Identity in 2026: Passkeys, AI & Preemptive Security

What will identity and access management really look like in 2026? In Episode 2 of Authentic Talks, we explore how identity is evolving from a one-time login control into a continuous trust engine—shaping security decisions across digital and physical environments. Our guest, Brent Vernon, Senior Director of Technology & Product Management at HID Global, joins hosts Arielle Slama and Rich Gibsen for a candid conversation on convergence, passkeys at scale, AI-driven security decisions, and what enterprises are still getting wrong. This episode moves beyond hype to focus on execution: why passkeys work but adoption stalls, how user empathy and operational confidence determine success, and where AI is starting to deliver real value in identity and access management. If you're responsible for trust, identity, or enterprise security, this episode will challenge how you think about access, risk, and decision-making in a constantly changing threat landscape. Chapter Guide (1:41) Welcome to 2026 & looking back at 2025 (3:13) Brent's bold predictions for IAM in 2026 (6:15) What enterprises underestimate in authentication and IAM (8:52) Why deployment and user empathy make or break adoption (12:29) The overlooked role of digital identity validation (IDV) (16:18) Did AI deliver real value in IAM in 2025? (21:02) Key takeaways from Gartner IAM Summit (24:29) Why "log in once, trust all day" is over (27:28) What must happen for passkeys to scale in 2026 (32:04) Preemptive cybersecurity and identity as a live risk signal (37:04) Lightning round: bold takes, wrong predictions, and advice for CISOs Featured Guests Brent Vernon – Senior Director of Technology & Product Management, HID Global Arielle Slama – Director of Product Marketing, HID Rich Gibsen – Director of Strategic Alliances, HID Related Resources Download the Passkey Playbook - Learn how to choose, deploy, and scale passkeys effectively—with ROI insights backed by the FIDO Alliance. Follow HID Global IAM on LinkedIn - Stay up to date on the latest in digital identity, authentication, and enterprise security.   #IdentityManagement #Passkeys #Authentication #Cybersecurity #IAM #DigitalIdentity #EnterpriseSecurity #AIinSecurity #HIDGlobal #AccessControl #PreemptiveSecurity #ConvergedAuthentication