#425 - EIC 2026 Recap & IdentiBeer Berlin

Jeff and Jim recap their week at KuppingerCole's EIC 2026 in Berlin, covering standout keynotes, hallway conversations, and sessions on securing AI agents, CIAM, and AI versus nuclear regulation. They announce a giveaway of Eve Maler's signed copy of Mastering Digital Identity for YouTube commenters by June 12th. The episode also features live footage and a full interview with Espen Bago, founder of IdentiBeer, recorded at the Berlin event. Jeff, Jim, and Espen discuss the rapid global growth of the IdentiBeer community, terminology challenges around NHI and IAM concepts, the gap between conference talk and real client needs, and why the industry keeps bypassing foundational data work in the rush toward AI and agentic identity.

Connect with us on LinkedIn:

Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/

Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/

Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.com

00:00:10 Welcome and EIC 2026 Setup

00:03:57 Eve Maler Book Giveaway Details

00:05:00 Conference Highlights: Keynotes and Hallway Con

00:06:07 Elizabeth Garber's Standing Ovation Keynote

00:07:02 Brazil Invitation and Securing AI Agents

00:09:10 Nuclear Regulation vs. AI Regulation

00:11:07 Upcoming EIC Episode Preview

00:14:16 IdentiBeer Berlin Live Event

00:14:29 Interview with Espen Bago Begins

00:15:14 IdentiBeer Growth and Global Expansion

00:17:23 The IdentiBeer Name Debate

00:23:26 Data Quality Gaps in NHI and IAM

00:26:31 Who Owns IAM Terminology?

00:34:20 Conference Talk vs. Client Reality

00:40:52 The HR-IAM Gap Nobody Talks About

00:43:17 Fundamentals: The Karate Kid Analogy

Keywords: EIC 2026, European Identity Conference, IdentiBeer, Espen Bago, Eve Maler, Elizabeth Garber, Mastering Digital Identity, Berlin, Identiverse, NHI, non-human identities, IAM fundamentals, AI regulation, agentic identity, IGA, PAM, CIAM, IDPro, identity community, IDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald