After nearly a decade, Microsoft Build returns to San Francisco as Microsoft plans a smaller gathering focused on developer interaction, product demos and discussions around the latest AI and cloud innovations.
Microsoft has announced that its annual developer conference, Microsoft Build, will take place on June 2 and 3 in 2026. The company has also confirmed a change in venue, with the event moving from Seattle to San Francisco.
The conference will be hosted at the Fort Mason Center, marking the first time in nearly a decade that the event will be held in the city. Microsoft had shifted Build from San Francisco to Seattle in 2017, making this year’s gathering a return to its earlier location.
The company has invited around 2,500 developers from across the world to attend the 2026 edition of the event. The number is smaller compared to previous years, when attendance typically ranged between 3,000 and 5,000 participants.
A smaller, more interactive developer experience
According to company executives, the decision to host a more compact event is aimed at creating a deeper and more interactive experience for developers attending the conference.
Kyle Daigle, chief operating officer at GitHub, explained that technology conferences can succeed at different scales, but Microsoft is attempting to strike a balance between large-scale industry gatherings and more personalised events.
He noted that the venue and attendee size will allow developers to interact more closely with speakers, technology demonstrations and fellow participants. The structure is intended to encourage collaboration, enabling attendees to move easily between keynote sessions, hands-on demonstrations and technical discussions.
The location in San Francisco is also expected to align the event more closely with the current momentum around artificial intelligence development, as the city has become a hub for AI startups and innovation.
Industry speakers and developer community focus
Microsoft Build 2026 will feature several well-known figures from the developer and artificial intelligence communities. Confirmed speakers include Satya Nadella, chief executive officer of Microsoft, alongside developer advocate Scott Hanselman and Jared Palmer, senior vice president at GitHub.
Other speakers expected to participate include Simon Willison, creator of the Datasette project, Priyanka Sharma, and AI engineer Shawn Wang.
Organisers say the event will emphasise hands-on engagement, giving developers the opportunity to explore new technologies, experiment with demonstrations and discuss product announcements directly with Microsoft engineers and fellow attendees.
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