The International Society of Automation (ISA) brought together automation leaders for its flagship event, the Automation Summit & Expo (ASE), on 27-29 September 2026 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This year, 70 speakers in 43 sessions and 35 exhibitors brought their A game to 635 registrants. Once again, ASE proved to be the place where bold ideas meet practical solutions, sparking meaningful conversations across industries and shaping the future of automation.
Read on for a look at ISA’s largest event, the home to technical content about operational technology (OT) cybersecurity, instrumentation and process control, artificial intelligence (AI), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), emerging technologies, career development, and much more.
I was at ASE last year, and this year has been a notch above! As long as I’ve been in the industry and as long as I’ve been touting the topics that we’ve been talking about, there’s still a substantial gap in knowledge when it comes to the new technologies. Ultimately, it’s people and people working together that are fundamental to this industry moving forward. Events like this offer networking with the other presenters, the people who come, the attendees, just being able to see what’s out there and see how they’re using technology and see what’s different year to year.
— Brian Romano, (The Arthur G. Russell Co., Inc.)
Check out the recap video:
Keynote Address
Day one kicked off with an inspirational keynote address by Michelle “MACE” Curran. A former fighter pilot and lead solo pilot for the Air Force Thunderbirds, MACE shared her journey from battling self-doubt and impostor syndrome to performing some of the most demanding maneuvers in aviation.
I think that the self-doubt that comes with going into something new that’s pushing you to learn and grow is normal. If you have the courage to tell someone you’re feeling that way, whether it’s a peer or a supervisor or a mentor, I almost guarantee that they’re going to tell you they felt the exact same way. So, it makes you feel seen and not unqualified because you see that they have gone on and succeeded.
And then you can start to deal with it. And I think taking what I call SBCs, small, bold choices, making SBCs, those can really bolster your confidence in small ways that are like stepping stones. So, you don’t have to take these huge swings for the fences that are likely to fail. Instead, you make a small, bold choice today, which might be sending an email, might be speaking up in a meeting, might be putting your name in a hat for a project manager. It’s little things where if it doesn’t pan out, it’s inconsequential. But when it does, it really bolsters your confidence, and it can outweigh that impostor syndrome feeling because it shows you proof that you actually are capable.
— Michelle “MACE” Curran
Cybersecurity and Water/Wastewater
Another popular discussion centered around practical, risk-focused methods for securing operational technology such as water and wastewater treatment facilities, which came under attack in August and September of 2026. Standards like ISA/IEC 62443 and programs like the NRWA Cybersecurity Circuit Rider help utilities of all sizes prioritize meaningful risk reduction rather than merely checking compliance boxes.
Moderator Marco Ayala (ABS Consulting) led the conversation, which included panelists Steve Mustard (National Automation), John DeGour (National Rural Water Association), Graham Nasby (PBX Engineering), and Chad Paxson (Marietta Cobb County Water Authority).
The panel discussion was presented as part of a recent episode of Podomation, ISA’s podcast.
Focus on AI
Day two began with the AI Versus AI Across Industry Sectors panel. From manufacturing, to automotive and oil and gas, this group dug into where AI is driving the greatest transformation—and where human judgment remains essential. Moderator Steve Mustard led panelists Riddhi Padariya (The Boring Company), Mark Kraeling (Wabtec), and Dennis Hackney (Chevron) through a conversation regarding competing approaches to AI adoption, automation, innovation, governance, and responsible implementation.
The Future of Standards
It’s been really fantastic to meet some of the people that have worked on the standards that I’ve seen in the industry for a really long time… to get to learn about where they’re going and why they do things the way that they do. And then, there were so many different tracks at the event. I really got a lot out of the sessions.
— Nikki Gonzales (Automation Ladies podcast)
Day two closed with a panel discussing the Future of ISA Standards. Led by moderator Dave Lee (Leapy Consulting), the panel included Steve Ferguson (ISA), Alan Bryant (Oxy), and Marco Ayala. This group discussed the nature of global relevance and international standards, which are not only developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) but also by any organization that adheres to the World Trade Organization’s Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement principles.
