The OceanX Summit 2026, held in Singapore, convened more than 750 participants, including 223 students and educators, to address a central question: how can ocean discovery be transformed into lasting change? Over three days, leaders from ocean science, government, exploration, education, and conservation examined the roles of evidence, immersive learning, and local leadership in shaping the ocean's future. The event featured prominent figures such as oceanographer Sylvia Earle, filmmaker and deep-sea explorer James Cameron, and Jill Tiefenthaler, CEO of the National Geographic Society, alongside Singapore's Deputy Prime Minister Gan Kim Yong and Minister for Education Desmond Lee.
A key message from the Summit was that ocean knowledge holds the greatest value when it is shared, understood, and used. Discussions on artificial intelligence highlighted its potential to connect fragmented datasets but also underscored its dependence on high-quality information from underrepresented regions. Sessions on finance and marine protected areas explored how public policy, private-sector expertise, and philanthropic support can collaborate to meet the needs of coastal communities. As Mark Dalio noted, immersive education can turn curiosity into personal connection, helping students see how their skills can contribute to ocean science and its future. The Summit also emphasized the importance of making ocean data useful across disciplines and regions, especially as countries implement the BBNJ Agreement. OceanX has committed a significant share of its 2027 expedition time to high seas research, building on efforts like the Into the Deep: Monsoon Rise expedition, which mapped over 8,300 square kilometres of seafloor in the eastern Indian Ocean.
Education and storytelling were central themes, with Singapore's partnership with OceanX enabling more than 570 students and educators to visit the OceanXplorer since 2024. The Summit showcased over 20 immersive installations developed by OceanX Education and its Changemaker community, demonstrating how art, media, and technology can build understanding and invite people into ocean research. A discussion between Mark Dalio and Anderson Tanoto of Tanoto Foundation highlighted education pathways across Southeast Asia, with nine Tanoto Foundation scholars having participated in OceanX's Young Explorers programme. For more information about OceanX's initiatives, visit www.oceanx.org.
Local leadership emerged as a critical driver of conservation practice. Titouan Bernicot, founder of Coral Gardeners, described an island-led movement that has grown to 97 full-time employees and planted more than 250,000 corals across French Polynesia, Fiji, and Thailand. Other changemakers presented projects using AI for reef monitoring and immersive media to connect audiences with marine ecosystems. These examples reinforced that local knowledge must shape conservation and that communities need a meaningful voice in decisions affecting their ocean. The Summit underscored that turning discovery into impact requires integrated efforts—from collecting and sharing data to engaging students and empowering local leaders. As Vincent Pieribone stated, science must work in collaboration with all stakeholders to move together if knowledge is to support lasting ocean protection. The conversations and connections forged at the Summit are expected to carry this work forward, highlighting the importance of cross-sector collaboration in addressing the ocean's challenges.
