rewrite this title InfoComm 2026: Mariana Atencio on Trust, AI, and Hybrid Work – UC Today

At InfoComm 2026, UC Today spoke with Mariana Atencio, Journalist, Public Speaker, and Trust Expert, about why trust has become one of the defining issues for collaboration technology, hybrid work, artificial intelligence, and ProAV.

The conversation followed Mariana’s keynote at the AVIXA Women’s Breakfast, where she explored how authenticity, communication, and human connection can help leaders navigate an increasingly uncertain technology landscape.

Why Hybrid Work Depends on Trust

For Mariana, trust is not a vague leadership concept. It directly affects whether teams can collaborate effectively across screens, platforms, and locations. In hybrid work, organizations need confidence that their conversations are secure, their data is protected, and their technology can support meaningful human connection.

She explains that even small details, from how people show up on video calls to how leaders communicate through uncertainty, can shape whether distributed teams feel connected or disconnected. That makes trust central to the future of workplace collaboration, especially as businesses rethink meeting spaces, employee experience, and AI-enabled hybrid work.

AI Raises the Stakes

The interview also explores artificial intelligence and the risks that come with rapid adoption. Mariana says AI should enhance humanity, not replace it. However, deepfakes, synthetic content, and misinformation are putting new pressure on technology providers to create responsible guardrails.

For buyers, the question is no longer just whether a platform works. It is whether the company behind it can be trusted. That is especially important in the ProAV sector, where much of the technology is invisible when it performs well. People may not notice the infrastructure behind a successful meeting, event, or collaboration experience, but they rely on it completely.

Trust as a Competitive Edge

Mariana believes the conversation has shifted sharply over the past year. Trust was once treated as a soft skill connected to authenticity. Now, it is a competitive edge across technology, cybersecurity, finance, healthcare, and communications.

As organizations look to secure hybrid work without sacrificing productivity, Mariana argues that trust in leaders, platforms, and human judgment will become even more important.

Despite the pace of change, she remains optimistic. Drawing on her experience leaving Venezuela and rebuilding her life through storytelling and purpose, Mariana says people can overcome extraordinary challenges when they come together with the right intentions.

More UC Today interviews from InfoComm 2026: