SIX DAYS OF AI
ON THE RHINE.
25–30 January 2027
Basel, Switzerland
Six days of talks, summits and hands-on formats in the tri-national region where AI meets Europe's densest life-science cluster.
First edition · registration opens November 2026
Programme: first draft.
Six anchor days across the region. Sessions, speakers and registration open from November 2026.
| Date | Event | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Mon 25 Jan | Opening Night & Welcome | Markthalle Basel |
| Tue 26 Jan | AI in Life Sciences & Pharma | Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area, Allschwil |
| Wed 27 Jan | Autonomous Systems in the Real World | FHNW Campus, Muttenz |
| Thu 28 Jan | AI Governance Day: cross-border policy, CH·DE·FR | Congress Center Basel |
| Fri 29 Jan | Basel AI Summit: the flagship day | Congress Center Basel |
| Sat 30 Jan | Community Day: workshops, robot showcase, culture | Markthalle Basel & city venues |
Trusted by design.
The 2027 topic. AI is moving from demos to decisions: the festival asks what it takes for systems that act on our behalf to be verifiable, auditable and accountable before regulators, patients and markets depend on them.
The rules are live
The EU AI Act's enforcement powers went live in August 2026. By the time we meet, the question is no longer whether organisations comply, but how.
Trust is a Swiss advantage
Regulatory clarity, neutral ground and stable institutions. Switzerland sits at the centre of the European AI governance conversation.
From demos to decisions
Agentic systems now support decisions in healthcare, finance and logistics. Trust needs evidence: audits, evaluations, transparency.
Four venues, one week.
From the station to the campus: the draft venue plan. Venues are confirmed together with the programme.
-
01
Markthalle Basel
Next to Basel SBB
Mon 25 · Sat 30
-
02
Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area
Allschwil
Tue 26
-
03
FHNW Campus Muttenz
Muttenz, by the station
Wed 27
-
04
Congress Center Basel
Messeplatz, Kleinbasel
Thu 28 · Fri 29
Why Basel.
- countries meet in one metro area
- 3
- EuroAirport to Basel SBB by bus 50
- 15 min
- Zurich to Basel by direct train
- 55 min
- festival days, 25–30 January
- 6
- Region
- Tri-national: Switzerland, Germany and France around one metro area and one airport.
- Life sciences
- One of the world's densest pharma and biotech clusters: AI in discovery, clinical operations and manufacturing has a home audience here.
- Reliability
- Stable institutions, strong data protection and a culture of precision: the right stage for AI that has to work.
- Ecosystem
- University of Basel · FHNW · Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area · a dense startup scene across three countries.
Most events are free.
The festival stays open to the city: talks, workshops, public formats and networking sessions are free with registration. The Basel AI Summit day and selected formats carry their own ticket, and the festival pass is the exception that covers the whole week in one purchase. Registration and pricing open in November 2026.
| Ticket | Included | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Free formats | Talks, workshops, public formats and community events. Students and the public explicitly welcome. | Register from Nov 2026 |
| Basel AI Summit day | The flagship conference day: main stage, all tracks, expo and the evening session. | On sale Nov 2026 |
| Festival pass | The whole week in one purchase: flagship summit, governance day, speaker dinner, partner events, priority seating. | Limited, on sale Nov 2026 |
Be first in line.
Registration dates, programme and first speakers, roughly once a month until January. Nothing else.
Partners.
Partner and sponsor slots are open. The 2027 lineup is announced here as it forms.
About.
The Basel AI Festival is an independent community initiative in the making, organised by a Basel-based team with partners from academia, industry and the city. The organising committee, supporters and first speakers are announced here as they confirm.
Want to help shape the first edition? hello@baselaifestival.ch
Info.
When and where does the festival take place?
25–30 January 2027, at venues across Basel, including Congress Center Basel, Markthalle Basel, Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area (Allschwil) and FHNW Campus Muttenz. The draft schedule is in the programme above; sessions and speakers are added from November 2026.
Do I need a ticket for all events?
No. Most community events are free with registration; the flagship summit day and selected deep-dive formats are ticketed; the festival pass covers the whole week. Ticketing opens in November 2026.
Who organises the festival?
A Basel-based team with partners from academia, industry and the community. The organising committee will be announced on the About section. To get involved, write to hello@baselaifestival.ch.
Is there a press pass?
A limited number of press badges is available for media. Reach out at hello@baselaifestival.ch with your focus and we will support you with a briefing and interviews.
What's the best way to get to Basel?
Fly into EuroAirport Basel-Mulhouse (BSL/MLH): bus 50 takes about 15 minutes to Basel SBB. Basel SBB is also a major rail hub with direct trains from Zurich (~55 min), Paris (TGV), Frankfurt and Milan.
How do I get around during the festival?
BVB trams and buses cover the whole city; most venues are within 15 minutes of SBB. Many hotels include the Basel Card with free public transport; details in the FAQ closer to the event.
What language are the events in?
Summits and talks are in English. Community and cultural formats are also held in German, French or Italian as noted per event.