humAIn 2026 · The human signal in the age of AI

What remains
irreducibly human
in the AI era.

AI can generate content, analyse information and automate decisions. What it cannot replace — yet — is human judgment, taste, responsibility and meaning. humAIn is where that question is explored in practice.

Get tickets — Sydney '26 Read the media →
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AI & Creative WorkThe Taste GapBrand in the Age of AI SearchCulture as Training DataBuilding in PublicDebate & Dissent AI & Creative WorkThe Taste GapBrand in the Age of AI SearchCulture as Training DataBuilding in PublicDebate & Dissent

Two conversations,
one room.

01 — The premise
The builders

How AI works

Models, tools, capabilities, speed. The people shipping the systems; what's actually possible this quarter, and what's still hype.

The leaders

What AI means

For creativity, culture, jobs and decision-making. The marketers, creatives and leaders putting these systems to work in the real world.

Most events pick a lane. humAIn brings them together.

Who humAIn is for.

02 — The room
M

CMOs & marketing leaders

Using AI in brand & growth — navigating content velocity, AI search and what earns trust when machines mediate discovery.

In-house · Brand · Growth
F

Founders & builders

Building AI products & startups who want the cultural context and the hard questions, not just the next changelog.

Startups · Product · Engineering
R

Researchers

Exploring AI & culture — operators and thinkers who need judgment and perspective more than another hype cycle.

Research · Academia · Policy
C

Creative directors & strategists

Working with generative AI — designers, directors and strategists navigating craft and authorship when generation is effectively free.

Studios · Agencies · Independents
Past delegates
56% Marketing leaders: CMOs & directors
81% Senior decision-makers
▶ The flagship event

humAIn
2026

13–14 OctTwo days
SydneyCBD · AUSTRALIA
40+ voicesBUILDERS & LEADERS

Two days of talks, debate: thinking out loud and building in public; connecting the people making AI with the people making meaning with it.

Conference only
Day one only
$595 + gst
Save $150 · Early bird
Standard $745 + gst
Register now →
Conference + Workshop
Both days
$795 + gst
Save $200 · Early bird
Standard $995 + gst
Register now →
Workshop only
Day two only
$475 + gst
Save $120 · Early bird
Standard $595 + gst
Register now →

The big questions.

03 — The themes
↗
Theme 01

AI & Creative Work

How AI tools are changing creative production, authorship and originality — and the future of creative roles in marketing and media.

↗
Theme 02

Brand in the Age of AI Search

As LLMs and chat-based discovery reshape how consumers find and trust brands, what happens to visibility and the customer journey?

↗
Theme 03

The Taste Gap

When AI can generate infinite content, advantage shifts to selection. Creative direction, editorial judgment and decision-making.

↗
Theme 04

Culture as Training Data

AI is trained on human data. Bias, representation, cultural influence and the responsibility of the organisations deploying it.

Thinking out loud.

04 — Media & articles
AI has an altitude problem
Essay - the AI Altitude Problem

AI has an altitude problem

4 min read by Cat McGinn
humAIn launches as indie media and events platform to help Australian marketing industry navigate AI
News - humAIn Media launches

humAIn launches as indie media and events platform to help Australian marketing industry navigate AI

3 min read by the humAIn desk
Browse all media →

The voices.

05 — Speakers
Tea Uglow

Tea Uglow

CMO and AI consultant

Speaker
Speaker photo

Speaker Name

Creative Director, an agency exploring generative workflows

Speaker
Speaker photo

Second Speaker

Founder, an applied-AI research studio

Speaker
James Caldwell

James Caldwell

Regional GTM Director

Speaker
See the full lineup →+ 36 more being announced

What people leave with.

07 — Testimonials
“

humAIn is where builders go to share what they're actually doing and hearing. Less theatre, more honesty. Less AI hype, more people making things, testing things, and being generous about what's working and what isn't.

It will always mean a lot to us — humAIn was the first stage for Springboards, and helped us launch into the world.

PB
Pip BingemannCo-Founder & CEO, Springboards
“humAIn is one of those rare events where you know you will always bring home a new type of knowledge.”
MM
Marko MarkovicFounder, AdFixus
“I find that when I go to a conference, there is usually one session if I'm lucky that inspires. At humAIn, every session was current, relevant and informative. Congrats on curating such great content — I went back to work with lots of ideas to share.”
CH
Carolyn HyamsMarketing Director, Aquent
“I learnt a lot from others in the media and marketing ecosystem who are applying AI in very smart ways. humAIn is a really lovely community of practice at the heart of AI in comms — people are very generous with their knowledge.”
SK
Samara KitchenerFounder & MD, House of Kitch
“humAIn brings together all the leaders in AI in media and marketing — be there if you want to be part of creating the future of the industry!”
RD
Ross DawsonChairman, Advanced Human Technologies Group
“AI is quietly rewriting the relationships between agencies, platforms, publishers and brands. humAIn matters because it brings those voices together around the same table — to share what we're learning in real time and design better futures for the industry instead of having change done to us.”
KP
Karen PowellFounder & CEO, Omnipresence

Get in touch.

— Contact

Whether you'd like to speak, join our advisory panel, partner with us, or simply stay in the loop — we'd love to hear from you.

The community.

08 — Community
Members' area · Coming 2026

A year-round home for the humAIn community.

The conference is two days. The conversation continues. We're building a members' area — a place to keep sharing what's working, what isn't and what's next, in between events.

Year-round sessionsMember directoryWorking groupsRecordings vault
Register interest → Details to be confirmed
Coming soon

Get the signal,
not the noise.

One considered email a week on what AI is doing to creativity, brands and work — and what it can't touch.