NeurIPS Reverses Policy Excluding US-Sanctioned Entities After Boycott Calls

NeurIPS, a leading artificial intelligence conference, faced calls for a boycott after introducing a submission policy referencing the US Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list in its 2026 handbook.

The policy stated that submissions from individuals or institutions listed on the SDN or believed to be affiliated with such entities would not be accepted or published. This clause prompted several Chinese academic organizations to announce their opposition to the policy.

The China Computer Federation (CCF), the Chinese Association of Automation (CAA), and the China Society of Image and Graphics were among the groups that called for a boycott of NeurIPS following the handbook update. These organizations represent a substantial portion of the Chinese research community in artificial intelligence and related fields.

Following the boycott calls, NeurIPS issued a public apology through its X account. The organization attributed the policy’s inclusion to miscommunication between its foundation and legal team. NeurIPS also updated the policy link and clarified that submissions from all compliant institutions and individuals are welcome.

What the numbers show

• The policy was included in the 2026 NeurIPS submission handbook
• The reversal occurred on a Friday, as reported on March 28, 2026
• Three major Chinese academic organizations participated in the boycott call

A Reddit post citing Reuters stated that NeurIPS reversed the policy on a Friday after China’s largest federation for technology professionals joined the boycott. The reversal was accompanied by an update to the official policy documentation and a clarification of the conference’s submission guidelines.

NeurIPS clarified that its policy now welcomes submissions from all institutions and individuals who comply with its general requirements, regardless of their country or organizational affiliations, unless otherwise restricted by law.

The incident drew attention to the intersection of international sanctions and global scientific collaboration. NeurIPS’ actions and subsequent reversal highlighted the impact of compliance measures on participation in major academic events.

Industry reaction

Chinese academic organizations, including the CCF, CAA, and the China Society of Image and Graphics, called for a boycott in response to the initial policy.

NeurIPS responded by issuing a public apology and updating its submission guidelines to address the concerns raised by these organizations.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.