dbt Summit (formerly Coalesce) 2026: Everything You Need to Know

What Is dbt Summit 2026?

dbt Summit 2026, formerly known as Coalesce, is the world’s largest gathering of dbt users and analytics engineers. Organized by dbt Labs, the event has evolved from its roots as a community conference into a premier industry summit that now spans four days of intensive learning, networking, and hands-on technical work. Scheduled for September 15–18 in Las Vegas, the 2026 edition marks a significant rebranding and expansion, reflecting the growing maturity of the modern data stack and the central role dbt plays in it.

The summit is designed to serve the entire analytics engineering ecosystem, from practitioners building data pipelines to executives defining data strategy. With over 100 sessions spread across keynotes, breakout tracks, and hands-on labs, dbt Summit 2026 provides a comprehensive look at where the field is headed. The event’s programming explicitly covers data analytics, artificial intelligence, and the modern data stack, making it a critical checkpoint for anyone working at the intersection of data and AI.

Why does dbt Summit matter? Because dbt has become the de facto standard for data transformation in analytics engineering. As organizations increasingly rely on structured, reliable data to feed AI models and business intelligence systems, the practices and tools showcased at this event directly influence how data teams operate. The summit is where the community converges to share best practices, preview new capabilities, and align on the future of data work.

Why It Matters for AI Professionals

For AI professionals, dbt Summit 2026 is relevant because high-quality, well-governed data is the foundation of any successful AI initiative. The sessions focused on AI within the summit address how analytics engineering pipelines can be optimized to support machine learning workflows, feature engineering, and model training data. As AI moves from experimental projects to production systems, the reliability and observability of the data layer become paramount, and dbt Summit is where these operational concerns are tackled head-on.

Attendees will gain practical insights into how modern data teams are structuring their dbt projects to serve AI use cases, including data versioning, lineage tracking, and testing for data quality. The event also provides a rare opportunity to connect with the engineers and data leaders who are building the infrastructure that powers AI applications at scale. Whether you are a data scientist looking to understand upstream data transformations or an ML engineer seeking more robust data pipelines, dbt Summit 2026 offers actionable takeaways.

What to Expect

dbt Summit 2026 features a dense agenda with more than 100 sessions across multiple formats. Key themes include the convergence of analytics and AI, advances in the modern data stack, and practical strategies for scaling data teams. While the full speaker lineup and session catalog are yet to be announced, the event historically attracts senior engineers, product leaders from dbt Labs, and practitioners from major data-driven organizations.

• Keynotes: High-level presentations setting the vision for dbt and the analytics engineering discipline, with emphasis on AI integration and platform evolution.
• Breakout sessions: Deep dives into specific topics such as dbt Mesh, incremental models, data contracts, and AI-ready data architectures.
• Hands-on labs: Interactive workshops where attendees can work directly with dbt features, experiment with new releases, and solve real-world data problems.
• Networking opportunities: Dedicated time for community connection, including Birds of a Feather sessions and an expo hall featuring modern data stack vendors.

Who Should Attend

dbt Summit 2026 is designed for analytics engineers, data engineers, data architects, and data scientists who use or are evaluating dbt in their workflows. It is also highly relevant for engineering managers, directors of data, and chief data officers responsible for building and scaling data teams. AI professionals—including machine learning engineers and AI infrastructure leads—will find value in the sessions that bridge data transformation and model readiness. The event assumes a technical audience, but tracks and sessions vary in depth, making it accessible to both seasoned practitioners and those newer to the analytics engineering space.

How to Register

Registration for dbt Summit 2026 is open via the official event website. Pricing details and early-bird options are to be announced. To secure your spot and receive updates on the agenda, speakers, and registration deadlines, visit the official site directly: getdbt.com/dbt-summit.