Understanding AI Adoption
2026 Summer Symposium Hosted by Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab
Invite-Only
As AI rapidly transforms our world, it is crucial to understand the key factors that drive the adoption of AI technologies. This symposium, "Understanding AI Adoption," will bring together industry leaders and
experts to discuss the critical issues surrounding trust in AI, public AI literacy, and the challenges and obstacles people face in adopting AI.
The symposium will explore how people's trust in AI systems is influenced by factors such as transparency, accountability, and the perceived reliability of the technology. It will also examine the current levels of AI literacy and identify ways to improve understanding and comfort with these emerging technologies.
This symposium continues a series of efforts led by the Stanford Deliberative Democracy Lab to engage the global public and industry leaders to foster thoughtful deliberation and collaboration on how to develop AI agents.
The outcome of this effort will include actionable guidelines and best practices for building safe, impactful AI agents that benefit both businesses and society, culminating in open reports and industry-wide
recommendations.
Learn more about other technology and AI governance Deliberative Polls here:
Industry-Wide Forum: 2025
Meta Community Forums: 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
National Deliberative Poll in Taiwan on Information Integrity
Invited Call for Papers
Submission Window: June 15 – July 15, 2026
We invite industry leaders, researchers, technologists, policymakers, and practitioners to submit short papers (1–3 pages) for the upcoming symposium hosted by the Deliberative Democracy Lab at Stanford University.
Topics of Interest
We welcome submissions that address (but are not limited to) the following themes:
- Factors influencing trust, such as transparency, explainability, and accountability
- AI literacy and skills development
- Perceived risks and concerns in AI adoption
- Strategies to address challenges and obstacles for AI adoption
- Technical, ethical, or legal challenges in AI deployment
- Cultural or regional perspectives on the impact of AI
Submission Guidelines
- Length: 1–3 pages (PDF format)
- Deadline: Jul 15, 2026
- Submission opens: Jun 15, 2026
- Acceptance notifications: Rolling basis (no later than Jul 15, 2026)
- Symposium date: July 27, 2026 (Monday)
- Submit to (and send any queries to): deliberation@stanford.edu
Authors of selected papers will be invited to participate in the in-person symposium at Stanford University in Summer 2026, and their work may be included in published proceedings and cross-industry guidelines on safe AI agent development. The symposium is intended to be a small and focused gathering.
Photo Credit: Omar: Lopez-Rincon of Unsplash