Call for Papers
ACM Conference on AI and Agentic Systems (CAIS 2026)
San Jose, CA • May 26–29, 2026
Overview
CAIS 2026 invites original research contributions on AI and Agentic systems—architectures that advance the state of the art through:
- Principled composition of multiple system components
- Smart inference-time scaling strategies
- Systematic verification methods for reliable deployment
- Novel evaluation frameworks for compound systems
We welcome submissions from researchers and practitioners across academia and industry who are pushing the boundaries of what's possible with compound AI systems.
Topics of Interest
We welcome submissions across four key pillars:
Architectural Patterns & Composition
- Networks of Networks (NoNs) and inference-time scaling
- Verifier-based systems and generation/verification asymmetry
- Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) architectures
- Multi-agent systems and coordination mechanisms
- Tool-augmented AI and API integration patterns
- Modular system design and composability
System Optimization & Efficiency
- End-to-end optimization of non-differentiable pipelines
- Cost-performance trade-offs in compound systems
- Resource allocation across system components
- Automated architecture search and hyperparameter tuning
- Latency reduction and throughput optimization
- Model selection and routing strategies
Engineering & Operations
- MLOps for compound AI systems
- Monitoring, debugging, and observability tools
- Specification languages and verification frameworks
- Security and safety in multi-component systems
- Testing and quality assurance methodologies
- Production deployment case studies
Evaluation & Benchmarking
- Performance metrics for compound systems
- Reproducibility frameworks and artifact standards
- Comparative evaluation methodologies
- Real-world impact assessment
- Benchmark design for agentic systems
- Human evaluation and user studies
Submission Tracks
Research Papers
Original research contributions presenting novel architectures, algorithms, systems, or empirical studies.
- Format: Double-blind review
- Page limit: (to be announced)
- Template: ACM Primary Article Template (LaTeX or Word) — Download templates
System Demonstrations
Working implementations of compound AI systems with accompanying technical description.
- Format: Short paper (4 pages) + demonstration artifact
- Review: Evaluated on both technical contribution and demonstration quality
Detailed demo submission instructions coming soon.
Review Process & Reproducibility
Double-Blind Peer Review
All research paper submissions undergo rigorous double-blind peer review. Authors must:
- Anonymize submissions (remove author names, affiliations, acknowledgments)
- Avoid self-identifying citations (use "Previous work [X] showed..." not "Our prior work [X]...")
- Declare conflicts of interest during submission
Artifact Evaluation
CAIS encourages (and may require) artifact submission to support reproducibility. We adopt ACM's artifact badging taxonomy:
- Artifacts Available: Supporting materials publicly available
- Artifacts Evaluated - Functional: Artifacts documented, consistent, complete, and exercisable
- Results Reproduced: Main results independently obtained using author-provided artifacts
Artifact evaluation timeline and requirements will be announced with paper acceptance notifications.
Publication Ethics
All submissions must follow ACM Publication Policies, including:
- No concurrent submissions to other venues
- No plagiarism or self-plagiarism
- Proper attribution of prior work
- Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest
How to Submit
The submission system will be available when the CFP officially opens. Check this page for updates or join our mailing list for notifications.
Submission Platform
Papers will be submitted through HotCRP, a popular open-source conference management system.
Portal URL will be posted here when available.
Formatting Requirements
- Use the official ACM Primary Article Templates (LaTeX or Word)
- Page limits: (to be announced)
- References do not count toward page limit
- Appendices permitted but may not be reviewed
Before You Submit
- Create your HotCRP account early to avoid last-minute issues
- Complete your author profile (required for submission)
- Prepare anonymized PDF (check for metadata)
- Prepare artifact documentation if submitting early
- Review ACM publication policies
Full Timeline
Critical Deadlines
These dates require author action. Mark them in your calendar.
Abstract Registration
Fri, February 20, 2026 (11:59 PM AoE)
You must register your abstract by this date to be eligible to submit. You can update your abstract until the paper deadline.
Paper Submission
Fri, February 27, 2026 (11:59 PM AoE)
Final PDF must be uploaded. AoE (Anywhere on Earth) gives you until the deadline passes in the last time zone.
Rebuttal Closes
Fri, April 17, 2026 (11:59 PM AoE)
After receiving reviews, you have until this date to submit your response. A strong rebuttal can influence borderline decisions.
Camera-Ready Due
Mon, April 27, 2026
Deadline for your final, polished version for the proceedings. Missing this could result in exclusion from publication.
Other Important Dates
No action required, but useful for planning.
Reviews Due: Fri, April 3, 2026
Internal deadline for reviewers
Rebuttal Opens: Mon, April 6, 2026
Reviews become visible to authors
Author Notification: Tue, April 21, 2026
Accept/reject decisions sent
Workshops & Tutorials: Tue, May 26, 2026
Day 0 programming
Main Conference: Wed–Fri, May 27–29, 2026
Paper presentations and keynotes
Complete Timeline
All dates at a glance, in chronological order.
| Date | Event | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Fri, Feb 20, 2026 | Abstract Registration | Author Action |
| Fri, Feb 27, 2026 | Paper Submission Deadline | Author Action |
| Fri, Apr 3, 2026 | Reviews Due | Internal |
| Mon, Apr 6, 2026 | Rebuttal Period Opens | Info |
| Fri, Apr 17, 2026 | Rebuttal Period Closes | Author Action |
| Tue, Apr 21, 2026 | Author Notification | Info |
| Mon, Apr 27, 2026 | Camera-Ready Deadline | Author Action |
| Tue, May 26, 2026 | Workshops & Tutorials | Conference |
| Wed–Fri, May 27–29, 2026 | Main Conference | Conference |
All deadlines are 11:59 PM AoE (Anywhere on Earth) unless otherwise noted.
Open Access Publishing Model
Important update on ACM's new open access publishing model for 2026 ACM Conferences!
Starting January 1, 2026, ACM will fully transition to Open Access. All ACM publications, including those from ACM-sponsored conferences, will be 100% Open Access. Authors will have two primary options for publishing Open Access articles with ACM: the ACM Open institutional model or by paying Article Processing Charges (APCs). With over 2,600 institutions already part of ACM Open, the majority of ACM-sponsored conference papers will not require APCs from authors or conferences (currently, around 76%).
Check If Your Institution Participates
Authors from institutions not participating in ACM Open will need to pay an APC to publish their papers, unless they qualify for a financial waiver. To find out whether an APC applies to your article, please consult the list of participating institutions in ACM Open and review the waiver policy. Keep in mind that waivers are rare and are granted based on specific criteria set by ACM.
2026 Temporary Subsidized Pricing
Understanding that this change could present financial challenges, ACM has approved a temporary subsidy for 2026 to ease the transition and allow more time for institutions to join ACM Open. The subsidy will offer:
- $250 APC for ACM/SIG members
- $350 for non-members
This represents a 65% discount, funded directly by ACM. Authors are encouraged to help advocate for their institutions to join ACM Open during this transition period.
Conference Policies
All participants must adhere to conference policies:
See also: ACM Code of Ethics | ACM Publication Policies
Program Co-Chairs
Heather Miller
CMU & Two Sigma
TBA
To be announced
Questions?
General Inquiries
Program Committee and Artifact Evaluation Chairs will be announced when the CFP officially opens.