Convergence: What's Next?

Consider the expectations of your clients officially raised.

The continuing convergence of broadcast and Pro AV technologies means corporate, education, and other verticals want broadcast-quality productions—as do their audiences—coupled with systems that are more user-friendly and a lot less expensive than traditional broadcast studios. So, what technologies are driving the next phase of convergence?

From the integrator's perspective, Ben Dandola-Grubb, VP of technical integration for Verrex, said the next phase of convergence will be driven by technologies that blend high-end AV hardware with software-centric, IP-based workflows. "We’re seeing clients pair advanced cameras and professional audio with IP standards like Dante, NDI, and SRT, while simple tools like OBS and Stream Deck controllers make sophisticated graphics accessible to everyone," he explained. "As these ecosystems mature, the shift toward full AVoIP—eventually including ST 2110 and IMPX—will accelerate even faster."

For Will Waters, principal product manager for Audinate, the most significant driver is a shift toward software-defined media platforms, which can be seen increasingly in universities, enterprises, and media organizations. "Organizations are moving away from fixed, device-centric systems toward environments where routing, processing, and control are implemented in software," he said. "This abstraction allows workflows to be deployed across on-premises infrastructure, virtualized environments, and cloud services using consistent management and security models."

To that end, KVM will also have a part to play in the next chapter of convergence. Anna Kozel, VP of marketing for VuWall | G&D, said technologies like KVM over IP are "enabling operators to access and manage video and data workflows more flexibly across facilities and remote locations. At the same time, centralized management platforms are becoming critical, allowing teams to control video walls, sources, and KVM systems through a single intuitive interface."

Security is also a major driver, Kozel added, particularly in government and enterprise environments where secure remote access, encryption, and compliance with standards like Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) and Common Criteria are essential. "Ultimately, convergence is about operational flexibility, bringing AV, IT, and broadcast workflows together on a shared, scalable infrastructure," she said.

Emphasis on Infrastructure

Sebastian Mucha, MultiDyne's executive VP of sales and strategy, said IPMX is accelerating convergence by “bringing broadcast-grade IP transport into Pro AV without the complexity traditionally associated with ST 2110. This lowers the barrier to entry for high-performance IP systems.”

Distributed workflows—where processing happens closer to the source, rather than centralized control rooms—is another trend. “This aligns with both Pro AV scalability and broadcast remote production models. Plus, cloud is increasingly used for orchestration, monitoring, and workflow management,” Mucha explained.

Jonathan Lyth, product director for enterprise media at Grass Valley, agrees that software-defined production and hybrid cloud will be key drivers. "Instead of tying specific functions to fixed hardware, teams can use the same production capabilities across different events and locations, scaling them up or down as needed," Lyth offered. "This makes it far easier to produce more content without rebuilding systems each time or buying infrastructure to cover occasional peak events."

With software as a driving force, IP networking will (not surprisingly) continue to play a huge role in convergence. "Moving video workflows from the world of baseband into IP is opening new doors, especially as more timing-aware technology surfaces, and high-bandwidth, managed IP equipment becomes easier and more cost-efficient to set up and maintain," said Abe Abt, senior product consultant for AJA Video Systems. "Tools have come down substantially in price, and we’ll continue to see more of this in the years to come."

"As everything moves to an IP infrastructure, the next 'phase' is software-defined workflows all running on COTS servers either on prem, in data centers, or in the public cloud, eliminating bespoke hardware," added Rick Seegull, SVP of technology and business development for Riedel Communications. "These innovations will promote true interoperability between vendors’ software within the broadcast, Pro AV, and IT systems, having all software access the media directly in memory and enabling seamless communication across multi-vendor environments. By supporting open standards and flexible architectures, they allow customers to select best-of-breed components while building scalable, future-ready workflows."

A Place for AI

AI will play a role, Lyth acknowledged, but he said its early impact will be largely focused on reducing day-to-day workloads, rather than changing how Pro AV content is created. "Tasks like system monitoring, tagging content, preparing clips, and checking quality control can increasingly be automated, helping teams to deliver more frequent productions more reliably, making live production easier to repeat and manage at scale," he said.

According to Abt, some live sports networks are already using AI to quickly produce highlight reels for distribution on social media platforms. "AI is another emerging technology that both industries are just beginning to explore, and it's already showing a lot of promise for enhancing media asset management and the setup and configuration of live productions," he added.

While Waters said AI and automation will support monitoring, diagnostics, provisioning, and content management, their value depends on a strong foundation of software and management. "For decision-makers, convergence means applying IT and platform thinking to media operations. Prioritizing vendors that offer flexible deployment models, open APIs, and systems proven at scale helps create ecosystems that balance usability, control, and long-term sustainability," he said.

Michael Bergeron, Panasonic's senior category manager–advanced video production technology, believes the challenge with technologies such as cloud or AI is determining where each has its maximum benefit. "We tried cloud everywhere in the early 2020s," he recalled, "and it stuck in places where scalability was required or where rarely used assets needed to be delivered—cases in which on-prem support of the same functionality might be cost prohibitive. We may see a similar shakedown with AI. GenAI content is still too easily recognized as such, but AI with a human operator is a force multiplier."