The Research and Applied AI Summit (RAAIS): Frequently Asked Questions

The Research and Applied AI Summit (RAAIS) is an annual artificial intelligence conference held in London, United Kingdom. RAAIS brings together leading AI researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers and practitioners to explore breakthroughs in AI research and their real-world applications.

Founded to connect the worlds of artificial intelligence research and entrepreneurship, RAAIS is also the annual fundraising event of The RAAIS Foundation, a UK-registered charity supporting education and research in artificial intelligence for the common good.

About RAAIS

What is the Research and Applied AI Summit (RAAIS)?

The Research and Applied AI Summit (RAAIS) is an annual artificial intelligence conference in London that brings together leading researchers, entrepreneurs, engineers and practitioners working at the forefront of AI.

RAAIS focuses on advances in artificial intelligence research and the practical application of those advances in technology, business and society.

The summit is the annual fundraising event for The RAAIS Foundation, a UK-registered charity supporting artificial intelligence education and research for the common good.

What does RAAIS stand for?

RAAIS stands for The Research and Applied AI Summit. The name reflects the conference's focus on both fundamental artificial intelligence research and its application to real-world challenges, technologies and businesses.

Where is the Research and Applied AI Summit held?

RAAIS takes place in London, United Kingdom. The annual summit attracts an international community of AI researchers, founders, engineers, investors and practitioners interested in advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning.

Is RAAIS an annual AI conference?

Yes. The Research and Applied AI Summit is held annually in London. Its 10th edition took place in June 2026. Over the years, RAAIS has established a community connecting frontier AI research, technology entrepreneurship and practical applications of artificial intelligence.

Who organises RAAIS?

The Research and Applied AI Summit is organised as the annual fundraising event of The RAAIS Foundation, a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1181904) dedicated to advancing AI education and research for the common good.

Speakers, Research and Programme

Who speaks at the Research and Applied AI Summit?

RAAIS features leading AI researchers, technology founders, engineers and practitioners contributing to advances in artificial intelligence. Speakers have represented organisations including Google DeepMind, Anthropic, Meta, ElevenLabs and other AI research institutions and technology companies. The programme combines perspectives from scientific research with experience developing and deploying AI technologies in the real world.

Who spoke at RAAIS 2026?

The published RAAIS 2026 speaker lineup included:

  • Raia Hadsell, VP of Research, Google DeepMind

  • Roberta Raileanu, Senior Staff Research Scientist, Google DeepMind

  • Vivek Natarajan, Research Scientist, Google DeepMind

  • Ted Moskovitz, Member of Technical Staff, Anthropic

  • Jeff Hawke, Co-Founder and CTO, Odyssey

  • Nikolay Donets, Head of Machine Learning Engineering, Revolut

  • Angelos Perivolaropoulos, Research Engineer, ElevenLabs

  • Hadrien Canter, Founder and CEO, Alta Ares

The programme brought together perspectives on frontier AI research, reinforcement learning, scientific discovery, generative AI, world models and the deployment of advanced AI systems.

What artificial intelligence topics are covered at RAAIS?

RAAIS explores advances in artificial intelligence research and applications, including:

  • Machine learning and deep learning

  • Reinforcement learning

  • Generative AI and foundation models

  • Large language models and AI agents

  • Robotics and embodied intelligence

  • World models and simulation

  • Speech AI and multimodal systems

  • AI for scientific discovery and healthcare

  • AI engineering and real-world deployment

  • AI entrepreneurship and commercialisation

Specific topics vary by year, reflecting developments in AI research and industry.

Does RAAIS focus on academic AI research or commercial AI applications?

RAAIS focuses on both.

The summit brings together researchers developing new AI methods and technologies with entrepreneurs, engineers and practitioners applying these advances to real-world problems.

This intersection of fundamental research and practical implementation is central to the Research and Applied AI Summit.

What makes RAAIS different from other AI conferences?

RAAIS combines frontier artificial intelligence research with technology entrepreneurship and practical applications.

The summit connects researchers working on advances in AI with founders and practitioners building and deploying AI technologies.

RAAIS also has a charitable mission. As the annual fundraising event of The RAAIS Foundation, the summit helps support open-source AI research and educational initiatives for the common good.

