Artificial intelligence has taken over Pro AV. At least, it feels that way. New products tout “AI this” or “AI that.” Some folks brag how AI is simplifying their inbox or streamlining their reports, while others fear for their jobs. Every professional conversation somehow seems to wind its way back to AI.

Once we get past summaries that reduce hourlong meetings into bullet points and Instagram videos that trample on intellectual properties for comedic effect, what does it all mean? From machine learning to large language models (LLMs), how is AI truly impacting the Pro AV industry today, and what can we expect in the coming years?

To find the answers, SCN reached out to industry futurists and technologists to collect their thoughts on the current state of AI in Pro AV—and explore potential roadmaps into our industry's next chapters.

Accentuate the Positive

Julian Phillips, SVP and managing director of XTG, the AVI-SPL Experience Technology Group, has spoken extensively about AI and last year released LevAIthan: A Brief History of Humanity and AI, a book co-authored with Athena, his AI assistant. In his book, he argued that we should stop calling it “artificial intelligence” and start calling it “augmented intelligence.” His point is that AI’s greatest value is in strengthening people, not replacing them.

“If we call it artificial intelligence, we think substitution. If we call it augmented intelligence, we think amplification,” he explained. “The wording matters because language shapes strategy. The best AI does not remove the human being from the experience; it makes the human more capable within it.”

According to Phillips, AI is most powerful when it helps designers, technicians, support teams, and end users work faster, smarter, and with greater confidence. “At AVI-SPL, for example, Symphony helps organizations monitor and manage assets across the network, identify issues earlier, and support users more proactively,” Phillips said. “That is a practical example of intelligence improving both operational performance and the user experience.”

In his role at Midwich, Chris Neto, head of emerging markets, revealed that AI is changing the conversation both internally at and with external vendor partners. “'Emerging markets' used to mean geography. Now it also means capability,” he said. “AI is accelerating that shift. Markets and verticals that may have lagged in the traditional sense now have the opportunity to leapfrog through software-driven, AI-enabled solutions.”

And that’s where Neto’s role is evolving. “It’s no longer just about identifying where growth might happen,” he said, “it’s about helping our teams within Midwich understand what’s possible and then extending that insight to our vendors and manufacturer partners so we can move together, faster and more strategically. AI doesn’t replace strategy, but it absolutely sharpens it.”

Of course, the willingness to integrate AI with AV systems depends entirely on the client, said Rich Green, president and CEO of Rich Green Design. "We’re still very early in the AI journey," he said, "so what my clients demand is superb audio, superb video, and flawless connectivity. Our job as integrators is to help them understand how AI fits into their broader digital transformation strategy. If AI can improve speech intelligibility or automate presentation connectivity, hooray! If it gets in the way, VC partners get ornery."

Perceptions and Realities

So, is AI being perceived in Pro AV as a godsend or a job killer? If you ask Neto, it's following a very familiar pattern.

“Every major shift, from DSP to networked AV to the cloud, came with the same fear cycle,” he said. “AI is just the latest iteration. The difference now is the speed and accessibility. The people who see it as a job killer are usually thinking about tasks. The people who see it as a tool are thinking about outcomes.”

"The Pro AV industry has always relied heavily on automated workflows, and AI represents a new era for efficiency," added David Labuskes, CEO of AVIXA. "Adopting AI requires thoughtful consideration of how it fits into current systems and processes. In some cases, it may accelerate tasks or simplify programming, but the fundamentals remain the same: Professionals are still defining the goals, guiding the system, and validating the outcomes."

AVIXA maintained a pragmatic view of AI in its education program at InfoComm 2026. "AVIXA is focused on what’s actually happening with AI today," Labuskes said. "We’ve moved past the phases of 'AI will do everything' and 'AI isn’t doing most of those things.' Instead, we’re now in a phase where practical applications are emerging and adoption is steadily growing. Rather than focusing on fears of widespread job loss, the emphasis is on how people are actually using AI in their day-to-day roles to work more efficiently and effectively."

Phillips warned that AI literacy is vital in today's Pro AV workplace, because AI is entering the workplace—whether people are ready for it or not. "In modern Pro AV, understanding AI is becoming as important as understanding signal flow," he said. "AI literacy matters because it helps people separate real capability from hype. It helps them ask better questions, apply the tools responsibly, and have more credible conversations with customers who are already looking at how AI fits into their workplace strategies. This is not about keeping up, it's about staying ahead."

Joe Andrulis, EVP of corporate development for Biamp, expects AI will empower productivity gains, because it eliminates training barriers and helps workers come up to speed more rapidly. "With AI, products get easier to implement because the products themselves incorporate artificial intelligence to make setup more dependable and to handle situations dynamically," he explained. "However, I don’t know the net effect, positive or negative. I think the effect of AI will be varied by sector and by application area. Some jobs are going to be greatly enhanced, and AI will be a big boost to AV, while others might be negatively impacted."

For example, Andrulis acknowledged that one of the big challenges in the dealer community has been finding qualified people. "The more that AV systems can incorporate intelligence natively, the more easily integrators can install systems with less specialized workers, which can make it easier to hire while also ensuring a more standardized outcome across geographies," he said. "In the past, customers were often willing to pay for high-value installation services, but that was very difficult for dealers to scale as the pool of qualified experts is very limited. With AI, they are giving up some of that high-value work, but in return they get scale. Scale is how dealers can win with AI."

Aim Higher

"On the design and pre-construction side, AI tools are meaningfully accelerating how integrators work," Green observed. "AI can help parse complex RFPs, draft system narratives, cross-reference equipment specifications, and even generate first-pass signal flow documentation. Work that used to take days can now take an hour. That's not a small thing because it frees up real time for the higher-value, higher-judgment work that actually requires a human expert."

That expertise is an indispensable part of equation. "We dare not underestimate the human in the loop," Green warned. "Nurturing talented and competent professional humans is the most important path to sustained success and prosperity. The liability and the craft are still ours to own."

AV has always been built on relationships, trust, and experience, which Neto said AI can’t replace. Instead, AI removes friction. “It handles the repeatable, the predictable, and the scalable, which frees us up to focus on what actually matters: creativity, customer experience, and quality service,” he said. “So no, it’s not killing jobs, but it is going to expose complacency.”

Based on discussions with clients and other integrators, Dave Van Hoy, president of Advanced Systems Group, said defining what AI is for Pro AV really depends on who you ask. “AI is a buzzword. AI is an initiative. AI is an actual functional tool. We're at the evolution of these tools, where all these things are true,” he offered. “It’s in many applications. It's a management initiative with no clear definition. It's being used today in everything from camera tracking to closed captioning, graphics generation, and many other things."

AVIXA research shows a shift toward practical adoption. According to Labuskes, studies of AI use in the Pro AV workplace show significant growth in implementation, along with increased recognition of its benefits, particularly since the rise of GenAI. "While AI continues to evolve, it is clearly becoming more deeply embedded within organizations," he said, "and as adoption matures, its business impact will be increasingly measurable."

But Phillips believes too many organizations are treating AI as a productivity hack, rather than as a "partner in exploration" that can help teams model possibilities, test ideas faster, identify patterns, and solve problems. "If we're implementing AI just to make us faster," he argued, "we're aiming too low."

Present Practicalities

In the real world, AI features have gone from nice-to-have to expected faster than most people realize. “Walk into any modern meeting space, and AI is already there—whether people call it that or not,” Neto offered. “Auto-framing, speaker tracking, noise cancellation, transcription, translation. These aren’t futuristic features anymore, they’re baseline expectations.”

However, when it comes to AI and UCC, Neto thinks the industry needs a reality check. “AI is only as good as the environment it’s operating in,” he explained. “We can’t talk about AI-driven transcription and translation, arguably two of the most in-demand features from end users, without talking about acoustics. If the room sounds bad, the AI performs badly. It’s that simple.”

Shure is already integrating AI into its products to provide intelligent noise suppression and voice focus. "AI is only as effective as the data it ingests," agreed Christine Schyvinck, president and CEO of Shure, "so pristine audio is paramount for AI to do its job and for end users to experience greater productivity."

In other words, speech intelligibility should now be considered foundational for meeting spaces. Poor acoustics lead to poor data, which leads to poor outcomes.

“So, while AI is raising the bar for what these systems can do, it’s also raising the bar for how we design spaces,” Neto advised. “Integrators and designers need to think beyond the camera and the codec and start with the room itself. Because at the end of the day, if the AI can’t clearly understand what’s being said, everything else falls apart.”

Improving Products

Schyvinck believes AI can be a game changer when it comes to product development—with the right governance, policies, and planning. At her company, AI is not only assisting with the process, it's making product development more effective and efficient.

"AI has definitely helped accelerate many tasks, which can help us bring products to market faster," Schyvinck noted. "It is especially well suited for rapid prototyping. AI assists with learning and acquiring user feedback earlier in the development process, which is something we value a great deal at Shure because of our focus on customer input."

Schyvinck said Shure has been leveraging AI in its products for years, and it serves a critical role in today's UCC products. " AI helps with hybrid work pain points," she explained. "It enhances meeting intelligence, workflow automation, personalization, and analytics."

AI is certainly improving Biamp products—for example, cameras include auto zoom and focus as well as tilting capabilities, while AI noise reduction is helping to improve voice intelligibility in ways that users may not even realize. "Thinking broadly, AI is enabling products to become easier to use while also becoming more flexible," Andrulis said. "AI software, such as Biamp Launch, is now embedded into system programming, including auto setup and auto tuning.

"This is useful beyond just installation, as it can adapt to changes in the environment. As a result, the end user is getting a much more polished experience in a wider set of use cases," Andrulis added. "It’s all happening more efficiently and at lower cost, with overall better performance and without any overt action from individuals."

Predictions and Next Steps

AI has already made some pretty impressive technological strides. As Labuskes said, "While our eyes are on how AI is being used in practical AV applications, we're also tracking its potential to make huge shifts across the industry."

Coming soon, look for continued growth in Edge AI, which is the practice of running AI locally on AV devices instead of sending it to the cloud. And beyond that is Physical AI, which combines sensors and control systems with AI to create meeting rooms that essentially run themselves.

Van Hoy said the best is yet to come. "Today, AI can take care of many mundane tasks," he said. "As we go forward, it will be able to do more sophisticated things, including technical direct productions and allow voice control of AV systems for unattended use. The applications will continue to evolve, particularly in the routine applications where humans provide the least creative value."

