The Department of Artificial Intelligence and Data Science (AI&DS) at AISSMS Institute of Information Technology (IOIT), Pune, successfully organised the two-day AI Summit 2026 on October 27 and 28. The summit aimed to promote emerging technologies, research and innovation in Artificial Intelligence (AI), while strengthening industry–academia collaboration.The summit was inaugurated in the presence of Mr. Vivyek Kanchan, Director – Technical Support, BMC Helix, and Mr. Sandeep Kumar, General Manager, VOIS, who attended as chief guests.The programme featured keynote sessions on “Agentic AI: The Next Frontier of Intelligent Systems” and an online panel discussion on “Cybersecurity in AI”. These sessions offered valuable insights into emerging AI technologies, evolving digital threats and the importance of responsible AI adoption.A major highlight of the summit was the AI Innovation Challenge 2026, held on October 28. Students from various colleges presented 54 innovative projects across domains such as Agentic AI, Generative AI, Large Language Models (LLMs), Computer Vision, Explainable AI, Edge AI, and AI for Smart Cities and Sustainability.
AI Innovation Challenge winners
The winning teams received cash prizes in recognition of their innovative projects:
- First prize – ₹10,000: Brains Behind Brands, represented by Safiya Khan and Yashas Salian.
- Second prize – ₹5,000: Code Catalyst, represented by Shrushti Pardeshi, Aditya Pawar and Shriharsh Pisal.
- Third prize – ₹3,000: Curio, represented by Gargee Bhanage, Dinesh Seervi and Siddhi Pansare.
The summit was organised with the support and guidance of Hon. Chhatrapati Maloji Raje, Secretary, AISSMS Society; Dr. Pradeep B. Mane, Principal, AISSMS IOIT; and Dr. R. A. Jamadar, Head of the Department of AI&DS.The event was coordinated by the Artificial Intelligence Student Association (AISA) under the guidance of Dr. P. B. Wakhare, Programme Coordinator. The individual event coordinators were Dr. Pradnya D. Bormane for the keynote sessions, Dr. Shagupta Shaikh for the panel discussion, and Dr. D. S. Zingade for the AI Innovation Challenge.AI Summit 2026 provided students with a valuable platform to showcase their talent, interact with industry experts and explore innovative AI solutions. The event also contributed to strengthening ties between academic institutions and the technology industry.
