InfoComm 2026 Keynote Links Trust, AI, and Client Confidence in Pro AV
A keynote at the AVIXA Women’s Breakfast added a different kind of AI story to InfoComm 2026: not a new device launch, but a conversation about trust. In AVNetwork’s June 19, 2026 recap, journalist and author Mariana Atencio argued that trust is becoming more valuable, not less, as AI tools spread across media, business communication, and professional services.
Atencio’s keynote, titled Real Matters: Building Trust in an Unreal World, was delivered to a sold-out crowd of more than 300 attendees before the show floor opened. AVNetwork reported that she described today as an “AI Era,” warning that uncertainty is rising as emerging technologies reshape how people communicate and how organizations present themselves. Her point was not that AI removes the need for human judgment, but that it raises the stakes for credibility, leadership, and authentic connection.
That message landed directly in a pro AV context. According to the report, Atencio told the audience that customers do not walk away talking about cabling or subwoofer enclosures. They expect the technology to disappear into the experience and simply work when the moment matters. In that environment, trust becomes a business asset: clients must believe the systems will perform, and teams must believe the people designing, deploying, and supporting them can manage uncertainty.
AVNetwork also noted that Atencio connected trust to visibility and attention. She described trust as something built “at eye level,” then used interactive moments to show how presence, focus, and human connection shape confidence. For an industry now discussing AI-generated content, automated workflows, and more intelligent collaboration tools, her keynote served as a reminder that advanced systems do not replace the need for believable expertise. They make it more important for integrators, consultants, and technology leaders to explain what the tools do, where the limits are, and why the client should trust the result.
What This Means for AV Integrators
As AI features become common in collaboration rooms, analytics platforms, and customer-facing AV systems, integrators will need to sell confidence as much as capability. Clear expectations, transparent AI conversations, and dependable execution can help turn installs into longer client relationships and higher-value advisory work.