From Agentic AI to Self-Preserving Assets: Redefining Maintenance and Asset Management
Closing keynote at Asset Performance 2026 with Prof. Diego Galar
Today, AI is increasingly being used to detect anomalies, predict failures and support maintenance decisions. But what if this is only an intermediate step?
The next evolution could involve assets and digital systems that do more than collect and analyse information: they could support decisions autonomously, initiate actions and actively contribute to their own reliability and availability.
During the closing keynote of Asset Performance 2026, Prof. Diego Galar of Luleå University of Technology & SISTEPLANT explores this next step: from data-driven maintenance and Agentic AI to self-preserving assets.
From Predictive Algorithms to Autonomous Decision-Making
Many current AI applications in maintenance remain focused on analytics: collecting data, recognising patterns and generating predictions.
Agentic AI goes a step further. AI systems can be given objectives, combine information from different sources, support decision-making and initiate actions.
Diego Galar explores how this evolution can converge with established disciplines such as condition-based maintenance, reliability engineering and digital twins.
At the heart of the keynote is one question: what happens when assets not only understand their own condition, but also use that information to actively help protect themselves?
The keynote looks beyond technological possibilities and focuses on the gap between what AI promises today and what industrial organisations actually need to make better asset management decisions.
Why Attend?
This keynote offers a forward-looking view of the next generation of maintenance and asset management.
You will discover:
- how the evolution is moving from data-driven analytics towards Agentic AI;
- what is meant by self-preserving assets;
- how AI can interact with condition monitoring, reliability engineering and digital twins;
- and how more autonomous decision-making could affect future maintenance and asset management strategies.
An inspiring conclusion for professionals who want to understand today what tomorrow’s maintenance organisation could look like.
About Diego Galar
Prof. Diego Galar is Full Professor of Condition Monitoring within the Division of Operation and Maintenance Engineering at Luleå University of Technology.
He has extensive international research and practical experience in maintenance, reliability, Industry 4.0, cyber-physical systems, IoT, Industrial AI and Big Data and has published hundreds of scientific and technical contributions in these fields.
Practical Information
Date: Thursday 19 November 2026
Time: 15:45
Location: Flanders Meeting & Convention Center Antwerp (FMCCA)
Carnotstraat 4, 2018 Antwerp
Language: English
The keynote closes the second day of Asset Performance 2026 and is followed by the Closing Reception.
The keynote and reception are included in a ticket for Thursday 19 November and in the full two-day conference pass.
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