The World Laureates Summit (WLS) 2026 opened in Dubai, bringing together more than 100 leading scientists, including Nobel Prize laureates, Turing Award recipients, and researchers from a broad range of disciplines, to examine fundamental scientific challenges shaping the future of humanity.

Held alongside the World Governments Summit, WLS 2026 aims to provide a platform for long-term scientific thinking, highlighting the role of basic science in informing public policy, economic systems, and technological development.

The opening day featured the WLS AI Science Forum, with sessions exploring AI’s societal impact and its role in scientific discovery. Discussions emphasized the importance of human oversight, international cooperation, and rigorous scientific standards.

Opening the summit, Professor Roger D. Kornberg, Chairman of the World Laureates Association and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry (2006), underscored the need for science-led policymaking and sustained investment in basic research to support long-term progress.

Keynotes and panel discussions examined AI governance, cybersecurity, ethics, and the integration of advanced computing with fundamental research. Speakers agreed that AI cannot replace human creativity or the value of global scientific collaboration.

Day One also featured the Disruptive Technologies Forum, the New Energy Forum, and the Scientific Discovery Forum, covering developments in frontier technologies, energy and climate, and fundamental science.

The summit is expected to conclude with the presentation of forward-looking scientific frameworks and initiatives to strengthen international collaboration, support basic research, and accelerate scientific discovery for global benefit.

The World Laureates Summit is organized by the World Laureates Association, which comprises 187 distinguished scientists, including 78 Nobel laureates, as well as recipients of the Turing Award, Wolf Prize, Lasker Award, Fields Medal, and Breakthrough Prize.

Its members represent disciplines ranging from chemistry and physics to medicine, economics, and computer science, and are affiliated with leading research institutions in more than 25 countries. The Association operates under the guiding vision of advancing science and technology for the common benefit of humanity.