The panel also discussed how standards are used in the context of large language models and the new landscape of intellectual property licensing into AI tools. Finally, they made the case for practitioners at every career stage to consider getting involved in shaping the standards that govern their industry.
Multiple standards committees also met during ASE week, including ISA75 for control valves, ISA67 for nuclear safety, ISA96 for valve actuators, and ISA112 for SCADA systems.
ISAGCA and ISASecure Highlights
This year, the ISA Global Cybersecurity Alliance (ISAGCA) sponsored the OT Cybersecurity Stage at ASE, bringing ten dedicated sessions on topics related to cyber risk, resilience, zero trust, and more. On the Keynotes and Panels Stage, ISAGCA sponsored an important conversation on how ISASecure® certification can demonstrate compliance with government cybersecurity requirements.
Panelists shared how ISASecure is partnering with the US National Security Agency (NSA) to develop the High Criticality Component Security Assurance (HCSA) certification scheme for commercial OT components sold by manufacturers and procured by the US government for use within national security systems (NSSs). HCSA is derived from the well-established ISASecure Component Security Assurance (CSA) certification scheme.
Panelists also discussed the Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), which sets mandatory cybersecurity requirements for all products with digital elements sold into the EU. As a result, cybersecurity standards and conformity assessment schemes are being revised to help manufacturers meet the CRA requirements for selling products in the EU market. Moderator Mark DeAngelo (ISA) led this conversation, which included panelists Tim Gale (1898&Co.), Michael Dransfield (NSA), Peter Thermos (Palindrome Technologies), and Steve Mustard.
Other Highlights
This year’s event featured a Robot Experience Hub, where multiple robotics companies and local Florida student groups showcased their innovations, from humanoids and dog-like robots to drones and racers.
The AI Primer Workshop was another new addition to the ASE lineup, offering those new to the automation field an entrée into the world of artificial intelligence, preparing them for the conversations to come throughout the remainder of the conference.
And where else but at an ISA event can you find a virtual escape room specifically targeted to the training needs of OT cybersecurity and automation engineers? The ISA simulation game, programmed by Visco, is always cited by attendees as a highlight.
Honors & Awards Gala
The society honored its Celebrating Excellence Awardees and the 2026 class of ISA Fellows at the Honors & Awards Gala on 28 September. Held at Universal Studios, the Gala included recognition for 17 award winners, eight fellows, and the full slate of scholarship recipients in 2026.
Following the award ceremony, attendees visited the Wizarding World of Harry PotterTM inside Universal’s Islands of Adventure, with exclusive ride access to Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey as well as Hagrid’s Magical Creatures Motorbike Adventure.
ISA Training
ISA offered several of its popular training courses for those interested in deepening their knowledge and taking their first steps toward an ISA certification:
- Using the ISA/IEC 62443 Standards to Secure Your Control Systems (IC32)
- Cybersecurity Awareness Training for Water/Wastewater Industry Professionals (IC31C)
- Automation Project Management (MT01)
2026 saw the highest number of trainees at any ISA event to date. Congratulations to all the students who took a step toward improving their knowledge of the automation industry and best practices, and thank you to the instructors: Felipe Sabino Costa, Steve Mustard, and Tom Duffey.
Exhibits
For me, the ASE event is really about the people, the talks, and the Expo. The Expo is really attractive because you get to see new technologies and new equipment, from robotics to new sensor designs. For people coming from a diverse background—automation, instrumentation, control, safety, and cybersecurity—they get to see all of that under one roof. It’s very rare to see that in other locations…. Here’s it’s [all] under one roof.
— Marco Ayala (ABS Consulting)
Thirty-five sponsors and exhibitors joined the ISA ASE in 2026. The exhibit floor was bustling, as you can see on the broadcast on Instagram Live during day one of the event.
Sponsors
ISA extends its thanks to all of the sponsors and exhibitors for their support, which made this event possible.
