Following an earlier announcement, ISE has shared further details of AI expert Sol Rashidi’s keynote at the 2026 show, where she will offer insights into how leaders can move beyond AI hype and make informed decisions around adoption, governance and cybersecurity. The session will take place on Wednesday February 4, at 1pm at Fira de Barcelona.
Entitled “The AI Reality Check: What It Takes to Scale and the Future of Leadership”, the keynote is billed as a practical look at formulating enterprise-wide AI strategies.
Rashidi, a veteran of four C-suite roles across Fortune 500 companies, has led AI and data strategy at organisations including Sony Music, Merck, Estée Lauder and Amazon, and is known for her focus on human-centric frameworks and responsible AI.
The keynote aligns with ISE 2026’s theme, “Push Beyond”, which aims to encourage AV and systems integration professionals to challenge boundaries and embrace innovation responsibly.
Sol Rashidi said: “The challenge isn’t adopting AI, it’s leading with it. I look forward to ISE 2026 to show how separating hype from fact, implementing strong governance, and integrating cybersecurity makes all the difference.”
Her session will explore practical models for evaluating AI initiatives, building effective governance structures, and ensuring data and workforce security, topics of growing importance across AV, broadcast, and enterprise sectors.
Rashidi is also known for her contributions to thought leadership in the field, including her best-selling book Your AI Survival Guide, her patented Human Amplification Index, and the educational concept Intellectual Atrophy, which explores how to maintain critical thinking in an AI-driven workplace.
She played a pivotal role in developing and launching IBM’s Watson in 2011 and now has over 200 deployments under her belt. As both a practitioner and an executive, Sol has earned accolades including ‘50 Most Powerful Women in Tech,’ ‘Top 100 AI Thought Leaders,’ and ‘Top 100 Data & Analytics Leaders’. Sol has participated in 3 TEDx speaker sessions with accumulated views of over 1m.
Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, added: “We are honoured to host Sol Rashidi and we can’t wait to hear her keynote at ISE 2026. Sol’s visionary approach, extensive experience and deep understanding of the evolving business landscape will undoubtedly inspire and empower our attendees to push beyond the general realms of AI.”
ISE 2026 will take place at Fira de Barcelona from February 3-6 2026. Registration is now open at iseurope.org.
Click here to read Installation’s report on how ISE is expanding its horizons for the 2026 edition.
