Human skills will take centre stage at Learnovation 2026, Ireland’s annual learning summit which takes place at the Aviva Stadium on Thursday, October 8th.
Hosted by The Learnovate Centre, the theme of this year’s conference is ‘Human Skills That Power the AI World’.
As Artificial Intelligence rapidly transforms how we live and work, Learnovation 2026 will focus on the human skills that matter most such as creativity, critical thinking, judgement, communication, adaptability, collaboration and leadership.
The summit will challenge organisations, educators and innovators to rethink how we learn, how talent is developed and how workforces and learning can prepare for an AI-enabled future.
Learnovation is The Learnovate Centre’s annual flagship event which attracts speakers and attendees who are leaders in learning and development, talent, skills, EdTech, HRTech and education. The Learnovate Centre, based at Trinity College Dublin, is a leading global research and innovation centre focused on the future of work and learning.
Learnovation 2026 will feature more than 600 attendees, 40 expert speakers and 18 exhibitors for a full day of inspiring keynotes, practical insights, networking, and fresh thinking.
Learnovation 2026 speakers include:
Kate O’Neill: New York-based author known internationally as the ‘Tech Humanist’, Kate is the founder and CEO of KO Insights. With more than 25 years’ experience, including as one of Netflix’s first 100 employees, she is a leading global tech strategist working with Google, Microsoft, IBM, Coca-Cola, McDonald’s, the UN, Yale, Harvard and Cambridge.
Dr Brian Pennie: Neuroscientist and resilience specialist, Brian is an advisor to some of Ireland’s leading CEOs. His own remarkable personal story of overcoming a 15-year heroin addiction to rebuild his life is combined with techniques and methods acquired through his academic career.
Claire Doody: Claire is the founder of Work in Motion and former Director of Learning & Development at Twitter. She helps organisations including Unilever and McDonald’s build the human capability to navigate change. She co-leads Udemy’s Leaders Lab for senior learning leaders.
Dr. Madiha Khan: Madiha is a researcher and consultant specialising in the responsible implementation of AI in education. She is Director of Consulting Services at Educate Ventures Research and advises education leaders on AI strategy, governance, and learning analytics.
Learnovate Managing Director Nessa McEniff, who will host a fireside chat with Kate O’Neill at Learnovation 2026, says:
“AI is changing how we work and learn at extraordinary speed, but technology alone will not determine whether organisations succeed. Our ability to think critically, communicate, collaborate, adapt and exercise sound judgement will become even more valuable in an AI-enabled world.
“Learnovation 2026 will bring together leading voices from industry, education, technology and research to examine how we can develop these capabilities in a meaningful and practical way. It will give organisations and educators an opportunity to look beyond the noise surrounding AI and consider how we can best prepare people for the changes already under way.
“This year’s summit will offer fresh thinking, practical insights and important conversations for anyone involved in the future of work and learning. We look forward to welcoming attendees to the Aviva Stadium on October 8th.”
Learnovation 2026 will run from 9am to 4.30pm on October 8th at the Aviva Stadium. You can register for Learnovation 2026 here at learnovatecentre.org/learnovation2026