Schyvinck has already seen the shift from static hardware to adaptive learning systems. "End users want meetings that automatically generate, track, and facilitate action items and tasks," she explained. "They want rooms that self-diagnose issues and trigger support workflows or even self-heal."

Green agreed that platforms that can flag anomalies in system behavior before a client even notices a problem are a "genuine operational win" for integrators and end users. "AI-enhanced knowledge management systems for system integrators and support technicians will be a game changer," he predicted.

Voice control in professional environments needs attention, Green said, mostly because consumer voice AI tech can't be used due to cybersecurity and privacy concerns. However, he expects agentic AI, which makes its own decisions and takes action, to have a significant impact on system interoperability. "It’s a wild frontier fraught with hazards but improving exponentially," he added. "That’s the space to watch right now."

A Word of Warning

For Neto, the future of AI in Pro AV is about better overall experiences, not features. The industry is heading toward environments that are context-aware spaces that "understand who’s in the room, what they’re trying to do, and adjust in real time without manual intervention."

However, that kind of AI integration should probably come with a warning sticker. "Just because we can automate everything doesn’t mean we should," Neto said. "There’s a balance between intelligent and intrusive. The winners won’t be the ones who cram in the most AI; they’ll be the ones who use it with purpose thoughtfully, transparently, and in ways that actually make human interaction better, not more complicated."

For Green, the IT manager is often the integrator's point of contact, and they are "extremely cautious" about introducing AI. "Cybersecurity is top of mind in these firms. AI poses new threats, often cleverly disguised," he explained. "It’s best to defer to predictable reliability and hold off on AI tricks in these environments. Sophisticated clients can see right through them."

While AI-driven diagnostics and remote monitoring are maturing, Green said the interoperability and standardization layer still needs improvement. "Integrated systems can be sourced from a dozen different manufacturers, and the AI features often live in proprietary ecosystems that don't talk to each other elegantly," he noted. "The industry needs either stronger open standards or deeper partnerships at the platform level before AI can reach its full potential in a fully integrated system."

Andrulis had his own warning—about unintended consequences. "As the systems become smarter, we need to recognize that our industry is about audio and video sensors," he said, "and as they become more widely used and data is processed more intelligently, there are valid concerns about surveillance or the misuse of personal information. Users may not even be aware it’s happening.

"The good news is that as we get more information, we can do even more wonderful things with that information, but that is assuming good intentions," he continued. "Bad actors can use that information in ways that do not benefit end users. There is a potential dark side to this paradigm and as an industry we need to be cognizant of that."

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."

Most Systems Contractor News readers are familiar with our annual SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators. Now, we’re starting something new. It’s called the SCN Top AV Consultants. It’s an opportunity for consultants to provide insights about the Pro AV marketplace while promoting their specialties. Consultants can fill out the questionnaire here.

"Our goal with the SCN Top AV Consultants is to help our readers understand the impact of consultants on the Pro AV industry," explained Mark J. Pescatore, SCN content director. "I'm looking forward to sharing this data with our readers later this year."

Unlike the SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators, the SCN Top AV Consultants is not focused on revenue. Instead, this research will provide a snapshot of the collective value of the products and services specified by consulting firms. Our coverage will highlight the top players, but we want to estimate the broader influence of all AV consultants—so even if you are a specialist, your information is important.

SCN is working with an independent research company, Apogee Insight, to collect and process the survey responses. Responses will be confidential unless you qualify to be included in the top ranking that we publish in the article. If that happens, we will reach back to you to advise you of that and confirm that you agree to having your company name and data in the article.

There is no charge to participate, nor do we pay consultants to participate. Access the questionnaire here.

Originally, the KVM switch was originally created to improve the control of computers within data centers. They began as mechanical rotary switches that handled keyboard and video feeds, with mice being added in the 1990s after they became popular. Since then, KVM technology has evolved from analog to digital and added network connectivity, which has led to what is now called “KVM over IP.”

The space-saving and efficiency advantages offered by KVM switches explain their ongoing popularity. “KVM technology allows operators to control one or more computers from a separate location as if they were sitting directly in front of them,” explained Catherine Koutsaris, product marketing manager at Matrox Video. “KVMs are especially useful because they enable secure, high-performance remote access without compromising video quality, latency, or reliability. IP KVM systems transmit audio, video, and USB signals over standard networks, allowing workstations to be centralized while operators work wherever it makes the most sense, improving flexibility, security, and operational efficiency.”

That said, the days of the KVM switch serving merely as a remote control system for servers are over. “KVM’s real value is that it decouples people from places and humans from hardware," said Thomas Tang, president of Apantac. "Once broadcasters and others in AV start designing their workflows around this philosophy, KVM stops being infrastructure and starts becoming a strategy."

An Invisible Backbone

The ability to deploy KVM over IP has unleashed this technology’s potential, supporting the strategic transformation that Tang has alluded to. His view is shared by AV integrators such as Michael Blankenship, solutions architect at FORTÉ.

“In modern broadcast environments, KVM has evolved into a critical control layer that allows broadcasters to centralize computers, support flexible and remote workflows, and maintain frame-accurate control of high-performance systems without compromising reliability or security,” Blankenship told SCN. “Today’s KVM systems aren’t just keyboard and mouse switches. In broadcast and production, they function as workflow enablers, remote production backbones, space and infrastructure optimizers, and offer a security and resiliency layer.”

To prove his point, Blankenship noted that KVM allows studio and post-production computers to be removed from human-centric offices and relocated to secure server rooms. Doing so reduces noise and heat in the offices themselves, while maintaining real-time access to the equipment.

KVM is also being used in OB vans and live production trailers, allowing on-location operators to switch between multiple feeds and systems without latency. “For instance, Sky Germany uses G&D KVM for simultaneous live sports broadcasts, while Barco CTRL powers control rooms for utilities and media,” Blankenship offered.

“A strong example is entertainment solution company PRG’s deployment of Matrox Extio 3 IP KVM extender for a large-scale entertainment event in Saudi Arabia,” Koutsaris added. “In this deployment, operators remotely accessed UHD 4K media servers over a 10 Gbps IP network, ensuring reliable control across long distances without sacrificing performance.”

Optimizing Workflows and Workspaces

Besides providing a critical control layer for broadcasters, video producers, and other content creators, KVM is solving other problems for them as well.

Case in point: “KVM technology is helping broadcast and production users transition from traditional SDI environments to flexible, IP-based workflows,” said Neil Firth, senior product manager at Adder Technology. “As operations become more distributed and dynamic, our award-winning ADDERLink INFINITY IP KVM range enables centralized and remote access to critical systems with ultra-low latency and pixel-perfect image quality. These key features allow production teams to work more efficiently, scale with confidence, and stay focused on delivering high-quality content rather than managing complex technology.”

KVM products also solve several critical challenges, including distance, scalability, collaboration, and reliability, Koutsaris said. “KVMs also enable multi-user access, allowing teams to collaborate more efficiently, and support long-distance fiber connections for large venues," she noted. "These capabilities reduce physical constraints, improve operational resilience, and help production teams maintain consistent performance in complex, high-pressure environments.”

By removing bulky hardware from operator desks, Blankenship said KVM resolves space and ergonomics issues. "It also helps maintain cybersecurity through network isolation while enabling operational control, and workflow efficiency through multi-view layouts, and quick switching that improves situational awareness," he added.

Current Tech Trends

We have seen just how far KVM technology has come from its humble analog beginnings. So, what's on the horizon? According to Koutsaris, the technology is evolving toward IP-first designs built on open standards, higher resolutions, and tighter integration with broadcast and Pro AV ecosystems.

“At Matrox Video, products like Avio 2 reflect this shift by supporting open standards such as IPMX, SMPTE ST 2110, and NMOS," she added. "Advances in IP KVMs now support higher resolutions and lower latency, making KVMs suitable not just for control rooms but also for live events, hybrid production, and distributed workflows.”

“KVM is constantly evolving to meet the increasing requirements for flexible systems, remote access, and high-performance workflows where purely software-based solutions can fall short of critical industry applications,” Firth said. “Our ARDx next-gen KVM over IP technology goes beyond the standard keyboard, video, and mouse extension by offering secure, scalable, and out-of-band remote access with no distance limitation. These key advances are responding to the various requirements of operators, while remaining collaborative and sharing information without boundaries.”

Speaking as an AV architect, Blankenship has seen several advances in the KVM space. “They include Barco CTRL’s Zero Trust architecture and multiview scalability to hundreds of sources,” he offered. “Also noteworthy is G&D’s ControlCenter-IP 2.0 with bluedec compression for pixel-perfect video and latency-free switching, and Thinklogical’s IA-accredited fiber-optic KVM matrix switches for multi-classification environments.”

For his part, Tang characterizes KVM over IP as the ever-evolving “dominant remote control paradigm” in AV that provides full remote access to systems over both LAN and WAN. “Unlike software-based remote tools, it enables true BIOS-level control, allowing systems to be accessed and managed even when the operating system is unavailable—a key capability supported by Apantac KVM solutions,” he explained. “This makes remote KVM especially valuable for broadcast operations with distributed teams, REMI workflows, and decentralized production hubs.”

Tang also noted that KVM technology has advanced significantly in video performance. “Modern KVM extenders now support higher resolutions and improved color fidelity over IP, while optimized compression and transport methods keep latency effectively imperceptible to operators," he continued. "Apantac KVM systems operate over standard 1 Gb Ethernet, regardless of whether the signal is FHD or UHD, minimizing infrastructure costs while still delivering ultra-low latency of approximately 17 ms. This combination of high image quality and low latency is critical in live production environments, where signal fidelity and operator responsiveness directly impact on-air performance.”

A Virtual Future

As for the future of KVM? Expect greater advances to come, going even further beyond KVM’s initial function as a remote control system for computers.

“KVM has a significant role in emerging areas such as virtual production, where live action and real-time rendering engines converge," said Firth. "As virtual production expands from its filmmaking origins into live broadcast environments, KVM can support increasingly complex, multi-system workflows by enabling flexible, centralized control. As this technology continues to evolve, KVM will adapt alongside it, helping production teams manage new tools and workflows while enhancing creative and operational efficiency.”

“KVM could solve potential issues in a variety of areas,” Blankenship added. “They include cloud and virtualization integration with virtual desktops and cloud workflows, AI-driven switching, and new markets for KVM such as healthcare, education, and esports for secure remote access.”

