For decades, the Smart Home has been defined by what happens behind the walls and inside the rack. But as we approach 2026, the next frontier of integration isn’t just about the wires, it’s about who (or what) is pulling them.
In this provocative and practical 45-minute session, Dr Stephen Hart challenges the displacement narrative by drawing on a career that has come full circle. Stephen began his journey on the shop floor as an Apprentice Telecommunications Technician with Telstra in the 1980s, where he managed largely autonomous electromechanical telephony systems. This unique background – combining early trade roots with a Doctor of Education and decades of executive leadership in organizational culture – provides a rare perspective on how humans interact with complex, autonomous machines.
Drawing from his research at Roboethics, Stephen propositions that the future for CEDIA professionals is not a choice between human and machine, but a mastery of their partnership. The Aussie tradie has always adapted, from the first mobile phones to the latest IoT protocols; now, the New Apprentice is arriving, and it wears wires.
What you will learn:
• The Co-worker Reality: Why advanced humanoids aren’t coming to take your job, but to join your toolkit. We will explore how AI-driven robots can handle the “dirty, dull, and dangerous” aspects of smart home installs, allowing you to focus on high-level design and client experience.
• The Roboethics of Residential Tech: A deep dive into the ethical considerations of bringing embodied AI into the private sanctuary of the home. How do we manage privacy and trust when our co-workers are silicon-based?
• Future-Proofing Your Skillset: Leveraging Stephen’s background in leadership and organizational development to identify human-only high-value tasks – complex system logic, empathetic client consultation, and creative problem-solving.
• Practical Integration: How to begin preparing your business today for the Hybrid Workforce of tomorrow. What tools, software, and mindset shifts are required to manage a fleet of robotic assistants?
Why Attend? This isn’t just a Future of Work lecture; it is a strategic briefing for the modern integrator. While others discuss the latest 8K displays, Dr Stephen Hart uses his 30+ years of experience, from the technician’s toolkit to the C-Suite, to tackle the most significant workforce disruption of our generation.
Whether you view AI as a threat or an opportunity, you will leave with a clear roadmap for the next five years and the confidence to lead your business into the age of the robotic apprentice.
The toolkit is changing. Will you be the one holding the controller?
2-4 Sept 2026 | ICC, Sydney