Data + AI Summit 2026: Must attend side events you won’t want to miss

Planning your trip to Data + AI Summit 2026? Beyond the keynotes and sessions, the real conversations often happen at the side events. We have pulled together a curated, continuously updated guide so you can plan your week in San Francisco around the gatherings that actually matter.

Data + AI Summit 2026: Everything you need to know

Taking place from June 15 to 18, 2026, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, the Databricks Data + AI Summit gathers the global community shaping the future of data platforms, analytics, machine learning, and generative AI. Tens of thousands of data engineers, scientists, architects, and business leaders from more than 160 countries come together to explore what is next for the lakehouse, agentic AI, and enterprise data strategy.

What to expect at Data + AI Summit 2026

• 800+ sessions and hands on training. Deep technical content across Unity Catalog, Delta Lake, Mosaic AI, Databricks SQL, streaming, and data governance.
• Keynotes from Databricks leadership and the research community. Expect major product announcements, a look inside the latest work from Mosaic AI Research, and customer stories from the world’s largest data teams.
• Expanded agentic AI focus. Live demos and labs covering agent frameworks, fine tuning, evaluation, and production grade generative AI on the lakehouse.
• Innovation around the data intelligence platform. New capabilities across governance, interoperability, open table formats, and AI ready data pipelines.
• Networking at scale. A chance to connect with practitioners, partners, and decision makers building on Databricks across every industry.

Summit learning formats

Data + AI Summit 2026 offers multiple ways to learn, tailored to different experience levels and working styles. Attendees can move between technical breakouts, hands on training, and curated executive conversations to build a week that fits their goals.

Breakout sessions deliver deep dives into lakehouse architecture, data engineering, AI platforms, and real world customer implementations. Training days, held before and during the main program, offer structured certifications across data engineering, machine learning, and generative AI. Lightning talks and partner showcases highlight new launches, open source contributions, and practical use cases. Hands on workshops bring smaller groups together to build end to end solutions, from retrieval pipelines to agentic applications. Networking spaces, including the expo floor and executive forums, create room for more strategic conversations on AI adoption, data governance, and platform modernization.

Every session is categorized from introductory to advanced, making it easier for both technical and business attendees to personalize their learning path.

Why side events matter

Beyond the official agenda, the real magic often unfolds at the side events, private dinners, industry meetups, and partner hosted sessions happening across San Francisco throughout the week. These gatherings offer a more intimate setting to build relationships, access niche insights, and have the kinds of conversations that simply do not fit inside a keynote hall. Breakfast with data leaders, small roundtables on real architectures, founder mixers, or rooftop receptions hosted by Databricks partners all add a layer of depth and connection to the Summit experience.

Qubika’s curated Data + AI Summit 2026 side events list

As an active partner in the data and AI ecosystem, we are excited to share a curated list of standout side events designed to spark innovation, foster connections, and celebrate the community building on the lakehouse, all while enjoying great company, food, and drinks.

Hosting or sponsoring a side event at Data + AI Summit 2026? Add it to the list. This page is continuously updated as new events get confirmed, so bookmark it and check back often. To submit your own event, use the form below and we will include it as soon as it is reviewed.