GAFX 2026 will be held in Karnataka to highlight AI-driven content production

Karnataka’s IT/BT department will organise Bengaluru GAFX 2026, a three-day conference and exhibition in Bengaluru. The event focuses on animation, visual effects (VFX), gaming, comics, extended reality (XR), and immersive content.

The event is being held in partnership with the Association of Bangalore Animation Industry (ABAI). This is the seventh edition of the summit and will begin on Friday.

The summit will bring together creators, studios, technology experts, investors, policymakers, and education leaders from India and other countries.

IT/BT Minister Priyank Kharge said Bengaluru GAFX has become one of the most important events for India’s AVGC (Animation, Visual Effects, Gaming, and Comics) sector. He said Karnataka wants to move beyond providing services and become a global leader in creating original content, new storytelling formats, and immersive technologies.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar will inaugurate the event.

Actor, director, and producer Sudeepa Sanjeev and Rajan Navani, president of the Indian Digital Gaming Society (IDGS), will attend as special guests.

The theme of the summit is “Evolution Reloaded.” It highlights how human creativity is combining with artificial intelligence (AI), real-time technology, and immersive media to shape the future of the industry.

The event will also feature the Karnataka Intellectual Property (IP) Launch Showcase. This platform will present new ideas and stories created in Karnataka that have the potential to become global brands in animation, gaming, comics, and immersive media.

The state’s AVGC Centre of Excellence has completed more than 200 projects and supported over 100 startups. Under its new CoE 2.0 plan, Karnataka aims to expand support beyond Bengaluru into smaller cities.

GAFX 2026 will feature more than 200 speakers and around 100 sessions, including workshops and masterclasses, over three days.