IFIP Working Group 13.6 (Human Work Interaction Design) brought together researchers and practitioners from around the world in London on 17-18 June for HWID 2026, its annual working conference on Harmonisation of Human and Machine Intelligence in the 5th Industrial Revolution (5IR) Workplace. Hosted by the University of West London, the conference explored how AI and emerging technologies can augment human capabilities while preserving autonomy, agency, wellbeing and meaningful work.
A central theme throughout the conference was how organisations can move beyond approaches driven primarily by automation, productivity and efficiency towards human-machine collaboration that is transparent, trustworthy, inclusive and sustainable. Participants examined how workers can remain active contributors to intelligent systems, rather than becoming passive supervisors of automated processes, and how human values can continue to shape AI-enabled workplaces.
Five thematic research sessions explored these issues from multiple perspectives. Presentations examined explainable generative AI, human-AI co-creation, industrial human-robot collaboration, digital twins, future cockpit design and the diversity of AI users, including applications in manufacturing, healthcare, elderly care and sign-language technologies. The second day focused on security and safety in healthcare, transport and industrial settings, together with serious games, skills retention and adaptive learning.
Professor Karen Cham’s keynote brought these themes together through the concepts of augmented intelligence, human-machine convergence and responsible digital transformation, emphasising the importance of designing technological change around human agency and societal value.
A conference highlight was the panel discussion, Human Work Design and AI: Designing Meaningful Work in the Age of Intelligent Systems, chaired by José Abdelnour-Nocera. Bringing together experts from academia and industry, the panel explored how AI is reshaping work, skills, decision-making and organisational life, while examining critical questions of human control, creativity, trust, wellbeing and purpose in increasingly AI-enabled workplaces.
HWID 2026 once again demonstrated the important role of IFIP WG 13.6 in advancing international research and dialogue on the future of work. As AI continues to transform workplaces across every sector, the conference reinforced a clear message: success should be measured not only by technological capability, but by how effectively intelligent systems support human agency, learning, inclusion, safety and wellbeing.
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