Ultimately, KVM is no longer about connecting a keyboard, monitor, and mouse to a remote computer; instead, it's about connecting creative intent to technical execution, regardless of physical location. As the AV industry embraces the cloud, AI, and virtual production, KVM will be the silent yet essential bridge that allows this industry to create—and work—without boundaries.

Want more KVM content? Download SCN's Integration Guide to KVM.

Work environments have transformed from what they once were—and for many, it feels like it happened overnight. As a result, meeting technology is rapidly adapting to keep up with these new environments.

“In the last five years, work dynamics have undergone more significant changes than in the previous 50 with the rise of remote, hybrid, and in-office workstyles,” said Yannic Laleeuwe, marketing director, workplace collaboration at Barco ClickShare. This change makes it hard to keep a strong connection between remote and in-office workers, leaving companies with discouraged employees who feel they are not properly represented by company technology.

“Our research has shown that one in three remote meeting participants find it difficult to speak up,” Laleeuwe added. “Even six in 10 remote workers say they have difficulty grabbing attention in the meeting.”

Looking for Video

To address these issues, you might assume that companies are at least equipping meeting rooms with video to improve employee connectivity, but you would be wrong. Recent studies in 2024 by analyst firm Frost & Sullivan reveal that less than 15% of all meeting spaces are video-enabled. However, they predict the penetration rate will almost triple between 2020 and 2027.

“If we want the hybrid workplace to be successful, we clearly need technology that enables us to collaborate in a better and smarter way,” said Laleeuwe. “We need technology that supports flexible workstyles and personal preferences.”

Meetings and what happens during them are also changing. They have evolved from simple information-sharing sessions to tackling more complex issues like decision-making and relationship building. To do this effectively, meeting technology needs to advance further. It should enable everyone to hear each other, observe body language, interpret facial expressions, and share the same space, whether virtual or hybrid.

“Today's reality? Meeting quality varies significantly depending on which space, and that inconsistency itself becomes a barrier to connection,” said Laleeuwe.

Flexible, people-focused spaces like jump spaces, focus rooms, and modular areas are emerging trends to overcome this barrier. However, scaling quickly and affordably can also be a challenge to achieving more widespread meeting equity.

“The best meeting experiences are often limited to expensive, complex rooms,” said Tyler Troutman, strategic development with Shure. “We need to bring those capabilities to smaller spaces and make them deployable at scale, so more people can benefit from true meeting equity.”

Have No Fear

Dave Silberstein, North American channel sales manager for DTEN, believes that fear of change is the biggest obstacle to achieving meeting equity. People may not like change, but he said it will make us more productive. “As an AV designer, it is hard to propose something new when the IT staff does not see the need or know how their own rooms are used,” he added.

For example, Silberstein recounted a recent experience where an IT professional told them that no one uses whiteboards at their company—but when they toured each room, there was writing on the glass walls because they lacked a whiteboarding solution. This indicated that they needed a whiteboard solution, but they also needed to invest in training on how to use it and where users could find their work afterward to make it truly impactful. Without education on how to use the technology, it would just sit idle.

Silberstein said that people are afraid of technology, but not literally. “They are not scared of technology because it is technology," he explained. "They have a message they need to deliver, and they don't want change to get in the way, even if it is for the better. Delivering your message and opinion is the important part, and if you don't feel you can do that remotely, you go to the office for that meeting.”

The more people trust in the technology to improve the delivery of the message, the more it will be used. With smart meeting rooms here to stay, AV and IT teams must work better together to demonstrate the potential of the installed technology, which could lead to significant growth in equity. “When meeting spaces are equipped with the right tools, and those tools are easy to use, everyone benefits, not just the people in the room, but also the teams making it all work behind the scenes,” added Laleeuwe.

At last year’s AV/IT Summit, the "Future of AV Technology" panel discussed meeting equity, believing that, although progress has been made, it has not yet been fully achieved. “Meeting equity is achievable with the right technology, but with the right technology, you need someone to tell you how to use it,” said Sharath Abraham, strategy manager with Jabra GN.

That includes training everyone on how to use the technology, as well as making sure they actually use it after training. Behavioral norms are a key (and often overlooked) part of developing people-driven steps toward meeting equity. "It starts from the top," explained Michele Ferreira, VP of system integration at Advanced Systems Group. "If you have the buy-in from the top and every single time they're on call, their camera is on, I'm more likely to turn on the camera."

During the panel discussion, Ferreira also noted that interoperability can make meeting equity a challenge. "We've all been on a Teams meeting and a Google meeting and a Zoom meeting, and it's always wreaking havoc within our system to the point sometimes we're rebooting," she said. "We've got to reboot before the next meeting because the camera won't work and the audio is messed up."

More Improvements Coming

Although many meeting technologies are now designed to ensure participants feel equally included, not everyone is investing in these upgrades. And even if they are, disparities still exist with these technologies, with accessibility being one area still not widely addressed.

“Challenges such as language barriers and accessibility needs have not been fully addressed,” admitted Troutman. “The future is about moving beyond AV and making meetings truly accessible for everyone.”

Speaking of the future, emerging technologies, such as AI, are making a significant difference in meeting equity. AI can also be transformative in promoting equity and accessibility through real-time captioning, transcription, and translation, thereby breaking down barriers for individuals with hearing loss or non-native speakers.

Shure is focusing on using AI to improve audio quality, which is crucial for accurate closed captioning and real-time transcription. “With IntelliMix Room, our software-based audio processing solution, AI-powered Denoiser and Deverb dramatically improve audio clarity by removing background noise and room echo,” said Troutman. “This ensures every voice is captured cleanly, allowing AI-driven features like transcription and translation to perform at their best.”

Barco also believes the future lies in AI-powered solutions, such as Microsoft Copilot, which bridges physical distances while enhancing the overall meeting experience. “Ultimately, collaboration technologies are evolving from static experiences limited by the physical hardware within the room to adaptable solutions that follow users into every meeting space, catering to individual preferences,” said Laleeuwe.

Get even more insights: Download SCN's Integration Guide to UCC.

For a long time, AV systems were treated like a short-term relationship. You installed the gear, trained users, and checked the box. When something stopped working, support was called in. When enough things stopped working, the room was replaced.

That approach worked when AV lived at the edges of the enterprise. It supported meetings, but didn’t define them—if a room struggled, people adapted. Decisions still happened and the business moved on.

That environment no longer exists.

Today, AV systems sit at the center of how everyday work happens. Leadership meetings depend on them. Distributed teams rely on them to collaborate effectively. Sales, training, and culture-building all flow through spaces that are expected to work every time, without explanation or warmup.

At the same time, the technology inside those rooms has become more dynamic. Collaboration platforms update constantly. Cameras now use AI. Systems are connected to networks that change far more often than the physical rooms themselves.

Yet many organizations still implement AV as if none of that were true.

Danger of the Drift

The problem is that the technology drifts, rather than failing outright. Over time, rooms fall out of alignment with the platforms they support. Firmware updates lag, new features get introduced without context, and settings change gradually as users try to “fix” small annoyances. Nothing seems urgent until suddenly the room feels unreliable. Not broken, just unpredictable.

That unpredictability has consequences: When rooms earn a reputation for being difficult, people stop trusting them. Meetings move back to personal devices, and leaders avoid certain spaces and systems. Hybrid participants feel like an afterthought. You may have invested in the technology, but the experience undermines the intent.

This is where the project-centric model starts to show its limitations.

AV today behaves more like infrastructure than equipment. It’s integrated into the network and intersects with security, and it depends on platforms that IT teams manage actively and deliberately. When a room fails during a critical meeting, the cost is reputational as well as technical.

Despite that reality, many systems are still delivered with a “finish line” mentality. Once the install is complete, ownership becomes unclear. If the integrator doesn’t maintain involvement, internal teams inherit systems they didn’t design and don’t have time or training to manage properly. Support becomes reactive by default, focused on restoring basic order instead of improving performance.

Living System Mentality

Managed AV changes that dynamic by treating rooms as living systems rather than static assets.

With managed services, performance remains visible after deployment. Updates are planned instead of avoided or reacted to. Issues are addressed early, before users notice them. Training keeps pace with how platforms actually perform, not how they worked at launch. Over time, rooms get better instead of slowly falling behind.

Just as importantly, stewarded AV restores accountability. Without it, AV almost always becomes an unofficial IT problem. When something goes wrong, the call lands on teams who are already overloaded and often ill-equipped to diagnose AV-specific issues. That creates frustration on all sides and leads to short-term fixes that compound long-term problems.

A managed services model establishes clear ownership and creates alignment between AV, IT, and overall business operations. Decisions are made with context instead of urgency. The focus shifts from putting out fires to maintaining reliability.

Consistency and Confidence

Hybrid work has rendered that reliability non-negotiable. Employees now judge conference rooms against their home setups—and if the office experience feels harder to use or less dependable, people disengage. Attendance drops. Collaboration suffers.

The issue is almost never aesthetics or feature depth but, rather, consistency. Managed AV helps organizations deliver that consistency across rooms and locations by guiding the evolution of systems. The goal is confidence, not perfection: People should walk into a room assuming it will work … and be correct.

There’s also a financial reality to consider. Treating AV as infrastructure allows organizations to plan for lifecycle costs instead of reacting to failures. Budgets become more predictable. Emergency replacements become less frequent. Leaders gain visibility into what they own and what it takes to keep it performing. That predictability often proves more valuable than chasing the lowest upfront price.

None of this is about adding services for their own sake. It’s about recognizing that AV is no longer a one-time purchase or a side project. It’s a critical layer of how modern organizations communicate and operate. Treating it like a short-term commitment leads to frustration and erosion of trust. Treating it like a long-term marriage builds reliability, confidence, and spaces people actually want to use.

The companies that get this right will be the ones that stop dating their AV—and commit to it.

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For the past few years, Microsoft Teams has been promoting 21:9 ultra-widescreen displays as a more inclusive viewing experience for videoconferencing rooms. Indeed, the 21:9 format offers approximately 31% more horizontal display area than a 16:9 screen of the same vertical height. This is why 21:9 displays are being used to support Microsoft Teams’ Front Row feature, along with immersive gaming and eye-catching video presentations.

