#USA #Cybersecurity #Lake Buena Vista #ISA #Automation Summit

The 2025 ISA Automation Summit & Expo: A Celebration of Growth and Innovation

The 2025 ISA Automation Summit & Expo, hosted by the International Society of Automation (ISA), marked a significant milestone, attracting more than 630 individuals from around the globe dedicated to advancing industrial automation. This year’s event was held at the Disney's Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, from October 5 to 7, 2025, and offered an impressive lineup of technical discussions, hands-on learning experiences, and a dynamic expo environment focused on the future of automation amidst the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

The summit represented a diverse cross-section of industries including manufacturing, energy, utilities, aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and entertainment. This blend of professionals contributed to a vibrant atmosphere for sharing knowledge, fostering networking opportunities, and providing avenues for professional development.

Event Highlights: Keynote Sessions and Notable Speakers

Among the highlights of the summit were several compelling keynote sessions that anchored the conference themes. Attendees were treated to inspiring talks that included:

• - "To Infinity and Beyond: Innovation in Space Flight" by Douglas Hurley, a retired astronaut from NASA, who shared invaluable insights about technology developments in aerospace.
• - "Confessions of a Dirty Hacker: Over Two Decades as a Hacking Curmudgeon" by Tom Liston, owner of Bad Wolf Security, who discussed challenges and innovations in the field of cybersecurity.

In total, the summit featured 67 speakers from leading organizations like Lockheed Martin Ventures, AWS, Wabtec, Eli Lilly, and MiTRE. They provided pragmatic insights into modernizing operations, scaling secure architectures, and enhancing data-driven decision-making processes amongst attending professionals.

The ISA Expo: A Hub for Innovation

The ISA Expo section of the event showcased 65 vendors specialized in fields such as industrial automation, process control, and operational technology (OT) cybersecurity. Participants engaged in live demonstrations, solution walkthroughs, and valuable peer-to-peer exchanges aimed at transforming ideas into actionable strategies that could be applied within their respective organizations.

Additionally, ISA’s flagship OT cybersecurity courses—IC32 and IC33—offered participants hands-on training designed to bolster their expertise and validate their skills in critical areas of industrial security.

One of the standout features was an interactive virtual reality (VR) experience in the Student Simulation Showcase, which brought practical scenarios to life and underscored ISA's commitment to nurturing the next generation of automation professionals through student design competitions.

Networking was another vital component of the event, with activities such as welcome receptions, young professionals’ meet-ups, and exhibitor breaks facilitating connection among attendees. The pinnacle of the social events was the Honors & Awards Gala hosted at Pandora—The World of Avatar within Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This celebration honored top automation leaders and provided a memorable evening for networking among peers and family.

Looking to the Future

Claire Fallon, ISA's CEO and executive director, highlighted the significance of the summit, stating, "ISA takes pride in connecting the world's top experts in industrial automation. This year's Automation Summit & Expo delivered hands-on insights and a vibrant experience for our community."

The event has set the stage for what is to come, with plans for the 2026 Automation Summit & Expo already underway, scheduled to take place in Lake Buena Vista, Florida, from September 27 to 29, 2026. As automation continues to evolve, ISA remains at the forefront, ensuring that its community has the tools and knowledge to navigate the exciting challenges that lie ahead.

Without a doubt, the 2025 Automation Summit & Expo was a celebration of progress in a rapidly changing industry and reinforced the critical role of collaboration and innovation in shaping the future of automation.