NeurIPS 2019 Brings 14,000 AI Experts to Vancouver for one of City’s Largest Conferences to Date

The Vancouver Convention Centre and Tourism Vancouver are honoured to welcome 14,000 Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence experts for the 33^rd Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NeurIPS) taking place in Vancouver from December 8 – 14, 2019.

Capping off an active year for conventions and meetings in Vancouver, this will be one of the largest conferences held in the city to date and it is estimated to contribute approximately $32.5M in direct spending to the local economy.

Organized by the Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation, NeurIPS brings together specialized professionals across all industries for a week of discussions, workshops, demonstrations and competitions in order to advance knowledge and technology relevant to the increasingly vital field.

And for the second year, NeurIPS EXPO will be held as part of the conference on December 8^th offering attendees an opportunity to see first-hand how neural information processing tools are being applied to different industries and their impact.

“We are returning to Vancouver for the first time since 2010, having grown to become the largest annual conference in artificial intelligence and machine learning," said Terrence Sejnowski, President of the Neural Information Processing Systems Foundation (NeurIPS). “We will be bringing 14,000 of the world's top researchers to Vancouver to discuss the latest scientific advances and technological developments. The city and Convention Centre have been super supportive and we are excited to be coming back."

NeurIPS 2019 will mark the eleventh time the event has been held in Vancouver and the first time it will take place at the Vancouver Convention Centre, which it is set to return to in 2020.

2019 has been a record year for international conventions at the Vancouver Convention Centre.  NeurIPS 2019 is one of 17 that have taken place throughout the year and has the largest attending delegate group followed by the World Sleep Congress in September and Women Deliver in June. The Convention Centre hosts upwards of 550 events a year, including conventions, trade and consumer shows, meetings, banquets, community events and special events.

Additional Quotes:

Craig Lehto, General Manager, Vancouver Convention Centre

“We are excited to welcome NeurIPS 2019 and its thousands of attending experts from around the world. British Columbia is recognized globally as a driver for developing innovative technology, and this conference will provide an incredible platform for our local talent to not only showcase their contributions to machine learning and artificial intelligence, but also network and learn with the best in their fields.”

Dave Gazley, VP Meeting and Convention Sales, Tourism Vancouver

“To have NeurIPS return to our destination both this year and next speaks to Vancouver’s reputation as a technology and innovation hub. We are excited to welcome experts from around the world to participate in important global conversations around AI and machine learning with our local industry talent and experience the inspiring surroundings of our city.” 

Catherine Warren, CEO, Vancouver Economic Commission

 “Machine learning and artificial intelligence are critical to Vancouver’s economic future. NeurIPS brings the best and brightest to our city to mingle with experts in Vancouver’s AI sector. Hosted concurrently in Vancouver, the companion event ‘CrossOver: AI’ gathers international startups, investors and government leaders to forge connections and spark growth and investment in our emerging world-class ecosystem.”