Artificial intelligence is reshaping how people work, learn, and communicate. In March 2026, it will also take center stage in one of Europe’s longest-running debates on workplace equality.

The 17th annual Equal Pay Day conference will take place on March 26–27, 2026, at the Clarion Congress Hotel in Prague, bringing together women professionals, executives, policymakers, and experts from across sectors.

The event is organized by Business & Professional Women Czech Republic (BPWCR), a non-profit organization that has spent nearly two decades pushing the issue of equal pay into public debate.

This year’s conference carries the subtitle “AI is changing the future. We are changing the system.” The theme reflects growing concern that while artificial intelligence offers efficiency and innovation, it may also reinforce existing inequalities, including the persistent 18 percent gender pay gap.

“Artificial intelligence is no longer limited to research labs or tech companies,” said Eva Primus Kovandová, president of BPWCR. “It influences the labor market, education, communication, and even care within families. As technology accelerates, we must protect what makes work human. AI should support people, not replace them.”

According to the organizers, the 2026 conference aims to move beyond theory. The focus will be on how AI systems are already influencing hiring, pay decisions, and career progression — and how those systems can be redesigned to reduce bias rather than amplify it.

The two-day program will follow the structure used in previous years. Thursday, March 26, will host the main conference, featuring keynote speakers, panel discussions, and networking sessions. Friday, March 27, known as Empower Day, will concentrate on mentoring, wellbeing, and personal development.

A defining feature of Equal Pay Day remains its speed mentoring format, where participants rotate through small group discussions led by experienced mentors from business, finance, media, technology, and the non-profit sector. Since the initiative began, 585 mentors and more than 24,500 women have taken part.

Networking, organizers argue, is not limited to career advancement. Many participants return year after year, citing long-term professional partnerships and personal connections formed during the event.

The issue of equal pay has increasingly moved beyond national boundaries. It is now embedded in United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, reflected in mandatory ESG reporting, and closely followed by younger generations entering the workforce.

Tickets for Equal Pay Day 2026 are already on sale. The full program and list of speakers will be published in the coming weeks.

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