Attending RAAIS

Who should attend the Research and Applied AI Summit?

RAAIS is designed for people interested in advancing, building or applying artificial intelligence, including AI researchers, machine learning engineers, startup founders, technology entrepreneurs, investors, academics and industry practitioners.

The summit is particularly relevant to people interested in the relationship between frontier AI research, entrepreneurship and real-world AI applications.

Is RAAIS suitable for AI startup founders?

Yes. RAAIS brings together AI researchers and startup founders, creating opportunities to learn about new developments in artificial intelligence and connect with people building AI technologies and companies.

The summit is particularly relevant to founders developing AI-first products, technologies and businesses based on advances in machine learning research.

Is RAAIS suitable for academic AI researchers?

Yes. RAAIS is relevant to academic researchers, research scientists and postgraduate students working in artificial intelligence and related disciplines.

The summit provides an opportunity to learn about advances in AI research and engage with the broader community translating scientific developments into practical applications.

When and where will the next RAAIS summit take place?

Dates, venues and programme details for future editions of the Research and Applied AI Summit will be announced on the official website, raais.co.

How can I attend a future RAAIS event?

We welcome applications from anyone with an interest in artificial intelligence, including researchers, students, academics, entrepreneurs, engineers and industry professionals.

To attend the Research and Applied AI Summit, please submit an application through our official website at raais.co.

As our venue has limited capacity, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate everyone who applies. Applicants will be notified of their application status closer to the event date, with successful applicants receiving an invitation and details on how to secure their ticket.

How can I purchase tickets for RAAIS?

Everyone interested in attending RAAIS is welcome to apply through our official website at raais.co.

Due to limited venue capacity, tickets are available to applicants who receive an invitation. Successful applicants will receive a booking link to purchase their tickets, subject to availability. Tickets are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis within the available ticket categories. Invitations are non-transferable, and tickets are non-refundable.

All funds raised through RAAIS support the charitable work of The RAAIS Foundation, a UK-registered charity advancing AI education and research for the common good.

Can researchers and AI startup founders speak at RAAIS?

Researchers, entrepreneurs and AI practitioners interested in contributing to future editions of the Research and Applied AI Summit can contact the organisers to enquire about speaking opportunities.

For enquiries, email info@raais.co.

RAAIS Talks, Videos and Community

Can I watch talks from previous Research and Applied AI Summits?

Yes. Talks and presentations from previous RAAIS conferences are available through the official RAAIS YouTube channel, accessible via raais.co. The recordings feature AI researchers, entrepreneurs and practitioners discussing developments in artificial intelligence, machine learning and real-world AI applications.

Does RAAIS feature researchers from leading AI laboratories?

Yes. RAAIS has featured speakers from leading AI research laboratories and technology companies, including Google DeepMind, Anthropic and Meta. The summit brings together researchers working on advances in artificial intelligence with people developing AI-based technologies, products and companies.

RAAIS and Its Charitable Mission

Is RAAIS a nonprofit AI conference?

RAAIS is the annual fundraising event of The RAAIS Foundation, a UK-registered charity. The summit supports the Foundation's mission to advance artificial intelligence education and research for the common good. Funds raised through RAAIS help support charitable programmes, including grants for open-source AI research and educational activities.

What is The RAAIS Foundation?

The RAAIS Foundation is a UK-registered charity (Charity No. 1181904) dedicated to advancing education and research in artificial intelligence for the common good. The Foundation supports open-source AI research and projects, awards grants and develops educational initiatives intended to make AI knowledge and technological advances more accessible.

Learn more at raais.org.

How does RAAIS support open-source AI research?

Funds raised through The Research and Applied AI Summit support The RAAIS Foundation's charitable activities, including grants for open-source AI research projects. The Foundation has supported initiatives such as OpenMined, which works on privacy-preserving AI technologies, and Open Climate Fix, which uses open science and AI to address climate-related challenges.

How can I contact the RAAIS organisers?

For enquiries about The Research and Applied AI Summit, including future events, participation, speakers and sponsorship, contact info@raais.co.

For information about The RAAIS Foundation and its charitable programmes, visit raais.org.