Date: September 15-18, 2026
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Type: Conference
Website: coalesce.getdbt.com
What Is Coalesce?
Coalesce is a major four-day conference that brings together the global data and analytics community. While historically centered on the modern data stack and data transformation workflows, the event has significantly expanded its scope to comprehensively cover the intersecting fields of machine learning, artificial intelligence, and data engineering. This evolution reflects the industry’s shift towards integrated, AI-driven data platforms.
The conference is organized by dbt Labs, the company behind the popular open-source data transformation tool dbt. This foundation in practical data engineering gives Coalesce a unique perspective, focusing on the implementation and operational challenges of building reliable, scalable data infrastructure that feeds AI and ML systems. The event serves as a critical junction where data practitioners, engineers, and AI professionals converge to share knowledge and best practices.
Why It Matters for AI Professionals
For AI and machine learning professionals, Coalesce 2026 addresses a crucial gap: the foundational data layer. The performance of any AI model is intrinsically linked to the quality, governance, and accessibility of the data it is trained on. This conference provides essential insights into the engineering pipelines that make data AI-ready, covering topics from feature store management and data lineage to model deployment and monitoring in production environments.
Attending Coalesce offers AI practitioners a holistic view of the end-to-end data-to-insights lifecycle. It’s an opportunity to move beyond model architecture and hyperparameter tuning to understand the systemic challenges of data quality, reproducibility, and collaboration between data engineers and ML teams. The networking opportunities at Coalesce are invaluable for building connections with the data engineers who build and maintain the platforms that AI applications depend on.
What to Expect
Coalesce 2026 is structured as a comprehensive event with content spanning several key technological domains. The agenda typically includes a mix of keynote presentations, technical breakout sessions, hands-on workshops, and ample networking time. While the full schedule and speaker list for 2026 are yet to be announced, the event’s description confirms several core thematic areas and formats.
Key themes at Coalesce will include:
- Machine Learning and AI implementation and MLOps
- Data engineering and architecture
- Data transformation, quality, and governance
- Analytics engineering and business intelligence
The event is offered in a hybrid format, with both in-person attendance in Las Vegas and a virtual participation option. A significant benefit for registrants is access to previous years’ session recordings, providing a deep archive of knowledge to explore. Specific speakers and detailed session topics for the 2026 edition are details to be announced.
Who Should Attend
Coalesce is designed for a broad spectrum of technical professionals and leaders whose work intersects with data. The primary audience includes data engineers, analytics engineers, and ML engineers who are responsible for building and maintaining data pipelines and AI infrastructure. Data scientists and machine learning researchers will find content relevant to operationalizing their work and ensuring robust data inputs.
Furthermore, the conference is highly relevant for data architects, platform engineers, and engineering managers overseeing data/AI teams. Even executives and product leaders in data-driven companies can gain strategic insights into the evolving landscape of data tools and AI integration, helping them make informed decisions about their organization’s technology stack and investment priorities.
How to Register
Registration for Coalesce 2026 is managed through the official event website. Interested attendees can visit coalesce.getdbt.com for the most current information and to secure their pass. The event offers both in-person and online attendance options.
A notable feature of Coalesce is its commitment to accessibility through a free virtual admission option. This allows professionals from around the world to participate in the sessions remotely. Specific pricing tiers for in-person attendance and any potential early-bird discounts for Coalesce 2026 are details to be announced on the official site as the event dates approach.