ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit names first speakers, adds executive forum

ERE Media announced the first wave of speakers for its Recruiting Innovation Summit, set for Nov. 9-11, 2026, in San Diego. The event will feature Kyle Lagunas’ AI-focused keynote and a new limited-capacity executive forum aimed at senior talent acquisition leaders.

Why it matters: - The summit is aimed at senior talent acquisition leaders who want practical guidance on AI, recruiting operations and workforce strategy. - The new executive forum gives top TA leaders a smaller setting for peer discussion on transformation, adoption and leadership. - The agenda signals where recruiting teams are feeling pressure now: AI adoption, candidate fraud, sourcing, metrics and change management.

What happened: - ERE Media announced the first wave of speakers for the ERE Recruiting Innovation Summit. - The conference runs Nov. 9-11, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla at Aventine in San Diego. - Kyle Lagunas will deliver the opening keynote, Motion Isn’t Momentum: Where AI Is Taking Talent Acquisition. - ERE will host the RIS Executive Forum on Monday, Nov. 9, as a limited-capacity executive program hosted by Lagunas.

The details: - Lagunas’ keynote draws on survey data from more than 350 senior HR and talent leaders. - The keynote also includes a head-to-head benchmark of 12 AI interviewers. - The session will examine where AI delivers measurable value, where vendors overpromise, and how recruiting organizations are redesigning work around AI. - The Executive Forum is designed for senior talent acquisition executives. - The forum will cover AI adoption, organizational transformation, recruiting operations, leadership and the role of talent acquisition inside modern enterprises. - ERE says the forum will focus on candid peer discussion, shared challenges and actionable insights rather than a traditional conference-track format. - Confirmed speakers represent Pinterest, CVS Health, Ford Motor Company, Starbucks, Wells Fargo, Expedia Group, Roblox, CareerXroads, Comfort Systems USA and Radiology Partners, among others. - ERE plans to announce additional speakers and sessions in the coming weeks. - Attendees can expect sessions on veteran hiring, talent sourcing, candidate fraud, data and metrics, employer branding, healthcare recruiting, change management, recruiting operations, high-volume recruiting, AI strategy and adoption, innovation and the future of talent acquisition, and earning trust and a seat at the table. - Registration is now open. - Early registration is encouraged because the Executive Forum has limited capacity. - More information is available at ERERecruitingConference.com.

Between the lines: - The speaker list leans heavily toward practitioners, not vendors. - That format suggests ERE is positioning the summit as a working session for operators, not a product showcase. - Lagunas’ keynote language reflects a shift from AI experimentation to operational redesign. - The conference is also betting that peer-to-peer discussion remains a strong draw for recruiting leaders facing fast-changing hiring conditions. - Past attendees describe the Summit as a valuable learning experience, including “Real use cases from the front lines, shared by people doing the work,” and “The conversations, the energy, and the insights were next level.”

What's next: - ERE will release more speakers and session details in the coming weeks. - Attendees will get the latest agenda, hotel information and conference updates on ERERecruitingConference.com. - The Executive Forum is likely to fill quickly because of its limited capacity.

The bottom line: - ERE is using its 2026 summit to push recruiting leaders toward practical AI adoption, peer learning and operational change rather than hype.