However, despite the eye-catching ultra-widescreen advantages, Keith Yanke, Sharp’s VP of product and solutions marketing, told SCN that traditional displays significantly outsell 21:9 displays.

That assessment is endorsed by Rob Meiner, Peerless-AV’s senior technical solutions engineer. “While 21:9 displays are gaining popularity and increasing in demand," he explained, "traditional 16:9 displays remain predominant in many categories, as ultra-wide displays are still considered a more specialized offering. Recent reports project market growth for ultra-widescreen displays at a compound annual growth rate [CAGR] of around 10% from 2026 to 2033.”

So, what happened? “After the initial announcement from Microsoft, the topic of 21:9 display solutions was common, but it never really translated into additional sales,” offered Rob Pickering, Tritech’s director of technology. “Some clients may install one or two specialty rooms to validate the experience but keep the majority at 16:9.”

Compelling Applications

Despite 21:9’s slow sales growth, there are many compelling Pro AV applications for the technology. The standout application is in conference rooms and hybrid meeting spaces that use Microsoft Teams in the Front Row layout, or other UC solutions that benefit from ultra-wide video and graphics presentations.

A key advantage of the 21:9 aspect ratio in these spaces is its ability to boost productivity and streamline multitasking. As Meiner noted, “It’s especially beneficial for professionals managing multiple spreadsheets, communication platforms, creative assets, and organizational dashboards simultaneously. Compared to a dual-monitor setup, a single ultra-wide display offers a more seamless and cohesive layout, eliminating visual interruptions that can come from misaligned screens. By consolidating content on one clean display, users can improve focus, reduce eyestrain, and work more efficiently and accurately.”

“Using ultra-widescreen displays can avoid the downfalls of dual screen setups by not having a bezel,” Yanke agreed. “In some cases, this setup provides a better experience for content and collaboration.”

Plus, the "wow" factor should not be discounted. “Spaces with 21:9 displays can create a more immersive feeling and provide more pixels when sharing documents on screen,” said Pickering. “Since they’re not super common, they can also create an elevated feeling when first participating in the space.”

21:9 displays are well suited to non-videoconferencing applications as well. “This ultra-wide format provides graphic designers, photo and video editors, and other creative professionals with a more ergonomic workspace, ideal for displaying timelines, tools, full mockups, and side-by-side comparisons on a single screen,” Meiner said. “Professionals who frequently work with large spreadsheets or detailed data sets, such as financial analysts, can also take advantage of the ability to view multiple windows simultaneously without the need to toggle between them or use an additional monitor."

In educational environments, ultra-wide displays can enhance classroom settings by enabling the display of multiple content types, such as lecture videos alongside slides, simultaneously. "This facilitates student interaction and offers a more immersive experience, particularly in hybrid learning scenarios,” Meiner added.

Finally, 21:9 displays also provide Pro AV integrators and managers with greater operational flexibility in AV integration. This is because 21:9 displays can show multiple simultaneous video sources without requiring operators to switch inputs or add extra screens during immersive presentations. This makes 21:9 displays particularly useful in high-engagement business settings such as training rooms, command centers, and client pitch environments.

Installation and Cost Considerations

Compared to traditional 16:9 displays, 21:9 displays are physically wider and heavier. This means that they require larger and more robust wall mounts that can support their size and weight. “It doesn't necessarily complicate installation, but there might be some unique considerations, such as having an extra person to help lift the display because it's so wide,” said Jeff Muto, director of product management with ViewSonic Corporation.

“In smaller rooms, ultra-wide screens may also present viewing angle challenges for people seated at the edges,” Meiner added. “This is where curved 21:9 displays offer an advantage, by helping to maintain consistent visibility across a wider viewing area.”

Adding a 21:9 video format to a room’s playout system can also pose problems. As Meiner observed, many software applications and user interfaces, such as videoconferencing apps, are primarily designed for the standard 16:9 aspect ratio.

Plus, most videos are not 21:9. “Content compatibility can be an issue,” added Yanke. “Standard 16:9 material may not scale properly on a 21:9 display, leading to stretched images or black bars on the sides when content doesn’t match the ultra-wide format.”

Beyond these factors, Muto said cost is the primary drawback. 21:9 displays cost more than 16:9 displays—not just because they are larger, but also because they are not being produced in the same volumes. As a result, mass-produced 16:9 displays benefit from per-unit economies of scale that niche-produced 21:9 displays do not.

Is 32:9 the Answer?

The 21:9 display format was created to provide a wider viewing experience than 16:9 monitors, but it does so using a format that doesn't always play nice with 16:9 content. This is why 32:9 “super ultra-wide TVs” are now being produced. The advantage of this format is that it can display two 16:9 video streams side-by-side in their original aspect ratios, like having two regular 16:9 monitors together without the distracting center bezel.

“This is why 32:9 is definitely a thing,” said Muto. “However, a single, super ultra-wide 32:9 panel can present some logistical challenges, especially in terms of mounting and transport. This is why ViewSonic offers a flexible alternative with our LDC series dvLED displays, which are configurable to achieve a 32:9 layout.”

“We see more of a need for 32:9 than 21:9,” noted Yanke. “With that said, whether it is 21:9 or 32:9, we are not sure these solutions are catching on outside of those spaces that require these wide aspect ratios. But yes: The 32:9 is more appealing because of the ability to simulate two 16:9 screens side by side.”

Given the above considerations, the experts agree that 21:9 displays will remain niche for now. “While wider displays are gaining momentum in meeting rooms, hybrid work setups, learning environments, and productivity-intensive roles, they are unlikely to fully replace the widespread use of 16:9 displays,” said Meiner. “Standard consumer TVs, typical office setups, and classrooms equipped with 16:9 projectors or flat panels are much more well-established and may remain the norm for the foreseeable future.”

“21:9 display sales are growing, but there is a long way to go before it can be considered mainstream,” Muto concluded. “In the short term, 21:9 will remain niche due to some of the things discussed like price and content compatibility. But if hybrid meetings continue to be the norm, we'll likely see greater adoption of 21:9 devices in meeting/conference rooms as displays are refreshed.”

Get even more insights: Download SCN's Integration Guide to Video Displays and Mounts.

The AV Sales Index (AVI-S) for January registered 55.6, easing from December’s 56.6 and reflecting a typical start-of-year moderation in AV demand. The pullback is consistent with seasonal patterns, as education, corporate, and live events markets pause amid calendar resets, budget finalization, and slower project starts.

Despite the slight month-to-month softening, the index remains solidly in expansion territory, signaling continued growth in overall AV activity. Importantly, January’s AVI-S stands above year ago levels (51.5), reinforcing that underlying demand conditions entering 2026 are stronger than in early 2025.

January’s index reflects a combination of typical seasonal effects and broader macroeconomic conditions, including stable but still restrictive interest rates, cautious business investment, and soft non-residential construction activity early in the year. Education, corporate, and live events markets all experienced slower starts as budgets reset, project timelines extended, and cost pressures persisted.

The January AV Employment Index (AVI-E) dropped by one point to 54.4. January 2026 U.S. labor market conditions appear stable but soft, with low layoffs and subdued hiring momentum.

“Economic uncertainty on both a global and local scale is making a lot of our customers back off. Especially churches. Businesses and government and large-scale construction projects that were already planned for 2026-2027 are still moving forward, but the small day-to-day projects from local schools and churches have really fallen off because no one knows what is going to happen next,” shared a North American AV Integrator.

The Pro-AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity.

Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn more about the methodology. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

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Read the February issue of Systems Contractor News.

Hey, Dubai, get ready for a new kind of Pro AV trade show experience.

AVIXA officials took to the ISE show floor on Thursday afternoon to announce the launch of InfoComm EDGE, an experiential event designed to raise the profile of the Pro AV industry with stakeholders outside of the industry. Slated for Oct. 27-28 at Dubai’s Festival Arena, the show will be curated for key buyers and influencers from the region, allowing them to experience Pro AV innovation through thought leadership, networking, and technology.

Tobias Lang, CEO of LANG AG and chairman of AVIXA, said there is a high demand in the region for Pro AV solutions, which is why it makes sense for AVIXA to launch an event in Dubai. AVIXA research shared during the press conference showed that roughly 85% of end user entities in the region plan to increase Pro AV spend this year, and the annual spend on Pro AV in the GCC region in 2026 will exceed $15 billion will exceed for the first time.

What makes InfoComm EDGE unique? For starters, it’s not built on a grid; instead, the floor plan is built around a center stage. There will also be four zones representing the priority verticals for the region, including government and enterprise, leisure and entertainment, education, and retail.

According to David Labuskes CEO, AVIXA, initial expectations are about 4,000 attendees. While that may seem small compared to trade shows like ISE or InfoComm, InfoComm EDGE will be intentionally compact, focused on quality, not quantity. Labuskes anticipates the event will “end up being about connections being made, not people through the door.”

Sarah Joyce, chief global officer, AVIXA, said InfoComm EDGE is being supported and embraced by the Pro AV community. “It’s designed for the industry by the industry,” she added “The passion that’s come from the meeting we’ve had have emphasized that what we’re doing here is right for the region.”

The hope for InfoComm EDGE is to create a curated event that encourages connections and longer dwell times for leaders who shape complex projects across the region. Companies will need to apply to sponsor the event, while attendees will need to request an invitation to attend.

Joyce is intrigued by the opportunity to “deliver something quite exceptional and quite new. I’m very excited,” she added, “and now we build and deliver.”

It’s Super Bowl season. This year, the NFC will be represented by the 14-3 Seattle Seahawks, while the AFC will send its champion, the 14-3 New England Patriots. The game will be Sunday, Feb. 8, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA.

[MORE SPORTS!!! The Tech Behind the 2026 Olympic Winter Games]

Seattle and New England met in Super Bowl XLIX in 2015, with New England pulling an improbable 28-24 victory with an interception in the end zone at the end of the game. Since then, New England has been back to the Big Game three times, most recently in 2019 with a 13-3 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Seattle hasn’t been back since that loss in Super Bowl XLIX.

Mark: Usually, I’m excited about the Super Bowl. But I’m a Miami Dolphins fan who went through yet another disappointing season and is now bracing for yet another rebuild. And who is representing the AFC this year? The Patriots, an AFC East rival who will appear in their 10th Super Bowl since the last time my team won a playoff game. A team that completely turned its fortunes around in one season with a solid head coach. Win or lose, they win.

