The calendar just flipped to 2026, and if February’s lineup of industrial AI cybersecurity events is any indication, we’re heading into a year where the convergence of artificial intelligence and operational technology security will define manufacturing’s next evolution.
Looking at February’s packed schedule of conferences covering Industrial AI/IoT, Operational Technology, and ICS cybersecurity, it’s clear the industry has reached a tipping point. We’re no longer talking about whether to implement AI-driven connectivity in our plants – we’re focused on how to do it securely and effectively.
The Security-First Mindset Takes Hold
What strikes me most about this event lineup is the emphasis on cybersecurity alongside AI implementation. Three years ago, these would have been separate conferences with different audiences. Now, plant engineers and IT security professionals are sitting in the same rooms, and that’s exactly where we need to be.
The focus on smart manufacturing and utility modernization reflects what I’m seeing on plant floors across industries. Companies that rushed into digital transformation without adequate security frameworks are now paying the price with vulnerability assessments and retrofit security implementations. The February events seem designed to address this gap head-on.
AI-Driven Connectivity: Beyond the Hype
The emphasis on AI-driven connectivity in these upcoming conferences suggests we’re finally moving past the proof-of-concept phase. Real implementations are generating real data about what works and what doesn’t. I expect these events will showcase practical applications – not just vendor demos, but actual case studies from manufacturing floors where industrial AI cybersecurity protocols have been battle-tested.
Critical infrastructure security getting top billing also tells us something important: the days of air-gapped systems are numbered, if not already over. When your SCADA systems need to communicate with cloud-based analytics platforms, traditional security approaches simply don’t cut it anymore.
For those of us managing industrial automation systems daily, February’s event focus areas hit right where we’re feeling the pressure. Process optimization through AI is no longer optional – it’s becoming a competitive necessity. But implementing it without compromising operational security requires a level of expertise that’s still relatively rare in our industry.
Will February 2026 mark the moment when industrial AI cybersecurity finally moved from buzzword to standard practice? Based on this event lineup, I suspect we’ll have some answers by March. What’s your plant’s biggest challenge in balancing AI implementation with security requirements?