Beginner’s Guide to Submitting Conference Abstracts

Submitting a conference abstract can feel intimidating, especially if it is your first time. Most people worry about whether their topic is good enough, whether their experience is “senior enough”, or if they are even writing the abstract the “right” way.

The truth is that most conferences want a wide range of voices. Organisers want speakers who can explain something clearly, not speakers with the fanciest job titles. This guide will walk you through:

• what an abstract is
• how to write one
• what reviewers look for
• where you can submit your first talk

If you are looking for a place to start, we are accepting submissions for AI in Production 2026 until 23 January. More details are at the end of this post.

What is a conference abstract?

An abstract is a short summary of what you want to talk about. It tells reviewers:

• what the topic is
• why it matters
• what the audience will learn
• how you plan to deliver it

It does not need to be perfect prose. It just needs to be clear.

You are qualified to speak (yes, you)

You do not have to be the world’s leading expert on something to speak about it. Some of the best talks come from people explaining what they learned while building, fixing, or reviewing a system.

Choose something you understand well enough to explain without jargon. For example:

• a project you worked on
• a problem your team solved
• a lesson you learned along the way
• a method, tool, or approach you wish you had known sooner

If you can explain the why we did it and what we discovered, you have a potential talk.

Conferences welcome new speakers. You only need:

• something useful to explain
• a clear abstract
• willingness to share your experience

If you have never spoken before, say so. Reviewers appreciate honesty and fresh perspectives.

How to write your abstract

Most conferences ask for around 200 to 250 words. Some ask for even less. Here is a simple structure that works.

1. Set the context
   One sentence that explains the setting or problem.

2. Explain what you did
   Was it a system you built, a model you deployed, or an analysis you improved?

3. Highlight what the audience will learn
   Reviewers want to know what people will take away.

4. Keep the language clear
   Avoid buzzwords and complicated claims. Good abstracts are straightforward.

A short example

Our team needed a way to monitor model drift across multiple deployments. I will share the steps we took, the checks we added, and the mistakes we made on the way. Attendees will leave with practical checks they can add to their own model monitoring process.

You can adapt this pattern for your own work:

• one sentence for the problem
• one or two sentences for what you did
• one sentence for what people will learn

Practical tips

Choose your format

Most conferences offer at least two formats:

• Lightning talks (around 5 to 6 minutes)
  Good for one focused idea, a small tool, or a single lesson.

• Standard talks (around 20 to 25 minutes)
  Better for a full story that includes context, process, and outcomes.

If you are unsure which to pick, choose the standard slot. Reviewers often adjust formats based on the strength of the topic.

Show who benefits

At the end of your abstract, add a simple sentence such as:

• “This talk is suited for engineers working with deployment and monitoring.”
• “This talk will help data scientists who want a clearer approach to evaluation.”

This makes it easier for reviewers to place your talk in the programme and helps attendees decide whether it is relevant for them.

What reviewers look for

Reviewers often focus on three questions.

Is the topic clear?

Can they understand what you are talking about without insider knowledge of your company or project?

Avoid internal code names or acronyms only your team uses.

Will the audience learn something useful?

Strong abstracts make it obvious what attendees will take away. They often include:

• concrete examples
• specific techniques or tools
• clear lessons learned

Does it fit the conference?

Show how your talk connects to the audience and themes. One or two sentences are enough:

This talk will be useful for people who deploy models into production and need simple ways to spot drift before it causes problems.

Good abstracts are not about impressive credentials or perfect writing. They are about clarity and usefulness.

Submit to AI in Production 2026

Whether it is your first talk or your tenth, we would be happy to read your abstract for AI in Production 2026.

AI in Production focuses on practical work in two areas.

Engineering
Building, shipping, maintaining, and scaling AI systems and data pipelines.

Machine Learning
Model development, evaluation, responsible use of data, and lessons from real projects.

The conference takes place at The Catalyst in Newcastle city centre, with:

• Workshops: 4 June 2026
• Talks: 5 June 2026

Key dates

• 9 January: Super early bird registration deadline
• 23 January: Abstract submission deadline
• 6 March: Early bird registration deadline

Ready to share your work? Submit your abstract or register for tickets.
We welcome speakers at all levels.