This August, The DO and SmartStart are bringing together a cohort of entrepreneurs, professionals, and change-makers for a week unlike anything else on the calendar.
A free, five-day immersive program on AI, manufacturing, and the future of supply chains, held at the World Economic Forum Office in San Francisco.
If you're a DO Community member or a WEF Global Shaper, this is your invitation.
Why this program, why now
Manufacturing and supply chain are two of the most consequential industries in the global economy, and they are being transformed faster than most people realize. AI is reshaping how goods are designed, produced, moved, and delivered. The people who will lead this transformation are the ones who understand it from the inside, not from a textbook, but from direct exposure to the technology, the problems, and the people working on them.
That's exactly what the AI Summer School is designed to provide.
The program is a partnership between The DO and SmartStart, the World Economic Forum initiative launched at Davos in January 2026 with a mission to equip one million young people with future-ready manufacturing and supply chain skills by 2035. Together, we've built five days of learning that move from understanding to action, and end with you pitching your own ideas in Silicon Valley.
What the week looks like
- Day 1 sets the foundation. You'll explore the AI revolution in manufacturing and supply chain: where it stands today, what's driving it, and what it means for industries and the people working in them.
- Day 2 takes you inside the technology. Participants get direct access to the latest tools and innovations at the WEF Center in San Francisco, one of the few places in the world where cutting-edge industry technology is on display and available to explore hands-on.
- Day 3 is where theory meets reality. Selected industry partners bring real, live challenges into the room. Your job is to work on them, collaboratively, practically, with the urgency of an actual problem that needs solving.
- Day 4 is a Silicon Valley tour. You'll see firsthand where the technology is heading, who's building it, and what the ecosystem looks like from the inside.
- Day 5 is Pitch Night. You'll present what you've built, learned, and imagined over the week, in front of a room of peers, partners, and people who can help take your ideas further.
Who should apply
The AI Summer School is open to members of The DO Community and WEF Global Shapers, both young and experienced. You don't need a technical background or a specific title. You need ambition, curiosity, and a genuine interest in where AI and manufacturing are heading.
Participation in the program is completely free. Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their own travel to San Francisco and accommodation during the week.
A rare opportunity in a remarkable place
Access to the World Economic Forum Office. Five days of hands-on work with industry partners. A cohort of Global Shapers and DO Community members from around the world. And a week in San Francisco, the city at the center of the AI economy, at a moment when the decisions being made about manufacturing and supply chain will shape the next decade.
We don't expect this week to be easy. We expect it to be worth it.
Applications close June 30, 2026. Participation is free; participants cover their own travel and accommodation.