So yes, I’m bitter. And no, I’m not excited.

At least I can take solace in the idea that the Patriots won’t win this one. Quarterback Drake Maye has had an amazing season for the Patriots (yes, that’s also upsetting), and anyone who says otherwise is simply confused. But I think the Seahawks have too much for the Patriots to handle. Yes, they’ve lost one of their two amazing running backs to injury, but they still have Kenneth Walker III. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba had that textbook third-pro-season statistical leap that the experts tell us about all the time.

On the other side of the ball, Seattle’s defense has been elite against the rush this year, top 10 against the pass, top five in the red zone, and the best on third down. In contrast, the Patriots edge out the Seahawks in passing defense, but their red zone defense is worse than the Dolphins. (No, my bitterness cannot be contained.)

There’s a trite argument in sports about inexperience and big games. Blah blah blah. However, in this game, I think the experts might just have something. Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold knows how to lose the big game—let’s all remember he had a playoff collapse in Minnesota purple a season ago—but I think he’s ready for the big stage.

Meanwhile, Drake Maye struggled against the Broncos (and the snow) in the AFC Championship. In fact, after a truly stellar regular season, his stats in the playoffs have been less than impressive. He and the Patriots will be in the Super Bowl conversation for years to come; I may be bitter but I’m also realistic. However, I don’t think this year’s campaign will end in the win column, and I don’t think it’ll be close.

Wayne: As a Houston Texans fan, I too, am bitter. The Texans had 49 players active for the AFC Divisional Round, and 48 of those players played their tails off. C.J. Stroud, who I was vehemently opposed to on draft day, did everything he possibly could to give the Patriots the game, giving every Texans fan PTSD from the Matt "Pick Six" Shaub days. The defense, as it had all season, gave its opponent fits and held Drake Maye to one of his worst performances of the year, and arguably career... until a week later when the Broncos made him look like Tua Tagovailoa without Tyreek Hill.

As many of our readers know, I have a fantasy football podcast (shameless plug: 3 and Out available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple, or just click on the box below for our annual Super Bowl Special!). Coming into the season, I was alone among my two other cohosts in saying this would be Drake Maye's breakout season and he would be a top 5 quarterback, so I take some solace in being correct. However, as Mark mentioned, two recent wins for the second-year quarterback help mask the fact that Maye has been at his worst of late. He's completed only 55.8% of his passes after leading the NFL with a 72% rate in the regular season. He's thrown two interceptions in three games after throwing eight ALL season, and those four fumbles against the Texans were painful. The Seahawks aren't going to make anything easier.

This is 100% opinion, but the Patriots may be the worst AFC team to make the Super Bowl since that 1995 San Diego Chargers team got blown out of the sky by the San Francisco 49ers by I believe a gazillion points if I remember correctly. They have had a comically easy path to the Super Bowl: eight of the teams they played saw their head coaches relieved of their position this postseason, they lost to the Las Vegas Raiders, who were so bad they have the first pick, and they caught every team with their best players out (most recently, the Texans were without Nico Collins, and the Broncos without Bo Nix). The Seahawks are going to have a field day.

Of course, there is Sam Darnold. Darnold has removed the bust tag from his days with the New York Jets, but the past two seasons, we have seen much stronger play from him in the first 13 games than his final five or six. It looked to be more of the same, with three-straight games under 200 yards and a total of two touchdown passes, but he exorcised those demons by going off against the Los Angeles Rams. I think the Sam Darnold "Sam Darnolding" is being overhyped.

The Patriots offense has faced the No. 2, No. 4, and No. 5 scoring defenses in football this postseason and have looked pretty off their game. On deck is the No. 3 scoring defense. You see a trend? Eventually, their luck will run out... and that will be on Feb. 8.

Mark’s Prediction: Seattle 31, New England 16
Wayne's Prediction: Seattle 28, New England 10

Those working in the digital signage space can attest that the technology has come a long way. In fact, one wonders whether we should still be calling it signage, given the role it plays in communications and operations today.

Joseph Mendonca, director of business development at AVI-SPL, observed that digital signage has moved beyond being a screen-based messaging medium, as an increasing number of organizations are leveraging the technology to provide intelligent, integrated digital experiences. “What was once a standalone communications tool now plays a critical role in workplace communications, operational awareness, employee and customer engagement, and data-driven decision-making,” he noted.

This is being driven by several developments, Mendonca noted, including AI and automation, cloud adoption, compliance and security requirements, and more sophisticated display and media player systems. He also highlighted the evolution of end-to-end content workflows.

“Modern platforms now integrate seamlessly with existing communications, workplace management, operations, and collaboration technologies, enabling organizations to deliver the right information to the right audience, at the right time, with minimal manual effort,” he said. In other words, for many companies, digital signage is a core component of their communications strategy, be it inward or outward facing.

Technology Boost

Innovation in LED, microLED, and ultra-high-resolution display technologies are also changing the digital signage landscape. In particular, Mendonca said microLED is well-suited for environments with high ambient light—including corporate offices, stadiums, and transportation hubs—thanks to high brightness and contrast, energy efficiency, and longevity.

Companies are also taking advantage of 8K, glasses-free 3D, holographic displays, and transparent LED walls for immersive experiences. Flexible or rollable screens, ideal for curved surfaces, serve as standout architectural features.

Systems have also matured to the point where digital signage content is truly dynamic. “[There are] more and more interactive scenarios where content is both live and [coming in] from different types of sources so that you can really animate all the elements of the screen in an automatic or interactive way,” said Francesco Ziliani, CEO at SpinetiX.

These capabilities have led to the combination of live streaming with more traditional digital signage content. For example, a soccer match may be broadcast in real time with a ticker featuring statistics on the players. “Before, you were forced to choose between streaming [or displaying the stats]," Ziliani explained. "Now it’s hybrid.”

Amber Ward, marketing director at Carousel Digital Signage, noted that a growing number of companies are engaging more than one digital signage content creator for their strategic marketing and communications efforts. This has led platform providers like Carousel to support multiple contributors across departments, people who are already accustomed to creating messages with industry standard software. “To make that possible, CMS providers are adding more integrations and familiar tools that simplify content creation and collaboration,” she said.

Managed Services

While small and mid-sized organizations often keep digital signage management in-house, many—especially those with large campuses, national firms with multiple locations, and global enterprises—opt to outsource to a third party. According to Mendonca, the main reason for this is the need to lighten the workload for AV and IT personnel.

“Managing platform operations, device fleets, content workflows, security, compliance, and ongoing support places significant strain on internal IT, AV, and communications teams,” he said, adding that his firm is witnessing increased demand for managed services from Fortune 500 and global organizations in financial services, government, healthcare, higher education, hospitality, and retail. “[These are markets] where digital signage is evolving from a point solution into a mission-critical component of the digital workplace and customer experience ecosystem.”

For Misty Chalk, VP of sales for the Americas at BrightSign, more clients are expecting their AV partners to provide managed services. In the client’s eyes, it renders AV integrators more accountable for the systems they deploy.

“I think that people are recognizing that if you have an unmanaged signage network, that’s not a strategy,” Chalk said. “Everything is now networked and connected, and people want someone that’s going to manage the entire fleet as well as everything else on their network.”

AI for Everything

Initially, organizations began experimenting with AI for digital signage content creation. According to Mendonca, companies these days have expanded their application of AI for automation, governance, and localization, as well as for the delivery of more personalized messaging. “Beyond content creation, AI is transforming how signage networks are operated and evolved, enabling intelligent workflows, policy-driven governance, and continuous optimization with far less manual effort,” he said.

AI is also augmenting interactive displays with the adoption of kiosks that support conversational AI and virtual assistants, as well as smart wayfinding featuring real-time navigation and multi-language support. This, combined with AI-powered analytics, enables companies to be more strategic in communicating with their target audiences.

“These capabilities allow digital signage to adapt dynamically to users, locations, and context, delivering more meaningful and inclusive experiences,” Mendonca said. “Organizations gain the ability to make data-informed decisions, communicate more intelligently, operate more efficiently, and continuously improve employee and customer experiences across the digital workplace.”

Still, according to Ward, AI has made digital communication more difficult to believe. “It’s becoming harder to tell what’s real, what’s generated, and what’s trustworthy,” she said.

Ward argued that organizations can position their digital signage messaging as more meaningful than the noise their audience receives from other outlets. “In corporate and education environments especially, signage networks have become trusted, curated channels, and a reliable source of information employees and students know they can count on,” she noted.

Keeping It Secure

Because a growing number of digital signage systems are cloud-based and deployed across multiple locations, they are exposed to the same risks as any other technology that sits on a network. While Mendonca acknowledged that today’s CMS platforms incorporate security protocols and standards such as encryption, ISO 27001, role-based access control, single sign-on (SSO), SOC 2 Type II, and zero trust architectures, this isn’t enough to keep systems safe.

“Integrators are no longer just deploying hardware—they serve as a critical bridge between AV, IT, and information security,” Mendonca said. “They must help organizations design, implement, and govern a secure digital signage architecture that aligns with corporate security policies, network segmentation strategies, identity management, device hardening, and long-term operational compliance.”

Jason Cremins, chief product officer at Navori Labs, advises AV integrators to consider these security best practices for their deployments:

• Adopt strict authentication and access control protocols.

• Apply HTTPS/TLS encryption for API calls, data transfers, and remote management.

• Don’t deploy any external APIs, apps, or widgets before vetting them for security compliance.

• Implement a rigorous schedule for firmware and software updates.

• Pay attention to the physical security of hardware, and avoid tampering by locking enclosures and protecting cables, especially in high-traffic areas.

• Segment the digital signage infrastructure from the main business network to reduce exposure to attacks.

• Set up centralized logs and real-time monitoring for threat detection.

“By prioritizing security at every stage of integration, AV integrators can deliver digital signage solutions that are effective and resilient against evolving threats, strengthening reliability, compliance, and customer trust,” Cremins said.

Best Practices

For a digital signage deployment to be successful, it’s necessary to start thinking of the future in the earliest planning stages of a project. When systems are designed for scale up front, the need for expensive reconfigurations down the road is significantly reduced. “Systems almost always grow to include more screens, more locations, more users, and more content,” Ward advised.

It’s also necessary for AV integrators to consider their relationship with the customer beyond deployment, Chalk emphasized. “They want somebody that’s going to be able to manage this all the way through and not just on day one,” she said. “We’re going to see a big shift in 2026 where it’s not going to be a single install anymore. Services are what’s going to matter, [and] that’s what people are going to start basing their decisions off of.”

