Report on the First INFormation Access in Uncertainty ScEnarios (INFUSE) Workshop at ECIR 2026

The First Workshop on INformation access in Uncertainty ScEnarios (INFUSE) [Rieger et al., 2026], in conjunction with the Forty-eighth European Conference on Information Retrieval (ECIR) 2026, focused on the complexities people face when seeking information on issues that lack a clear, definitive answer. These situations, defined as "uncertainty scenarios", often involve scarce information, such as data voids, rapidly evolving knowledge, such as breaking news or rumours, or debated topics with multiple conflicting perspectives. A core problem is that modern information retrieval (IR) systems and large language models (LLMs) are primarily optimised to produce answers rather than communicate the limits of existing knowledge. Consequently, these systems may generate plausible-sounding responses even when reliable information is missing, thereby obscuring rather than exposing uncertainty. This dynamic introduces significant risks, including fostering a false sense of certainty, amplifying mis- and disinformation, and exposing users to viewpoint bias. To address these challenges, this full-day, in-person event brought together a cross-disciplinary group of researchers and practitioners. The primary objectives of the workshop included: • Highlighting emerging risks: Drawing attention to the potential harms caused by the rapid integration of LLM-enabled search services. • Building community: Connecting professionals and researchers from various backgrounds who are focused on information access under uncertainty. • Improving information systems: Contributing to the creation of systems that promote critical thinking, awareness of complex nuances, and an informed citizenry. • Fostering collaboration: Creating a dedicated space for attendees to discover shared interests and form impactful research partnerships. The INFUSE workshop was designed to be highly interactive, moving away from one-sided presentations. The program featured invited talks from interdisciplinary experts, participant presentations grouped by topic, "musical" roundtables for discussions, and a collaboration fair to help participants launch new research projects. The discussions and outcomes are compiled here as a collaborative report. Our aim is to share these insights with the broader IR community and help seed further dialogue on uncertainty in information access. Date: 2 April 2026. Website: https://sites.google.com/view/infuse-workshop/.