Designed for safety practitioners and leaders who shape industrial safety strategy, the Smart Safety Summit helps build a clearer path from compliance to performance. Explore how functional safety, cybersecurity, AI, robotics and autonomous operations are changing the expectations for machine and plant design—and what it takes to stay ready as standards, technologies and risks evolve. Through expert perspective and shared learning, you’ll gain practical frameworks for safety lifecycle management, validation and continuous improvement, while connecting with peers focused on safer, more resilient and higher-performing operations.
Smart Safety Summit
Build for safety. Design for performance.
Hear from experts and peers on how modern safety strategies can help protect people, reduce risk and support stronger operations.
Thursday, November 19
| 9:00am – 9:15am | Check In & Welcome |
| 9:15am – 9:45am | Keynote: AI Challenges for Functional Safety
|
| 9:45am – 10:30am | Success in Safety: Customer Case Study - Lindt
|
| 10:30am – 11:15am | Panel Discussion: Functional Safety and Cybersecurity Standards Evolution As industrial systems become more connected, cybersecurity incidents can directly impact personnel safety, operational continuity and regulatory compliance. This session explores the growing convergence of functional safety and cybersecurity, highlighting the evolution and interaction of standards such as IEC 61508, IEC 61511, ISO 13849 and IEC 62443. Experts will discuss how manufacturers, machine builders and system integrators can apply safety and security by design across the system lifecycle. Attendees will gain insight into emerging regulatory trends and practical strategies for reducing risk while improving resilience. Learn how a unified approach to safety and cybersecurity can move beyond compliance to enable more secure, productive and autonomous operations.
|
| 11:15am – 11:30am | Break |
| 11:30am – 12:15pm | Unlocking the Potential of Robotics Through Safety and Trust As robotics evolve from performing repetitive tasks in controlled environments to operating autonomously alongside people, safety and trust are becoming critical to their adoption. Advances in artificial intelligence, mobile robotics, and humanoid technologies are creating new opportunities while introducing complex challenges for risk assessment, cybersecurity, and workforce safety. This session explores the four axes of robotics maturity—capability, performance, trust, and operations—with particular emphasis on how safety, security, transparency, and accountability establish the trust necessary for successful deployment. Attendees will examine how evolving risk assessment practices, safety technologies, and workforce training can enable people and increasingly autonomous robots to work together safely.
|
| 12:15pm – 12:45pm | What Safety Leaders Need to Do in the Next Five Years The role of industrial safety leaders is rapidly evolving as digital transformation, cybersecurity, AI, and workforce changes reshape manufacturing operations. This session examines the key trends, risks, and opportunities that will define the future of industrial safety over the next five years. Industry experts will share perspectives on emerging technologies, regulatory developments, and strategies for building more resilient and adaptive safety programs. Attendees will gain actionable guidance for aligning safety initiatives with broader business objectives while preparing their organizations for the next generation of connected and autonomous operations. Learn how forward-thinking safety leadership can become a competitive advantage in an increasingly complex industrial landscape.
|
| 12:45pm-1:00pm | Wrap Up/Closing |
| 1:00pm - 2:00pm | Networking Lunch |
Set your future in motion
Save your spot at the event of the year.
Get ready for Automation Fair
Award winning by design
The difference is in the experience. Automation Fair earned multiple Stevie® Awards from the 2026 American Business Awards® in the Corporate & Community category for distinction in creating a standout event.
Automation Fair is a registered trademark of Rockwell Automation.