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ABSL Summit 2026 in Wroclaw: Global Business Leaders and Nobel Laureate
Wrocław’s Centennial Hall became the centre of discussions on the future of the global economy during ABSL Summit 2026 – Europe's leading business services conference. Held under the theme "Know the Unknown," the event took place in the capital of Lower Silesia until 19 June, bringing together business leaders, economists, policymakers and technology experts.
Global Leaders Met in Wrocław
The official opening of the summit welcomed executives from Fortune 500 companies, renowned economists and representatives of public administration, reaffirming Wrocław's position as one of Europe's leading business and technology hubs.
Centennial Hall: An Architectural Landmark Hosting the Future of Technology
Opening the conference, TV journalist Piotr Kraśko highlighted the remarkable history and architecture of Centennial Hall. He compared the iconic building to Rome's Pantheon, whose dome had remained the world's largest concrete dome for nearly two thousand years until Centennial Hall was completed in 1913.
He reminded the audience that the UNESCO World Heritage Site had long stood as a masterpiece of engineering and provided a fitting setting for conversations about the technologies shaping the future.
The journalist also highlighted the city’s Polish identity, which dates back to the times of Mieszko I and Bolesław Chrobry, referring to the saying that “every stone in this city speaks Polish.”
Artificial Intelligence Took Centre Stage
Artificial intelligence was the dominant theme throughout the summit, reflecting this year's motto, "Know the Unknown." Referring to the launch of the World Wide Web in 1991, Piotr Kraśko noted that the AI revolution was expected to have an even greater impact on society than the emergence of the internet.
He cited Mati Staniszewski, co-founder and CEO of ElevenLabs, one of Europe's leading AI companies specialising in voice technology. According to Staniszewski, artificial intelligence would transform the world on a far greater scale than the internet revolution of the 1990s.
One of the most anticipated speakers was Professor Geoffrey Hinton, widely recognised as the "Godfather of Artificial Intelligence" and the recipient of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics. During his keynote address, he explored both the opportunities and the challenges AI presents for business leaders and society.
Keeping People at the Heart of the Digital Transformation
Following the opening session, Janusz Dziurzyński, President of ABSL, welcomed participants, investors and representatives of the business services ecosystem from across Poland and Europe.
With a touch of humour, he pointed out that, despite AI dominating discussions throughout the conference, this year's opening presentation had been prepared and delivered entirely by people.
He emphasised that, regardless of technological progress, there must always be room for human leadership, critical thinking and informed decision-making.
Wrocław Strengthened Its Position as a Technology and Business Hub
The summit attracted key players from the global business services industry to Wrocław. Mateusz Jarzombek, Director of the Business Support Centre at the Wrocław Agglomeration Development Agency (ARAW), highlighted the city's growing importance within the sector.
He noted that, alongside Warsaw and Kraków, Wrocław remained one of Poland's largest business services centres. Thanks to its strong IT and R&D ecosystem, the city had continued to strengthen its position as one of Europe's leading destinations for advanced business and technology operations.
Poland's Business Services Sector Reached a Historic Milestone
Speakers at the summit emphasised the remarkable transformation of Poland's business services sector, which has become one of the country's key economic pillars.
The industry now contributes 5.7% of Poland's GDP and accounts for 7.6% of total employment within the enterprise sector.
With nearly 500,000 employees working across more than 2,000 business service centres, the sector has become a major driver of innovation. Exports of business services reached USD 42.3 billion, representing almost one quarter of Poland's total commercial services exports.
Experts stressed that the industry had undergone a significant qualitative transformation. Traditional back-office operations had increasingly been replaced by advanced mid-office and knowledge-intensive services.
As one of the speakers observed, for almost two decades success had been measured by the number of jobs created. Today, however, success is defined by value creation, productivity and the complexity of services delivered.
A Platform for Global Dialogue
Over the course of the two-day event, ABSL Summit 2026 brought together more than 1,500 business executives, public sector representatives and industry experts, creating a platform for discussions on artificial intelligence, innovation and the future of the global business services sector.