The fifth OECD International Conference on AI in Work, Innovation, Productivity and Skills (AI-WIPS 2026) was held online from 30 March to 1 April 2026. The conference brought together policy-makers, business leaders, academics, and civil society to assess how AI is reshaping employment, skills, productivity, and innovation — and what policy responses are required.
Key themes: The conference examined the rise of agentic AI and its implications for worker autonomy, the governance of algorithmic management systems, AI’s potential to support neurodivergent learners, and the skills needed for an AI-integrated labour market. Discussions reinforced OECD findings that current training supply may not be sufficient to meet growing AI literacy demand.
Policy relevance: AI-WIPS 2026 serves as the primary OECD venue for synthesising member-state experiences and shaping voluntary guidance on AI workforce policy. Its outputs — including policy briefs and working papers — are expected to inform the next iteration of OECD AI Principles implementation guidance and the OECD Skills Outlook 2026.
What is notably missing: The conference is a deliberation and synthesis forum; it produces voluntary guidance and evidence rather than binding member-state obligations. No new scoring-level commitments emerged from this conference alone.