Free Integrate Sessions Put AI and the AV Skills Shortage In The Same Room
Diversified Australia
- Two free Lunch and Learn sessions at Integrate 2026 will address AI in AV work (2 September) and the AV workforce skills shortage (3 September), running from 1:00 to 1:50pm each day in the Tech Talks Theatre.
- The AI session, sponsored by Microsoft, will feature Andrew Higgsy Higgs and Mehryn Corrigan discussing Teams Rooms, intelligent meeting experiences and AI-assisted workplace tools.
- The workforce session, sponsored by AVIXA, will feature a panel examining the skills gap across technical, creative and hybrid AV roles, and how the industry can develop structured talent pipelines through apprenticeships, vocational training and updated curricula.
- Both sessions are free to attend with no ticket required, and are open to all show floor visitors.
- Integrate 2026 runs from 2 to 4 September at ICC Sydney, co-located with the Security Exhibition & Conference and the Fire Security Expo; show floor entry is free with registration.
Free Integrate Sessions Put AI and the AV Skills Shortage In The Same Room
SYDNEY, 17th August — Two free sessions at Integrate 2026 tackle a question the AV industry keeps circling: as AI takes on more of the work, who is left to do the rest, and what do they need to know? Running over the lunch break on the first two days of the show, the Lunch and Learn sessions look at the technology and the workforce as two sides of the same problem.
Day one puts AI at the centre of how AV work gets done. Day two turns to the people, and the growing challenge of attracting and keeping them. Read together, the pairing captures the tension many teams are living with right now: more capability arriving through AI, and fewer skilled hands to put it to work.
Part of the Integrate and AVIXA Tech Talks, the Lunch and Learn sessions are a relaxed corner of Integrate's education programme. They are built for the people doing the work, connecting emerging ideas with real-world application so attendees can sharpen their craft and stay across what matters.
The sessions are free to attend, open to everyone on the show floor, and need no ticket.
2026 Lunch and Learn sessions
Exploring the Future of AI-Powered Collaboration. Sponsored by Microsoft. Wednesday 2 September, 1:00 to 1:50pm.
Microsoft's Andrew "Higgsy" Higgs and Mehryn Corrigan look at how AI is changing the way we meet, collaborate and connect, covering Teams Rooms, intelligent meeting experiences and the AI-assisted workplace, and how these are being put to work day to day.
Building the AV Workforce of Tomorrow. Sponsored by AVIXA. Thursday 3 September, 1:00 to 1:50pm.
As AV work grows more complex across IT, AI and smart environments, the industry faces a real challenge in attracting, developing and retaining skilled people. This panel looks at how the sector can move from traditional training pathways to structured talent development.
The panel will cover:
- The widening skills gap across technical, creative and hybrid AV roles
- The role of apprenticeships, vocational training and on-the-job learning
- How training frameworks need to adapt as AV converges with IT, sustainability and digital experiences
- Why industry collaboration matters in co-designing relevant curricula and career pathways
The session will also offer practical insight into how structured workforce development can improve quality, safety, project delivery and long-term business growth.
Session details
- 2 and 3 September 2026
- Tech Talks Theatre, show floor
- Free to attend, no ticket needed
Integrate 2026 runs from 2 to 4 September at ICC Sydney. Entry to the show floor is free with registration. The Lunch and Learn sessions are free and open to all show floor visitors. Other Tech Talks programme sessions are ticketed separately.
You can learn more about the Lunch & Learn sessions and register via the website.
About Integrate
Integrate is the ANZ AV industry's annual meeting point. It brings the entire ecosystem into one room so professionals can see technology in action, connect with peers, talk directly to the people behind the tech, and leave ready to do better work. Integrate 2026 takes place from 2 to 4 September at ICC Sydney, co-located with the Security Exhibition & Conference and the Fire Security Expo.
About Diversified
Diversified Australia is a third-generation, family-owned events and digital media company committed to long-term success beyond the bottom line. We invest in industries we care about and believe in, and continually evolve to meet the needs of our partners and communities. As an events and digital media company, we strengthen business communities by fostering a space for professionals and businesses to connect and grow.
Media contact
Deborah Boyle
Marketing Manager
Diversified Australia
[email protected]
About us:
EVENT DETAILS
When: 2 to 4 September 2026
Where: ICC Sydney
Show floor: More than 120 exhibitors across 10 technology zones
Co-located events: Security Exhibition & Conference and the Fire Security Expo (new for 2026), accessible on a single registration
Show floor entry: Free for registered trade professionals
Education programme: Integrate & AVIXA Tech Talks, ticketed separately, running across all three days
Registration: Open now via the Integrate website
About Diversified Australia
Diversified Australia is a third-generation, family-owned events and digital media company committed to long-term success beyond the bottom line. We invest in industries we care about and believe in, and continually evolve to meet the needs of our partners and communities. As an events and digital media company, we strengthen business communities by fostering a space for professionals and businesses to connect and grow.
Contact details:
Media contact:
Deborah Boyle
Marketing Manager
Diversified Australia
[email protected]
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Andrew Higgs, Asia AI Powered Workplace Lead - Teams Engineering, Microsoft, Lunch & Learn Session, Integrate 2025
