How to not catch the conf flu

Researchers studying how neural networks actually work—a field called mechanistic interpretability—gathered in Seoul for ICML's 2026 workshop. Per LessWrong, one UK researcher with a clinically vulnerable family earned a highly competitive spotlight slot, ranking in the top twenty-three of eight hundred one submissions. To attend, they orchestrated elaborate precautions: fresh vaccines, specialized masks with SIP valves, air quality monitoring throughout a twelve-and-a-half-hour flight, and strict hotel isolation. The approach worked. During the poster session, the work sustained engagement well beyond the scheduled hour, with researchers from major labs asking probing questions about its implications.

Listen to this story

Hear this and more stories in a personalized audio briefing.

Open The Chonkerton