee may recommend accepting a proposal in a different format than the one submitted (e.g., a long presentation may be accepted as a short presentation).
6. Innovation Award Nominations
Reviewers may nominate proposals for the AI4LAM Innovation Award.
Nomination criteria:
- High scores across the standard conference evaluation criteria.
- Clear evidence of significant novelty, innovation, and potential for broad positive impact in the LAM sector.
A checkbox in ConfTool will be available for reviewers to indicate their nomination.