Former CEO and creator of The Human + AI Equation to address reliability leaders on practical AI transformation at IMC 2026 in Marco Island
Marco Island, FL — November 9, 2026 — Reliabilityweb today announced that Anat Baron will deliver the opening keynote address at the 40th International Maintenance Conference (IMC), taking place December 7–10, 2026, at the JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort in Marco Island, Florida.
Baron is a former CEO, entrepreneur, and futurist who helps organizations move beyond AI hype to practical operating decisions. She is best known for scaling Mike’s Hard Lemonade to more than $200 million in revenue in three years—despite being allergic to alcohol—and has held executive roles across hospitality (including Four Seasons and Holiday Inn brands), entertainment, consumer products, media, and technology. She has founded startups, produced the Warner Bros.-distributed film Beer Wars, and appeared on major networks including CNN, Fox, CBS, ABC, NBC, and NPR.
Her keynote will center on The Human + AI Equation, the strategic decision framework she created from real operating experience. The framework helps leaders determine what work should remain human-led, what should be AI-augmented, and what can be fully automated—while technology, operating models, and workforces are all changing simultaneously. Rather than focusing on tools, Baron addresses the harder questions of accountability, judgment, and outcomes that reliability and asset management leaders face as they integrate IoT, predictive analytics, and AI into plant and fleet operations.
“AI is changing what’s possible. People still decide what’s next,” Baron notes. Her sessions combine candor, storytelling, and practical frameworks that teams can apply immediately—approaches that align closely with IMC’s theme, “The Future of Reliability … Now,” and the conference’s emphasis on turning data into actionable results through the collaboration of skilled professionals and advanced technology.
The 40th IMC brings together approximately 1,000 reliability leaders, maintenance professionals, and asset managers for more than 100 sessions on AI, predictive analytics, optimizing preventative maintenance, asset performance management, workforce development, and related topics, along with extensive networking and an expo. The event is produced by Reliabilityweb.com, whose community and events are now supported by Nineteen Group’s broader infrastructure and global reach while preserving the practitioner-focused culture that has defined IMC for four decades.
About Reliabilityweb.com
Reliabilityweb.com is a leading community, publisher, and event producer dedicated to reliability engineering, maintenance excellence, and asset performance. Its flagship events include the International Maintenance Conference, The Reliability Conference, and MaximoWorld, along with professional development such as the Certified Reliability Leader (CRL) training program.
About Anat Baron
Anat Baron is an AI and future-of-work keynote speaker, former CEO, and creator of The Human + AI Equation. Learn more at www.anatbaron.com.
Media Contact
Ellie Rasmussen
ecommerce@reliabilityweb.com
www.reliabilityweb.com
