How can I purchase tickets for the festival?

Tickets can be purchased through our official Eventbrite page

Are there any discounts available for students or groups?

Please check the Eventbrite page for any available discounts or contact olaf@conversationdesigninstitute.com

What is the refund policy?

Refund policies are outlined on the Eventbrite ticketing page. Please review them before purchasing.

When and where is the festival taking place?

28 - 30 April 2026, Barcelona, Spain

What topics will be covered at the festival?

The festival focuses on generative AI and conversational AI, featuring sessions on the latest research, industry applications, and future trends. We try to bring you practice and case studies so you can learn from others.

Are there recommended hotels or accommodations nearby?

While the festival does not have official hotel partnerships, there are numerous accommodations in Barcelona to suit various budgets. We will publish some in the coming months.

Will there be opportunities for networking?

Yes, the festival includes networking sessions, workshops, and social events to connect with peers and industry leaders. It's called a Festival since we believe real networking happens where the fun is.

Can I volunteer or participate as a speaker?

Opportunities for volunteering or speaking are limited. Interested individuals should contact olaf@conversationdesigninstitute.com

Tuesday, April 28

Beyond Boundaries Global Festival 2026

By Conversation Design Institute

The premier European festival for generative AI & conversational AI professionals

Date and time

Location

Barcelona Maritime Museum

s/n Avinguda de les Drassanes 08001 Barcelona Spain

Agenda

Structural Techniques to Produce Content for Better Answers

Rahel Anne Bailie

Delivering content into LLM-heavy delivery solutions means adjusting how we create, structure, and process content. This session discusses what can be done by content developers, what is under the co...

Conversation Design in an Agentic World

Braden Ream

This keynote will discuss how Conversation Design is changing in the world of Agenticism, and how Conversation Designers can keep up, upskill, and thrive. Braden is the CEO of Voiceflow

Designing with Empathy: What are we really missing?

Hans van Dam

Yes containment is important when assessing the performance of an AI Assistant … but what about connection?  What is the value of the emotional engagement a customer has when interacting with an orga...

Introducing Hoppy: Heineken’s journey into Conversational AI

Pim Zandee

Learn about how Hoppy - Heineken’s generative AI chatbot - integrates data from multiple internal sources to navigate global standards, ways of working and processes, boosting productivity within fi...

Moving from "Say" to "Do": The Tectonic shift that In-app Agents bring

Julian Harris

Chatbots have firmly established their place as an essential "UX crutch": people reach to the chatbot when the UI in front of them fails. Use cases for how chatbots can help have bedded down and have...

Why firing your Designer is a Terrible Business Decision

Lisa Talia Moretti

In 2025, Lisa completed research with creative AI ecosystem player Charismatic.ai on AI’s impact on the creative industries, specifically film, TV and other forms of content production. The project l...

Conversational AI’s emergence in the broader CX universe

Steve Bell

This session will delve into some of Verint’s ongoing global research and insights into the emerging trends in the world of CX, with an eye to what is really going on with Conversational AI and where...

From Demos to Deployment: Making Multimodal Voice AI Enterprise-Ready

Alan Nichol

Impressive generative voice experiences are everywhere, but most fail when pushed into production. In this session, Alan Nichol shares how enterprises can shift from siloed proofs of concept to struc...

How should conversational tech interact to make them pass as conversationable

Elizabeth Stokoe

In this session, I will address the issue of the ‘conversationability’ of conversational products. As LLMs proliferate, research and commentary continually point to their failures and achievements. B...

Digital Humans In Practice

Guido Jongen

This presentation will explore a case study of work done with DHL actual results of a project we did comparing the impact of a traditional chatbot UI with a Digital Human. It will also examine some ...

Gaudí’s Blueprint: Building a Conversational AI community as bold as Barcelona

Peter Thomas

FESTIVAL OPENING: Just as Antoni Gaudí’s visionary architecture transformed the landscape and identity of Barcelona, cultivating a vibrant global Conversational AI community needs creativity, bold vi...

Fake it or make it?

Jasper Klimbie

Jurgen Gravestein

So, you're looking for real results with Conversational AI? And perhaps you've already started, and have an AI Agent or chatbot. But how do you get the most value? How do you achieve long term goals?...

Business Case: AI-Powered, Human-Centred Learning

Matt Collier

L&D is not the sexiest topic. And training teams are traditionally stretched, lacking the capability, capacity, and/or investments needed to innovate and leverage emerging technologies like generati...

From Conversations to Insight

Darren Ford, CEO / Founder The Cai Company

Alice Kerly, COO / Co-Founder at The CAI Company

We will be cutting through the hype-fuelled market noise and walk through real examples of methods, measures and tools organisations use to improve the performance of their text or voice virtual assi...

Good to know

Highlights

1 day 22 hours
In person
Paid parking
Doors at 5:00 PM

Refund Policy

Refunds up to 14 days before event

About this event

Business • Other

Beyond Boundaries Global Festival 2026 – Barcelona

Back for its second edition! Join us in Barcelona for the ultimate experience for professionals shaping the future of generative AI and conversational AI.

Brought to you by The CDI Foundation and its partners, Beyond Boundaries 2026 is more than a conference, it’s where the global AI community comes together to learn, connect, and create impact.

Watch the BBB24 aftermovie!

It offers a vibrant sneak peek into what awaits you at BBB26, from groundbreaking workshops and keynote speeches by industry leaders to global networking opportunities.

Location: Barcelona

Experience one of Europe’s most dynamic cities—Barcelona. From its iconic architecture and vibrant markets to its rich culture and cuisine, this is the perfect setting to network, collaborate, and explore new partnerships in the heart of Europe.

CDI Foundation Awards 2026

This year, we have 4 key categories that people can nominate which are:

Best AI Assistant
Best Conversational AI Team
Emerging Talent In Conversational AI
Outstanding Impact in Inclusive AI

You can nominate yourself or your own team (or alternatively another individual or team) and fill out the submission criteria in the form link below.

All awards will be announced and presented at the 2026 Beyond Boundaries Global Festival, on April 29 in Barcelona.

To submit your entry (and see all the criteria) you can fill out the submission form here.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Hosted by the CDI Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to promoting human-centric, inclusive AI through research, education, and community development. Our partners range from leading multinationals to innovative startups, all committed to advancing the future of Conversational AI.

Interested in sponsorship? Get in touch and let’s shape the future of AI together.

Olaf Igesz

olaf@conversationdesigninstitute.com

Organized by

Conversation Design Institute

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