TECH NEWS – The question is no longer whether artificial intelligence (AI) will take our jobs, but how we can use it to our advantage in everyday life. On October 1 and 2, the Compass AI & Tech Summit 2026 will be held at the Eiffel Art Studios in Budapest, where experts from global companies including NVIDIA, Adobe, Vinted, Zalando, and Wise will show what the future holds.

There are slowly becoming fewer and fewer workplaces where the use of artificial intelligence has not come up, yet most companies are still feeling their way in the dark. The age of hype and science-fiction-like predictions is over: the market now expects tangible, measurable results. One of the region’s biggest technology events of the year, the Compass AI & Tech Summit 2026, is responding to this challenge. What makes the event special is that five previously independent professional conferences are now merging into one, recognizing the fact that AI is no longer just the private concern of programmers. Product developers, data analysts and developers, designers, UX/UI experts, and company executives will all be brought to the same table, because these fields will be inseparable in the workplaces of the future.

The Father of the Xbox Controller and Developers of the Most Popular Apps Are Coming to Budapest

The conference – whose motto this year is “From Idea to Impact” – is not built around theoretical discussions. The stage will be taken by professionals who build some of the world’s most popular and best-known applications and systems every day.

Among them will be Bryce Johnson, lead designer at Microsoft (Xbox) and one of the creators of the Xbox Adaptive Controller, who is known for making technology and gaming experiences accessible to everyone. His presence also proves that human-centered thinking has become the most important element of AI and technology development.

He will be joined in Budapest by international heavyweights including:

• Dr. Laura Herman (Adobe): One of the most influential researchers examining the relationship between artificial intelligence and the creative industries. Will AI kill creativity, or will it trigger a new artistic renaissance?
• Bryce Adelstein Lelbach (NVIDIA): A senior engineer at what is currently the world’s most valuable technology company, offering a glimpse into the future of AI infrastructure.
• Dejan Menges (Vinted): An expert from the online second-hand clothing marketplace that is also enormously popular among Hungarians, who will reveal the behind-the-scenes secrets of systems serving a multimillion-user base.
• Oleksandra Bovkun (Databricks): An internationally renowned authority on the everyday business application of data and AI.

A Psychologist at a Tech Conference

Artificial intelligence is rewriting not only code, but also the human psyche and workplace dynamics. That is why psychology will also play a prominent role at the event.

Joseph Pelrine has spent almost four decades exploring how the tools of social psychology and behavioral science can improve teamwork – he originally earned his doctorate in forensic psychology and psycholinguistics, and today advises teams and leaders at global companies. He will discuss how the technological explosion affects employees’ mental health, how AI anxiety can be overcome, and what new and previously unknown leadership challenges executives face in an era when humans and machines work together on a daily basis through Human-AI collaboration.

Festival Atmosphere in an Industrial Setting

The Compass AI & Tech Summit is not a traditional corporate event filled with suits. At the spectacular, industrial-style Eiffel Art Studios, serious professional presentations will be accompanied by a relaxed, festival-like atmosphere where, alongside networking, gastronomy will also play a major role: participants will be able to enjoy some of the city’s best street food during the breaks.

Source: PR Garden