SLAS 2026 – The Frontier of Lab Modernization: AI, Collaboration, and Robotic Interfaces

The push toward real‑time verification and pre‑analytical quality control was visible across SLAS 2026, reflected in new on‑deck sensing modules and instrumentation designed to validate runs as they occur in real-time. The full extent of new products and themes was covered by industry authority and SDi brand Instrument Business Outlook (IBO). IBO has been covering the latest trends in analytical instrumentation and lab products for over 20 years.   

On the show floor, vendors emphasized interoperability and software as a medium of growth. AI emerged in lab automation through collaborations between co-bot suppliers and software developers, automated microplate movers, semi‑automated platforms, and standardization of consumable-based workflow kits, indicating sustained investment in modernizing routine tasks with software‑driven oversight. 

By volume, a large share of announcements focused on software integration, partnerships, AI features, and robotics. For example, Atinary outlined an expanded network of partners advancing its trademarked Self‑Driving Labs. It announced at the show plans to expand the “closed‑loop experimental loop” by developing a new Boston‑based autonomous AI‑integrated lab in partnership with ABB Robotics, Agilent, Chemspeed (a Bruker company), and Mettler Toledo.

Multiple exhibitors added AI features to existing platforms as software anchored lab modernization efforts. Thermo Fisher Scientific highlighted a collaboration with OpenAI, originally announced in October 2025, the partnership underscoring how general‑purpose AI models are being evaluated for data interpretation and orchestration within laboratory environments. Meanwhile, ABB Robotics recently announced a collaboration with NVIDIA to further enhance its industrial robotics offerings.

In conversations with vendors regarding lab products exhibited at SLAS and trends in the current lab environment, the impact of software trends on current lab modernization efforts was highlighted as key to advancing automation.  

One example of the importance of software and robotic integrations came from a conversation with the VP of Development at Agilent, Shawn Anderson. When asked to characterize the company’s current posture towards AI, Mr. Anderson described an “AI friendly, in the sense that they allow for integration of end user developed agents and APIs”. This approach indicated a practical lens on AI deployment within the industry. As the partnership continues to spur lab modernization. His remarks followed a roundtable session sponsored by ABB Robotics entitled, “From Insight to Impact: AI, Robotics, and the Convergence toward the Lab of the Future”. The partnership between Agilent and ABB was originally announced in 2024-2025. Agilent also introduced at the show ProteoAnalyzer Software Security Module, aimed at workflows subject to 21 CFR Part 11 and Annex 11 requirements—an area gaining attention as regulated labs adopt digital controls and digital lab architectures.  

When surveying the show-floor, several representatives questioned whether “artificial intelligence” accurately describes current systems, characterizing them as structured information engines rather than intelligent agents. Notably, not all AI sentiments were unanimously optimistic. Others called out “best‑in‑class” as a phrase that adds little precision amid rapid innovation and product release cycles. When asked about trends that may fade, many cited the pace of software and hardware iteration—an observation consistent with workforce views that support AI while noting disruption risks and new skill demands. Nonetheless, the integration of AI into laboratory workflows was a high priority.  

On the instrumentation front, various vendor partnerships and levels of automation were exhibited at SLAS 2026, held in Boston, Massachusetts, from February 7-11.  

For example, The Hamilton Company exhibited a host of products, including the Microlab STAR V, initially launched in 2023, which adds a linear compound arm to robotics workflows.  In addition to the latest products on display at SLAS, UK Robotics, a recent acquisition of The Hamilton Company, showcased the AssayMate Workstation. AssayMate was originally released in 2024 and later integrated into Hamilton following its 2025 acquisition. According to the company press release, the platform supports 96‑ and 384‑well formats and automates serial dilutions and reagent additions.  

Key conversations with industry leaders at SLAS surfaced sector-specific lab research trends, including 3D cell culture model development. Among the conversations was a discussion with Aaron Risinger from Molecular Devices. Molecular Devices is the industry pioneer behind the ImageXpress HCS.ai, an integrated high throughput system that was originally launched in 2025. The system combines high‑content imaging with IN Carta analysis for real‑time segmentation and quantification of complex 3D tissue structures for predictive, model‑driven workflows. For more information on the current state of 3D cell culture automation and implementation hurdles surrounding the FDA Modernization Act (see recent SDi blog on NAMs & see IBO’s full SLAS 2026 coverage).