This story was originally posted on January 22 on UH News.
The 59th annual Hawaiʻi International Conference on System Sciences (HICSS), hosted by the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Shidler College of Business, convened global thought leaders at the Hyatt Regency Resort & Spa Maui, January 5–9. It brought together more than 1,300 scholars, industry experts and policymakers from more than 42 countries.
Widely recognized as one of the world’s premier forums on digital and socio-technical systems, HICSS once again served as a showcase for the future of information technology and systems science.
Tung Bui speaks to conference participants.
This year’s conference received 1,559 research paper submissions, of which 727 were accepted following a rigorous peer-review process. Authored by more than 2,150 researchers, the accepted papers spanned artificial intelligence and data analytics to digital government, cybersecurity, healthcare system, and the future of work.
“As conference chair, I am continually impressed by the depth, rigor and relevance of the work presented at HICSS,” said Tung Bui, professor of information technology management and the Matson Navigation Company Chair of Global Business. “Emerging technologies—especially generative [which can create new content] and agentic AI [which can take action or make decisions]—were at the center of many discussions. Equally important were conversations about how these technologies reshape work, education and their unintended consequences for marginalized and underserved communities.”
The conference also brought a boost to the local economy. Among the more than 1,300 attendees, at least 30% were accompanied by family members. Organizers estimate the event generated roughly $5 million in revenue for the state during the first 10 days of the year.
More on HICSS
Founded in 1968, HICSS is the longest-running working scientific conference in information technology management. Its distinctive working-conference format emphasizes interaction, debate and collaboration, fostering close engagement between academic researchers and industry practitioners. Over its 59-year history, HICSS proceedings have generated more than 21,000 published papers and exceeded six million downloads worldwide. Google Scholar consistently ranks HICSS among the most cited conference series in its field.
HICSS will celebrate its 60th anniversary in January 2027 at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on Hawaiʻi Island, marking six decades of global impact in advancing systems science and responsible digital innovation.