The AV Sales Index (AVI-S) for December was 56.5, slightly down from 57.2 in November. Specific industries like education and live events are experiencing an expected seasonal slowdown. That said, 2025's AVI-S is 3.4 points higher than 2024.

Throughout the year, the Pro AV industry has contended with challenges such as supply chain disruptions and increased tariffs, which have influenced purchasing decisions and project timelines. Additionally, global economic uncertainties and fluctuating consumer confidence have created a complex business environment. Nevertheless, the industry's focus on innovation and adaptation, such as integrating AI-driven technologies and supporting hybrid work environments, continues to drive demand and sustain growth.

“December is a quieter time for us; we specialize in supporting the live events and themed attractions markets," shared an AV provider in North America. "Both are usually busy with holiday preparations and not looking to do major upgrades, just maintaining their current offerings. We tend to get busier first quarter as seasonal attractions are closed and more available for upgrades and ongoing maintenance.”

The AV Employment Index (AVI-E) decreased by 1.4 points to 55.4, which remains above the 2024 index of 51.6, indicating a stronger employment market compared to the previous year. The U.S. unemployment rate remained stable in December at 4.6%, consistent with November levels, suggesting a balanced job market. This stability reflects ongoing demand for skilled AV professionals, although broader economic factors like inflation and geopolitical tensions continue to influence hiring trends.

The Pro-AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity.

Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn more about the methodology. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

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In Tech We Trust

Pro AV continues to power the journey toward meeting equity. Since the pandemic, work dynamics have gone through significant questions. But all meeting spaces are not created equal, and training employees to use videoconferencing technology is more important than ever.

At Issue

What are the biggest concerns for BYOD capabilities in today’s conference rooms? Thought leaders from Absen, Atlona, Barco, Sennheiser Sharp, and Shure share their insights.

Download the Integration Guide to UCC.

Read the January issue of Systems Contractor News.

In November, Almo Pro AV announced the formation of its Hospitality Leadership Team. The division is led by the newly appointed VP of hospitality, Almo Pro AV (and SCN The Nine 2023 alum) Karen Castaño. Under her direction, the hospitality division is focused on expanding Almo’s market presence in the growing vertical.

[Almo Pro AV's Parent Company Rebrands as Nexora]

Per Castaño, the timing is right for a dedicated hospitality team because the entire sector is experiencing a rapid technology transformation, perhaps faster than any other in recent memory. "AV, IT, AI, and cloud solutions are converging, and integrators need a partner who truly understands all the unique demands of this vertical," she said, adding that they have seen a dramatic shift in guest expectations where personalization, automation, and seamless connectivity aren’t differentiators but expected norms.

"At the same time, hotels are investing more heavily in technology to navigate ongoing labor challenges and to stay competitive," Castaño added. "This requires a partner who can offer deeper insight into property-level workflows, procurement patterns, and brand-specific requirements. That’s exactly why we’ve built a verticalized team devoted to hospitality."

In her new role, Castaño guides the overall sales strategy for the hospitality division while also empowering the team. Working alongside Ashley Parrent, director of sales, and Greg Kokorda, director of furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E), she is focused on aligning Almo Pro AV's vision, strengthening the internal and external partnerships, and being strategic about where the company grows next.

"As someone who loves to travel, I know firsthand how meaningful it is when a space, a service, or a moment makes you feel cared for, and I’m energized by the opportunity to help create that through the technology our industry delivers," she said. "I’ve spent almost nine years in the AV industry, and what keeps me inspired is the constant opportunity to learn, adapt, and build solutions that genuinely improve how people experience the world around them. Focusing on hospitality feels like a natural next step. It’s a vertical where my passion for service, my commitment to partnership, and my belief in the impact of thoughtful experiences all come together."

So, as the vertical continues to evolve and expand, where can integrators capitalize? Castaño sat down with SCN and offered four opportunities for the coming year.

4 Opportunities in 2026 for Pro AV Integrators in Hospitality

1. Smart Rooms & IoT-Enabled Guest Rooms: Hotels are accelerating their investment in smart-room features (IoT sensors for lighting, HVAC, occupancy, energy optimization). Integrators can deliver unified control platforms that bring together lighting, AV, window treatments, climate systems, and guest entertainment through a centralized control platform or mobile app. Retrofit demand is also rising, as many properties move to replace aging analog infrastructure with modern, networked systems.
2. AI-Driven and Personalized Guest Experiences: AI is rapidly reshaping hospitality through personalization, predictive maintenance, and operational intelligence. For integrators, opportunities include adaptive lighting, audio, and ambience in public spaces, lobby or digital signage that adjusts content to guest profiles, and even in-room voice assistants tied directly to AV and environmental controls. Hotels are prioritizing immersive, high-impact experiences with dvLED projection and other AV equipment to differentiate their brand. Integrators who position themselves as “experience designers,” not just technical installers, will lead this wave.
3. Cloud-Managed AV and Remote Service Models: Cloud-managed AV is becoming essential for hotels with large footprints and multiple event spaces. Integrators can deliver platforms that allow centralized monitoring, troubleshooting, scheduling, and firmware updates for ballrooms and meeting rooms, lobby and public-area displays, and back-of-house AV systems. This remote-management approach significantly reduces on-site service costs and improves uptime. It also aligns with the push toward unified technology stacks, integrating AV with PMS, CRM, POS, and analytics engines for deeper operational insights.
4. Upsell Technology and New Revenue Streams: Hotels are expanding revenue beyond room booking and into day-use offerings, curated experiences, event packages, and premium guest engagement, for example. AV enables many of these initiatives, including interactive in-room and lobby displays, digital signage that promotes services or upgrades, and branded entertainment experiences. For integrators, this opens the door to designing solutions that directly contribute to the hotel’s overall growth.

The AV Sales Index (AVI-S) was 56.3 in October, slightly down from September. Although not above 60 as in previous periods, this moderate growth suggests consistent market demand with potential for stabilization.

Tariffs, political instability, and inflation are key concerns affecting the AV industry. These factors contribute to uncertainty in business investments and lead to increased equipment and project costs, influencing client decisions and project scopes. Despite current challenges, some companies are strategically investing in talent and technology to prepare for expected market improvements and busy periods, such as end-of-year events and ongoing digital transformation demands.

“Summer is always our slowest season so fall-winter always is busier for us. Themed attractions we work on tend to be closed over the winter months, so this is when we do a lot of our installs,” shared a North American AV provider.

The AV Employment Index (AVI-E) increased to 56.9, indicating a stronger hiring environment. This aligns with the general positive trend in employment, though at a cautious pace given broader market uncertainty. While the Bureau of Labor Statistics has gone dark with the government shutdown (at press time), other reports outside the government data suggest the labor market just plodded along in September-October.

The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity.

Visit www.avixa.org/AVindex to access the free monthly Pro-AV Business Index reports and learn more about the methodology. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

For decades, stadiums operated on a traditional, seasonal model. Their primary purpose was to support live sports, with limited secondary programming and minimal fan-facing technology. Today, this paradigm has changed. Venues such as the Sphere have redefined audience expectations for immersive entertainment, prompting a global shift toward stadiums as year-round, multi-purpose destinations.

Sports fans now expect the same level of quality and immersion found in premium concert venues and broadcast environments, regardless of where they are seated. Stadium operators are responding with large-format LED displays, advanced content ecosystems, and entirely new experiential revenue models. Communities are also benefiting from the transformation of previously dormant venues into vibrant entertainment districts that help drive local economic activity.

After structuring technology and marketing partnerships with more than 50 stadiums throughout my career—and working for brands such as Disney, ESPN, and now Disguise—I believe the trajectory of the market is unmistakable: The future of stadium AV lies in scale, flexibility, monetization, and personalization. The following five trends illustrate how the next evolution of sports venue technology will take shape in 2026.

1) The experience will begin before the entry gate.

The game day journey increasingly starts well before fans find their seats. Lengthy queues and congested concourses diminish perceived value, particularly as ticket prices rise. Therefore, stadium districts are expanding with mixed use amenities that encourage fans to arrive earlier and remain engaged long after the final buzzer.

What comes next is the extension of digital storytelling into the exterior architecture itself. Large-format outdoor LEDs, façade displays, and plaza activations will support elevated pre-game content, sponsor takeovers, and community watch parties. These assets not only improve the fan experience, but they also create new premium inventory for advertising and partnerships.

2) Large-scale visual environments will redefine immersion.

Venue operators are adopting increasingly ambitious visual canvases both inside and outside the bowl. Advances in real-time rendering and content distribution are enabling scoreboards and ribbon boards to scale to unprecedented dimensions while maintaining broadcast-quality resolution.

Stadiums are also integrating alternative display technologies. Projection mapping has matured into a reliable, turnkey method for transforming the field of play into a dynamic storytelling platform. Whether used for player introductions, real-time analytics, or brand activations, these floor-based visual layers contribute to atmosphere while generating new commercial opportunities during downtime.

3) Gamification and AR will deepen engagement and revenue.

Interactive content is rapidly shifting from a novelty to a strategic engagement tool. Integrated controls at seating positions, second-screen participation, and real-time fan competitions ensure spectators remain active contributors rather than passive viewers.

Gamification offers measurable commercial upside. Premium branded experiences tied to gameplay and audience interaction can generate significant incremental revenue while improving dwell time. Augmented reality overlays, contextual statistics, and automated content that reacts to live moments will elevate the entertainment value for every fan, whether they are avid followers of the sport or simply attending for the spectacle.

4) Broadcast-grade reliability will become a core requirement.

The convergence of live entertainment, broadcast workflows, and real-time data is driving heightened expectations for infrastructure reliability. In 2026, venues will continue to deploy scalable media servers, redundant playback paths, and centralized control systems to ensure uninterrupted performance across increasingly complex visual networks.

Operators managing staged modernization programs will leverage technologies such as projection mapping or portable LED assets to extend the life of existing systems. These modular upgrades broaden revenue-generating inventory without requiring full structural retrofits.

5) Personalization will transition from concept to implementation.

A new frontier is emerging where every fan could receive a tailored blend of entertainment, information, and game-specific context. This vision is accelerating through advancements in AI, sensor-driven content automation, and synchronized playback across distributed displays.

