ICML 2026 Scores Swing During Discussion

Hot take: this is less “silent rejection” and more “messy conference process,” with score churn often reflecting AC pressure, reviewer second thoughts, or consistency tuning rather than a final verdict.

• –A reviewer can revise a score after rebuttal or discussion; that by itself is not proof of an early reject.
• –A drop in average score is unfortunate, but committee decisions usually depend on the full review package, not one number alone.
• –The post is mainly about process anxiety, not a product or launch.
• –The most defensible reading is that the paper is still alive unless the eventual meta-review or final decision says otherwise.