Title: BIO 2026: AI and federal policy shift the mood at biotech's biggest conference

**Article:** The annual BIO conference is the biotech industry’s biggest gathering. This year, the mood was shaped by two forces: artificial intelligence and shifting federal policy. Reporters from STAT attended the event in person. They brought back a clear picture of the energy inside the convention halls. AI was a dominant topic. Companies are racing to use artificial intelligence to speed up drug discovery and cut costs. But the excitement is tempered by questions about regulation. Federal policy also cast a long shadow. New rules and funding debates are changing how biotech firms plan their next moves. The result is a conference that feels both hopeful and cautious. For a full breakdown of the key moments and conversations, STAT reporters share their inside take on the latest episode of the STATus Report.