7th AI4SE & SE4AI Workshop to Showcase 60 Technical Presentations and More
The seventh annual AI4SE & SE4AI Research and Application Workshop will be held on September 22-23. Organized by SERC and the U.S. Army DEVCOM Armaments Center and hosted by The George Washington University Trustworthy AI Initiative in Washington, DC, this year’s hybrid event is organized around the theme of “Speed and Innovation through AI4SE & SE4AI.”
Workshop Grows Along with Reach and Impact of AI
In seven years, the workshop has grown in scope, size, and reach as the role and impact of AI increases across sectors and fields globally. The inaugural workshop, a two-day online event in 2020, gathered participants from government, academia and industry to define relevant SE and AI challenges, and identify areas of exploration, methodologies to use, and ways to collaborate and research in the upcoming years. Themes highlighted in ensuing years have reflected evolving priorities including building trust in AI systems and increasing workability between humans and AI, and the consistent priority of developing a workforce prepared to address the ethical, technical, and societal challenges posed by AI.
“This year’s workshop is just past the midpoint of a decade of the evolution of AI and systems engineering. Never has a technology changed our discipline of systems engineering more quickly. If we were to try to predict what AI and systems engineering will look like in 2030, we would be wrong. But after six years of workshops, we can spot the trends and make some definitive statements on where systems engineering and AI are going. That is the value of this continuing event. This 7th workshop will offer some definitive statements about today and 2030. My take? Expect significant change.” –SERC CTO Tom McDermott
Distinguished Keynote Speakers for 2026
As in past years, the scheduled keynote speakers are leaders within entities at the forefront of AI development and exploration of the technology’s impacts. As Assistant Deputy for Acquisition and Systems Management (Data – Engineering – Software) under the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics & Technology), Ms. Rocio (Rosie) Bauer supports implementation of modern software practices including agile software development and DevSecOps, data centricity, and digital engineering across the DASM and ASA(ALT). Dr. Tara Sinclair is a macroeconomist with expertise at the intersection of data, forecasting, and emerging technology. As a professor of economics and international affairs at The George Washington University, she integrates AI tools into research and prepares the next generation of economists for an increasingly AI-enabled world.
2026 Theme and Agenda Overview
This year’s theme of “Speed and Innovation through AI4SE & SE4AI” aims to emphasize the importance of sound systems engineering to both deliver mission capabilities quickly and effectively and transform enterprises to leverage the power of AI. As in the past, the workshop will be organized around SE4AI and AI4SE. The SE4AI track focuses on leveraging systems engineering principles and methodologies to develop safe, robust, and efficient AI systems that augment operational capabilities and advancing these principles and methodologies in response to AI-enabled systems. The AI4SE track delves into applying AI to support the acquisition process by enabling enhanced decision-making, optimization, validation and verification, and alleviating mundane tasks.
This year’s call for abstracts included proposals for in-person interactive sessions in addition to those for traditional presentation slots that can be attended in-person and virtually. The number of abstracts submitted increased by 24% over last year, setting a new record, and 55% of those abstracts were submitted by individuals for the first time. Technical presentations are scheduled for both days, as well as panels, a demo and poster exposition, and networking opportunities, including an evening reception on September 22.
“Each year, I continue to be impressed at how this community keeps evolving, digging into increasingly complex problems at the intersection of SE and AI and innovating on methods and tools that will have an impact far beyond this systems engineering.” –SERC Chief Scientist Zoe Szajnfarber
Information about previous workshops can be found on the SERC website, as well as registration and agenda information for this year’s event.
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