2026 Joint Open Conference of the IFIP WG 8.3 (Decision Support) and WG 12.15 (Generative AI)

1 Sep 2026

University College Cork hosted the 2026 Joint Open Conference of the IFIP WG 8.3 (Decision Support) and WG 12.15 (Generative AI) from 8–10 June, marking the first conference of its kind to be held in Ireland. 

University College Cork hosted the 2026 Joint Open Conference of the IFIP WG 8.3 (Decision Support) and WG 12.15 (Generative AI) from 8–10 June, marking the first conference of its kind to be held in Ireland. 

Led by Professor Ciara Heavin and Professor David Sammon of Cork University Business School’s Business Information Systems (BIS) discipline, the three-day conference brought together 95 delegates from 19 countries and 45 organisations. 

The conference further highlighted UCC and Cork University Business School’s role in convening international research and industry discussion around the rapidly evolving fields of decision support and Generative AI. 

Speaking about the conference, Professor Ciara Heavin of Cork University Business School highlighted the significance of bringing the international IFIP community to UCC and the importance of continued research and collaboration in the rapidly evolving fields of decision support and Generative AI: “It was an excellent opportunity to hear about the European Court of Auditors' work and role at the EU level. I look forward to future collaboration opportunities that will support the external engagement strategies of the Business School and enrich the learning experiences of our students” 

The conference was held under the theme ‘Human-Centric Decision Making: Transforming with AI’, exploring how artificial intelligence, analytics and decision support technologies can enhance human judgement, collaboration and decision-making in increasingly complex and uncertain environments. 

The event brought together the long-established IFIP Working Group 8.3, which focuses on decision support systems, and WG 12.15, IFIP’s newest working group, focused on Generative AI. 

Four keynote speakers addressed different aspects of decision-making and AI. Kieran O’Driscoll, Head of Data & Analytics for HEINEKEN’s Africa & Middle East region, explored the move from gut-driven to data-driven decision-making. Professor Tuure Tuunanen of the University of Jyväskylä discussed the application of design science methodology, while Professor Frada Burstein of Monash University examined the changing role of decision support in the age of AI. Professor William Swartout, Research Professor Emeritus at the University of Southern California, focused on the use of Generative AI to enhance students’ critical thinking. 

Alongside the keynote programme, the conference featured paper presentations, a panel discussion on Generative AI, an industry-led workshop and a taskforce. 

The conference brought together researchers and practitioners to examine the evolving role of decision support systems and Generative AI, with a particular focus on technologies that enhance, rather than replace, human decision-making. 

Proceedings from the conference were published as a supplement to the Journal of Decision Systems which can be viewed here