While fully individualized in-venue media remains aspirational, stadiums are beginning to deploy dynamic content pipelines that adjust to audience behavior, premium tiering, and real-time moments in the game. The result will be highly differentiated experiences that enhance loyalty and convert occasional attendees into repeat guests.

[NHL Champion Florida Panthers Invest in Immersive Fan Experience at Amerant Bank Arena]

The main takeaway from all this: Stadiums are becoming media platforms. The stadium of 2026 will serve as a high-capacity, data-aware media ecosystem delivering immersive storytelling at scale.

Operators investing in flexible AV infrastructure and future-proof content workflows will unlock substantial incremental revenue across sponsorship, premium hospitality, and non-event programming. The opportunity for innovation is significant, and the transformation is already underway.

Global instability, technology disruption, and a drastic shift in trade practices continue to affect business as we head into 2026. One thing is clear: The uncertainty continues, but so, too, does the demand to keep moving forward regardless of how unpredictable things are. Here’s what is on the minds of AV professionals as the industry ramps up for another year.

Trust Issues and AI

AI has a significant presence in Pro AV, with its integration into PTZ cameras, speakerphones, and transcription and translation tools. For Aaron Xia, CEO and co-founder of Telycam, the next trend to watch is AI's evolution from being an assistant into becoming a more autonomous operator in, say, the production environment, where systems would be able to predict what users need and make changes in real time when needed.

“For example, in multi-camera live streaming, PTZ cameras would be able to communicate with each other and analyze the environment to automatically coordinate camera switching and live directing based on the scene,” Xia illustrated.

That said, Xia recognized rolling out these features isn’t without its challenges. “The main obstacles to breaching this barrier have been a lack of sufficiently diverse real-world data and limited on-device processing power within individual AV products for that level of AI,” he explained. He added that privacy concerns, as well as the need for ultra-low latency, render it difficult to train and deploy advanced AI models capable of operating effectively in live production settings.

Jason Roberts, VP of workplace strategy at FORTÉ, also noted that data collection and integration remain an obstacle to AI’s evolution within Pro AV. “Most AV environments have dozens of disconnected systems—from meeting platforms, room schedulers, control processors, and sensors—all generating valuable insights, but very few of those systems speak the same language,” he observed. “Without that interoperability layer, AI can’t reach its contextual depth or deliver meaningful automation.”

Trust is another issue that AI must address, Roberts added. Many companies won’t go all-in on AI until they are confident that it’s reliable and transparent about what exactly it’s doing with their data. “Organizations are understandably cautious about letting AI make autonomous adjustments in live collaboration spaces, especially in industries with strict privacy or compliance requirements,” he said.

Bill Chamberlin, president of Verrex, believes that one of the next applications for AI in Pro AV is self-repair, which could improve integrators’ efficiency significantly. “I think we’re going to see a lot of growth with proactive break/fix and self-healing,” he said. “Even today, with some of the systems out there, you can write proactive scripts so if it’s not seeing a display or it’s on the wrong port, it’s automatically fixing itself.”

Not only does this capability eliminate the need to roll a truck to resolve these issues, but Chamberlin said it also builds increased trust in the systems AV professionals are deploying.

According to Rob Pickering, director of technology at TRITECH Communications, for clients to truly benefit from AI, AV integrators need to understand how they are already using it and their goals for leveraging it in the future. This requires determining what AI tools organizations have already deployed and examining how Pro AV solutions intersect with these technologies.

“If you think about something like Copilot, how is that client using it?” Pickering asked. “To what level does it come into the conference rooms? What are the features that we need to [provide]?” Integrators should be thinking about their systems in the context of the client’s entire workday, he added.

On an internal level, Pickering would like to see AI technology that can create a set of drawings (a baseline design) that teams can then review, edit, and validate. He also sees the potential for AI to streamline the design process for system upgrades. For this latter application, AI would analyze previous deployments and summarize that data, giving designers quick insight into the customer’s present technology profile.

AI is also being tasked with voice messaging, audio translations, written transcriptions, and even script summaries. "With the latest advancements in AI come dramatically improved options to reach people from a variety of languages and reading or hearing abilities, while maximizing consistency in the quality of announcements and messaging," said Bill Bennett, media solutions architect at ENCO Systems.

For example, AI can create very humanlike synthetic or modeled voices and offer real-time translation in multiple languages. In fact, GenAI can go further, summarizing an emergency weather report, creating a script from the report, and creating a voice recording that can be dispersed. "Now, when it's 3:00 in the morning and the gruff voice of a sleepy security guard is all that's available, AI can create a quality of voice that can be consistent day in, and day out," Bennett said.

While AI is that powerful, it's not quite that easy. "Like any new technology, AI requires some skill in learning how to choose from the multitude of technology options in the marketplace, including how to adapt to the workflows and signal and file formats required in the professional audiovisual industry in ways which are both reliable and efficient," Bennett added. "Designers and integrators need to trust in resources who have been doing this already, to help get them up to speed. ENCO has more than 1,000 broadcast customers using AI tools to create their messaging, many in fully automated settings, which is not dissimilar from messaging and announcing in commercial spaces where quality and consistency are key to repeatable, understandable messaging, regardless of the audience."

Dishing on Displays

Outside of the impact that tariffs may have on display technology, Chamberlin estimated that the Pro AV industry will continue to see price decreases, which will, in turn, render large-format screens more accessible to a wider client base. “It will make it more [feasible] to put large-format displays in more multipurpose spaces, more experience centers, and things along those lines,” he offered. “It’s just going to make it more affordable.”

Pickering also sees an uptick in demand for larger displays. “Spaces are scaling up, meaning newer technologies are allowing larger displays to be rapidly ordered, deployed, and commissioned to where it was just not possible before,” he said.

This is because, in part, several manufacturers are packaging their offerings in a more streamlined fashion, according to Pickering, which simplifies both procurement and installation. “Manufacturers have provided an ordering mechanism [where the display] comes with everything,” he explained. "It’s a single SKU. It’s got the mounts. It’s one line item on a bill of materials.”

For hybrid meeting environments, FORTÉ’s customers are standardizing on 21:9 displays for executive boardrooms, high-end collaboration spaces, and innovation centers, according to Roberts. He said clients like the aspect ratio’s support of immersive layouts (such as Microsoft Teams Front Row), and also appreciate its wider perspective, which creates more meeting equity between on-site and remote participants.

“The added horizontal real estate enables dynamic content zones for people and data that create a more engaging visual balance and reduce cognitive fatigue during long meetings,” Roberts added.

At Planar, chip on board (COB) will continue to be a focus in 2026. Robert Detwiler, senior director of product management, called it a “mainstay” within the company’s LED offerings. He also predicted the arrival of the next generation of MicroLEDs in the coming year.

Additionally, Detwiler pointed out the growing number of facilities that are treating their displays as a design feature. “Displays need to blend into the architecture or be designed to work with architecture, as spaces become more and more highly designed,” he said.

While Planar will continue to invest in LED, the company also acknowledges the continued demand for large-format LCDs, tiled LCDs, as well as smaller-format touchscreens and desktop monitors. “LCD displays are a very good option for space-constrained environments and applications that require the highest resolutions,” Detwiler said. “While the cost of LED continues to be more accessible, the cost of LCD displays continues to remain below LED.” This is why, he explained, Planar remains committed to expanding and improving its LED family of products.

Palmer Digital Group manufactures indoor and outdoor digital kiosks, display enclosures, and menu boards. Chuck Lewis, EVP at the company, believes the incorporation of voice-activated AI into digital kiosks and signage will become increasingly prevalent. He noted that this feature can be especially helpful in quick service restaurant (QSR) applications, as well as retail.

“For example, you can go into a clothing store, approach one of our kiosks, and ask it where you can find women’s jeans,” Lewis illustrated. “It can direct you to the right aisle without you having to wait in line [for a salesperson] to tell you [where you go].”

Trial of the Tariffs

Few would argue that predicting the 2026 tariff landscape is possible. However, one could submit that navigating today’s trade climate requires similar skills to those AV professionals applied during the pandemic, such as adaptability, agility, and communication. But while this industry may have refined these chops just a few years ago, it’s becoming apparent that when it comes to tariffs, everyone pays in one form or another.

Take Aurora Multimedia, for example. It's a U.S.-based AV technology manufacturer, its assembly line is in the United States, and it employs American workers. It is, as CEO/CTO Paul Harris quipped, “living the American Dream.”

If all of this is true, why is Harris quipping about anything right now? "Made in the USA" companies shouldn’t be complaining—aren’t they benefiting from the tariffs? Maybe some are. But if you’re an AV tech manufacturer, you probably need to source a few rather important bits and pieces from overseas to make your complex electronics. That means that you’re paying tariffs.

“If you’re putting tariffs on the raw materials that are only made overseas right now, and you don’t give me an exemption, you are causing me to pay a higher price for those materials,” Harris explained.

For Aurora Multimedia, that’s not a hypothetical concern. The semiconductors essential to its AV over IP product lines are produced exclusively in Taiwan. With no tariff exemptions in place, every shipment carries additional cost.

Another challenge, according to Harris, is blanket ordering—purchasing components in bulk under long-term contracts. While those agreements lock in pricing, new tariffs are applied to any units that haven’t yet shipped, causing unanticipated cost spikes.

“All of a sudden, a product that cost $300 to build might now be $600,” Harris said. “You’re playing an odds game. If you think a trade deal is coming, you might wait a month or two, but in doing so, you risk gaps in your supply chain.”

That wait-and-see strategy can quickly backfire. Delays make parts harder to source, and scarcity drives prices even higher. “Simply put,” Harris said, “it’s a mess.”

Aurora has done its best to minimize the impact all of this has on its customers by absorbing some of these costs. However, despite the desire to avoid passing on these new expenses to its clients, it cannot continue to absorb everything.

“I think everybody is realizing we have no choice,” Harris admitted. “You’ve got to [add] a separate line item that says ‘tariff,’ [and] you’ve got to accept the fact that this is the way it’s going to be.”

At TRITECH, regular communications between project teams and clients help everyone continue to move forward. Pickering explained that the firm includes language in its proposals that alerts clients of the potential need to reassess pricing when and if tariffs change.

