Panel: AI and Advanced Materials: Accelerating Discovery, Development and Production

Tuesday, 16 June 2026

Artificial intelligence is reshaping how advanced materials are discovered, developed and manufactured. From accelerating materials discovery through machine learning to optimising production processes, improving characterisation and enabling predictive maintenance, AI is opening up possibilities that would have been unthinkable even a few years ago. This panel brings together experts from across research, industry and technology development to examine where AI is already delivering measurable impact in the advanced materials sector, where the hype still outpaces reality, and what organisations need to do to build the capability and data infrastructure to make the most of it. 

 

Discussion Points 

Where is AI currently having the most meaningful impact in advanced materials, whether in discovery, characterisation, process optimisation, or elsewhere? 

Materials discovery has long been constrained by the time and cost of experimental iteration. How significantly is AI changing that, and what are the remaining limitations? 

What data infrastructure and organisational capability do materials companies need to put in place to genuinely benefit from AI tools? 

Where does the hype still outpace reality, and what should the advanced materials sector be sceptical about when evaluating AI solutions?