The 2026 series, scheduled for November 9–11 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre, will feature keynote speaker Paul Christiano, a prominent researcher in AI alignment. The event, co-founded by Hinton and the AI Safety Foundation, is designed to bridge the gap between complex technical research and public understanding. As part of the agreement, Manulife executives will join industry leaders and policymakers throughout the three-day event to discuss governance, innovation, and institutional trust.

Jodie Wallis, Manulife’s Global Chief AI Officer, stated that the partnership aligns with the firm’s internal Responsible AI Principles, which have guided its technology strategy since 2016. The insurer, which currently leads the 2026 Evident AI Index for insurance, aims to leverage this platform to promote transparency in how financial institutions deploy automated systems. Ankesh Chandaria, CEO of the AI Safety Foundation, noted that the expanded collaboration reflects a shared goal of broadening the reach of critical safety debates as AI capabilities continue to accelerate.