Esri User Conference 2026: GIS – Creating a More Intelligent World

The world's largest geographic information system conference, the 2026 Esri User Conference, opened Monday morning at the San Diego Convention Center. Running July 13–17, the event features five days of technical sessions, keynote addresses, and live demonstrations.

Under the theme 'GIS — Creating a more intelligent world,' the conference drew more than 18,000 in-person attendees from over 100 countries, with thousands more joining virtually. It serves as the annual gathering where Esri's 700,000-plus customer organizations get their first public look at the future direction of ArcGIS, particularly its integration with agentic AI.

This year's focus is on Esri's three-tier AI architecture, transforming ArcGIS into a spatial layer accessible by any enterprise AI agent. This architecture includes GeoAI (purpose-trained AI models embedded in ArcGIS for spatial analysis), AI assistants (natural-language interfaces within ArcGIS applications), and agentic AI (allowing external AI agents to connect to ArcGIS via the Model Context Protocol and Esri's own Agent Builder for creating geospatial agents).

Key speakers include Esri's founder Jack Dangermond, who will discuss why geography is crucial for AI, providing context and wisdom beyond mere data processing. Kristine Tompkins of Tompkins Conservation will also present on large-scale conservation work using spatial intelligence. Presentations will cover real-world applications, such as Italy's Rete Ferroviaria Italiana using GIS for smarter railway investment decisions.