Date: August 18–19, 2026
Location: San Francisco, USA (Fort Mason)
Type: Developer Conference
Website: actuate.foxglove.dev
What Is Actuate 26?
Actuate 26 is the annual robotics developer conference organized by Foxglove, set to take place at Fort Mason in San Francisco on August 18–19, 2026. Now in its second iteration, the event is specifically designed for engineers and technical professionals who build robots, offering two full days of concentrated insights into autonomy and physical AI. The conference positions itself as a practical, hands-on gathering rather than a high-level industry showcase, emphasizing actionable knowledge for working developers.
The event’s location at Fort Mason — a historic waterfront venue in the Marina district — provides a fitting backdrop for a conference focused on the intersection of software and hardware. Foxglove, the company behind Actuate 26, is known for its open-source visualization and debugging tools for robotics, and the conference reflects that engineering-first ethos. Attendees can expect a program curated by and for technical leads, with an emphasis on real-world robotics development challenges rather than abstract theory.
Actuate 26 matters because it addresses a growing gap in the robotics conference landscape: the need for developer-focused events that go beyond product demos and keynote fluff. As physical AI — the application of artificial intelligence to robots that operate in the real world — accelerates, the demand for practical engineering knowledge around sensor integration, motion planning, and system reliability has never been higher. This conference aims to fill that void with content from leading technical engineers who are actively building production systems.
Why It Matters for AI Professionals
For AI professionals working in robotics, Actuate 26 offers a rare opportunity to dive deep into the engineering realities of deploying autonomy at scale. While many AI conferences focus on model architecture or training pipelines, Actuate 26 concentrates on the systems-level challenges that arise when AI meets hardware: latency constraints, sensor fusion, safety-critical validation, and real-time decision-making. These are the problems that separate research prototypes from reliable robots, and the conference’s technical sessions are designed to address them head-on.
Attendees will gain exposure to the latest thinking in physical AI — a domain where computer vision, reinforcement learning, and control theory converge. The conference’s focus on hands-on sessions means that participants can expect to leave with not just new ideas, but also practical techniques they can apply immediately to their own robotics stacks. For AI professionals who want to bridge the gap between software intelligence and physical action, Actuate 26 provides a focused, no-nonsense curriculum.
What to Expect
Actuate 26 is structured around two core themes: autonomy and physical AI. The program features presentations and workshops led by leading technical engineers, with an emphasis on code-level insights and system architecture. Key elements of the conference include:
- Technical talks on autonomy: Sessions covering perception, localization, planning, and control for robots operating in unstructured environments.
- Physical AI deep dives: Discussions on how AI models are integrated into robotic systems, including edge deployment, simulation-to-real transfer, and sensor processing.
- Hands-on workshops: Interactive sessions where attendees can work directly with tools and frameworks used in production robotics development.
- Networking opportunities: Dedicated time for engineers to connect with peers facing similar challenges in autonomy and robotics infrastructure.
- Foxglove ecosystem focus: While the conference is vendor-presented, the content is expected to cover a broad range of open-source and industry-standard tools relevant to robotics developers.
Notable speakers for Actuate 26 have not been announced at the time of writing; details are expected to be published on the official website closer to the event date.
Who Should Attend
Actuate 26 is designed for technical professionals who build robots — specifically, software engineers, robotics engineers, autonomy researchers, and technical leads working on autonomous systems. The conference is particularly relevant for those involved in developing perception stacks, motion planning algorithms, sensor integration pipelines, or simulation environments for physical AI. While executives and product managers may find value in the strategic discussions, the content is squarely aimed at practitioners who write code and debug systems. Students and academics working in robotics or AI are also welcome, provided they have a solid technical foundation.
How to Register
Registration for Actuate 26 is available exclusively through the official conference website. Pricing details have not yet been released; interested attendees should visit actuate.foxglove.dev for the most up-to-date information on ticket tiers, early-bird discounts, and registration deadlines. Given the developer-focused nature of the event and the limited capacity of the Fort Mason venue, early registration is recommended.
