INFUSE is a full-day workshop on information access in uncertainty scenarios at the European Conference on Information Retrieval (ECIR '26). It aims to bring together the broader information retrieval community and researchers and practitioners from adjacent disciplines to discuss emerging challenges, share diverse perspectives, and explore novel approaches to information access in contexts of uncertainty.

People often encounter or seek information on issues for which there is no clear answer. For example, information may be scarce or nonexistent, as in data voids or unanswerable questions; knowledge might be evolving, as with current events, emerging topics, or rumours; or there may be multiple perspectives on an issue, as with debated topics.

We refer to these as uncertainty scenarios. In such scenarios, information access systems face various risks, including eliciting a false sense of information certainty and over-reliance, promoting misinformation and disinformation, or exposing users to viewpoint-biased information. 

The First Workshop on Information Access in Uncertainty Scenarios aims to provide a forum for the broader IR community to discuss emerging challenges, share diverse perspectives, and explore novel approaches to information access in contexts of uncertainty. Our goals are to:

• Draw Attention to Emerging Risks: To draw attention to emergent issues, such as issues arising from the rapid adoption and integration of LLM-enabled search services, which may lead to potentially harmful consequences.

• Build Community: Bring together researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds who are interested in information access in scenarios of uncertainty.

• Exchange and Advance Knowledge: Engage in structured discussions on topics and questions collected by the organisers prior to the workshop, as well as questions that emerge during the workshop.

• Improve Information Access Systems: Contribute to the development of information access systems that prioritize informed citizens and critical thinking, and raise awareness of the complex nuances of information.

• Promote Collaborations: Create spaces for researchers to discover shared interests and explore opportunities for impactful collaboration.