AI in Finance 2026

About

Following the successful launch of the "Generative AI in Finance" conference in 2024, the John Molson School of Business at Concordia University, in collaboration with the Desjardins Centre for Innovation and Financing, is pleased to announce the second edition of the AI in Finance Conference, organized by Denis Schweizer, Juliane Proelss (Concordia University) and Christian Fieberg (Hochschule Bremen and Concordia University) as well as Lars Hornuf (TU Dresden).

The event will take place in-person in Montréal from October 12 to 14, 2026, with a limited number of virtual presentation slots reserved to accommodate participants facing travel restrictions. Additionally, the conference will be streamed online for interested listeners, and the keynote sessions will be live-streamed. We invite submissions of full papers or extended abstracts of theoretical and empirical research at the frontiers of AI and finance. Please find the first and second Conference edition program here and here.

A complimentary networking event will be held on October 11, 2026. 

DAY 1 (Oct 12): PhD and Postdoc WORKSHOP— Aimed at early-career researchers with feedback from senior faculty on design and methods in AI and Finance.
DAYS 2–3 (Oct 13–14): MAIN ACADEMIC CONFERENCE— Presentations and discussions on AI applications in Corporate Finance and related areas.
 

Keynote Speaker

PhD and Postdoc Workshop on Empirical AI in Finance

The PhD and Postdoc Workshop is designed for early-career researchers interested in empirical finance, machine learning, data-driven research, and programming in Matlab. This one-day workshop offers hands-on experience with WRDS data, replication of top-tier finance papers applying machine learning techniques, and interactive feedback from senior faculty. For additional information see here.

Conference Highlights

• The conference will feature a Best Paper Award and a Best Discussant Award, alongside several social activities, including a networking soirée to foster collaboration among scholars and practitioners.
• A dedicated track on "AI in Sustainability and Climate Change," organized by Dr. Matthäus Tekathen (Concordia University, Canada) in collaboration with the Climate Business Institute, will explore how artificial intelligence can address pressing environmental challenges and advance climate innovation. For the call for papers, click here.
• A dedicated track on “AI and Real Estate” program brings together scholars and practitioners to explore how AI is transforming real estate finance and urban economics. 

Travel 

The preferred airline partner for the event is Air Canada, offering a discount of up to 10% on eligible fares to Montréal (YUL). Please contact the organizer to receive the bookicg code. The discount is valid for travel within ±7 days of the event.

Program Commitee  

General Conference

Real Estate