For Chamberlin, an attitude of acceptance helps companies better focus on their core purpose. After all, he said, tariffs are just tax. He acknowledged that over-communication with both clients and employees helps to reduce the level of panic that can manifest in the face of uncertainty, as was the case during the pandemic. “Our job as our clients’ partner is to help guide them, and be the voice of calm, and really look at things long term,” he added.

Roberts has observed a transition from what he calls “short-term reaction” into “strategic recalibration.” He argued that in recalibrating, integrators will need to be agile to serve their clients well. In conversations with customers, FORTÉ is highlighting the benefits of scalable solutions that can be adapted when required, while at the same time providing the features that clients need.

“Organizations will increasingly favor partners who can guarantee availability, interoperability, and long-term service continuity, not just deliver hardware,” Roberts said. “Internally, our teams have focused on design flexibility, building solutions that can pivot between platforms, components, or brands without compromising performance or user experience."

For Roberts, being agile and flexible means that system designs shouldn’t be reliant on one manufacturer or even one supply region. “The integrators who succeed in 2026 will be the ones who can flex, offering equivalent solutions, consistent performance, and continuity of service even when sourcing challenges arise,” he added.

Along with the SCN Top 50 Systems Integrators 2025 list, we polled a selection of leading firms on current Pro AV industry trends.

What will be Pro AV’s hottest technology trends in 2026?

Todd Hutchins, AV Principal and CTO, USIS AV

AV as part of intelligent buildings. New construction is increasing across the country, especially in our New York metro area. This creates a larger opportunity to integrate AV into building management systems (BMS), facilitated by future-ready infrastructure. For property developers and owners, this translates into centralized monitoring for things like shared conference rooms and amenity spaces, with AV as part of that same dashboard as lighting, HVAC, and security.

Jeremy Elsesser, President and CEO, Level 3 Audiovisual

AI, networked AV, and software-defined AV are driving the biggest changes we have seen in years. These technologies are no longer emerging; they are here and reshaping how we design, deploy, and support systems. AI is improving automation and user experience. Networked AV gives us flexibility and scale. Software-defined AV is changing how we think about hardware altogether. The industry is shifting fast and the teams that lean into this evolution are going to lead it.

Ben Seiber, VP of Innovation, PTG

We believe the hottest trends in Pro AV will center around the integration of multiple technologies to create smarter, more connected, and more predictive environments. The industry is moving beyond standalone solutions toward ecosystems that seamlessly combine hardware, software, data, and AI to enhance both operational performance and the customer experience. Advanced monitoring and analytics will play a larger role, giving organizations real-time insight into the consumer experience, including dwell time, wait time, and engagement patterns. Sensors and AI-driven predictability will also gain significant traction. From anticipating system failures before they happen to dynamically adjusting content or audio based on environmental conditions, these technologies will shift AV from being reactive to truly proactive.

Musfik Dogancay, Executive Director, JKL Technologies

AI powered cameras, auto-framing speakers, and audio systems that are auto-adjusting DSPs to changing room acoustics are changing the user experience in conferencing spaces. In many products, the intelligence is driven simply by more capable algorithms and not true AI. Nevertheless, these breakthroughs have changed the expectations around the user experience in every single technology space. It has raised the bar significantly for what our industry needs to keep delivering.

Matt Thorne, EVP, ECC

We believe that hybrid work models will continue to drive enhanced meeting and training room spaces. A combination of AI-powered virtual meeting rooms spaces along with augmented and virtual reality technologies will push the limits of a physical meeting room. Also, migrating dual displays into a single 21:9 display will create a better experience for the end user while also minimizing design challenges for the AV designer.

Kris Begnaud, VP Sales, Data Projections

dvLED will continue to grow as prices come down and technology improves. More AV systems will be designed as network-native, cloud-ready, manageable over IP, less tied to legacy cabling or proprietary hardware.

Travis Askew, COO, Solutionz

Pro AV is shifting fast toward connected, intelligent systems powered by AI and smart automation. Cloud tools have changed what clients value most. They expect meeting spaces that do more but feel easier to use. Technology managers want systems that can see problems coming and fix them before anyone notices. The industry has moved past hardware specs. It is about connected intelligence and how well everything works together.

Keith Neubert, CEO, WPS

More than just a buzzword at this point, AI-integrated systems will continue to expand throughout the AV landscape, not just with conferencing systems like intelligent framing and isolation, but also in performance audio, broadcasting, control, and video. We expect that manufacturers will continue investing heavily in adaptive, self-learning technology that can adjust certain parameters based on sensor input from the system's overall environment.

Jon Fine, VP of Solution Architecture, Vision Technologies

In 2026, AI-powered meeting rooms and cloud-based AV management will take center stage. Smarter spaces will automatically adjust lighting, audio, and cameras for each meeting, making collaboration effortless and consistent across locations. Cloud management will let teams monitor, update, and troubleshoot AV systems remotely, reducing downtime and support costs. Together, these technologies will create more flexible, reliable, and user-friendly environments that fit the hybrid work model. The focus is shifting from complex, hardware-heavy installs to intelligent, software-driven systems that learn, adapt, and keep every meeting space ready at a moment’s notice.

Mike Cavanagh, President, Key Code Media

2026 will be the year AI-enabled workflows, hybrid event infrastructure, and IP-based, AV over network systems go fully mainstream. Clients are demanding smarter automation, predictive monitoring, and data-driven analytics across their AV and production environments. Technologies like NDI 6, Dante AV, IPMX, and SMPTE ST 2110 are now mature enough to deliver true interoperability between broadcast and AV workflows. We are also seeing rapid growth in cloud production and remote collaboration tools, no longer as temporary pandemic-era solutions but as permanent, integrated parts of facility designs. These technologies are enabling centralized management and more efficient use of AV resources, which is especially valuable as organizations look to reduce operational overhead.

It’s not just a hamburger, it’s an experience. At least at White Castle’s new headquarters in Columbus, OH.

Its lobby features a multi-screen "Storywall" that operates in three interactive modes: History (exploring White Castle’s rich brand history), Craver Hall of Fame (to celebrate loyal fans of this iconic fast food brand), and White Castle Shares (detailing the company’s community and charitable efforts.) The White Castle HQ also features a projection-mapped carved wooden throne that guests can sit on for free photos, as well as a Founder’s Desk rotary phone that, when picked up, plays audio recordings from founder E.W. “Billy” Ingram.

Installed by Bluewater Technologies Group (Bluewater Tech), White Castle HQ is an example of the growing trend toward experiential content. Other such interactive AV installations can be found everywhere from Times Square to corporate offices to entertainment venues—basically anywhere people gather and can be reached by entertaining, engaging multimedia content.

The Key Word

Experiential content is defined by the root word "experience." The goal of this content is to create moments within environments in which people can participate. Experiential content goes beyond looking at a screen to actively interacting with it, downloading or sharing content, or connecting with other people in the same or other locations.

“Experiential content is a growing trend in the AV industry,” said David Wilkins, founder and CEO of Zenapptic.AI. “Everybody wants an experience now. It's not just enough to look at something on a screen. They need to feel connected to that or connected to other people in the environment.”

One target audience for experiential content is employees, who often see messaging at work every day. “It is both an extension of your brand and of your company,” said Scott Schoenberger, managing partner at Bluewater Tech. “As such, experiential content transforms the office into a platform for entertainment and sales enablement. It allows you to design spaces that encourage people to want to show up rather than being forced to show up.”

Defining Opportunities

Investing in experiential content and its supporting hardware is justified whenever a client’s AV goal shifts from passive viewing to making a direct connection with the people in front of the screens. “When it comes to what we’re trying to achieve at Zenapptic.AI, the most important word is engagement,” Wilkins told SCN. “It's not just about the dwell time, it’s about connecting with people in a real and meaningful way.”

Other factors affecting investment are the level of interaction and the client’s ultimate goal. If the desired outcome is for viewers to interact actively with the content—to connect to it, download it, share it, or connect with others in the space—experiential content is the right choice. But for the investment in experiential content to pay off, the content itself must align with the client’s ultimate goal for the space, whether that's to grab viewers’ attention, deliver an emotional story, or offer a direct reflection of the client’s core values.

This is why the first part of Bluewater Tech’s work with its experiential content clients is what Schoenberger called the "alignment phase." Typically, they ask questions to find out what the client is ultimately trying to achieve.

“Sometimes it's as simple as, ‘We just want this to be really cool art’. Other times it's about the storytelling, perhaps a little bit of ‘Here's what we're inspired by,’ the emotions they want to evoke in the viewer, and the message that they want to get across," he explained. “It's all case by case: When it comes to experiential content, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach that works.”

Budget obviously drives a lot of the creative decisions. "If we're limited by budget or by space, it might be a series of monitors in some kind of artistic format that will ultimately drive what the content becomes and how we play it back," Schoenberger offered. "If there's more space and more budget we can be more creative by using LED panels in various shapes and locations, which gives us more room and options to work with.”

Practical Considerations

Given how varied experiential content installations can be in scale and complexity, summing up system requirements can only be done in a generalized sense. What can be said is that a typical experiential content installation is platform-centric, with the Experience Management System (EMS) software acting as the hub connecting all physical elements.

This includes all display screens, data/video/audio servers, amplifiers, routers, surround sound audio systems, loudspeakers, and lighting. Depending on the budget and project needs, the video can be shown using standard monitors in artistic mosaic layouts, LED displays for custom, scalable shapes, and/or projection in controlled-light environments.

Not surprisingly, AI is playing an ever-larger role in experiential content installations. At the front end, AI can be used to create graphics and video content as needed. At the back end, AI can effectively manage the interactive experience by using live input from viewers to shape the playout choices—and, through interactive feedback, tweak it over time in response to detected viewer preferences.

“Using AI, we can orchestrate things across all kinds of different screens, spaces, and locations and do really, really interesting things,” said Wilkins. “Take hospitality: If you're using your big ballroom for a wedding one weekend, you can type in some prompts and upload some images, allowing the entire space to come to life with content related to that wedding. The next day, when you're doing a corporate event, you can upload your PowerPoints, photos, and videos, and the whole space completely transforms.”

Doing Experiential Content Right

The time-worn adage, "garbage in, garbage out,” applies to experiential content as much as it applies to inventory data management. If you want to create experiential content that wows viewers while satisfying clients, you’ve got to plan, create, and play it out properly.

The first step is understanding the client’s goal. This requires the alignment phase that Wilkins outlined. Ask questions to the client, lots of them. Then, define what the space is all about and what kind of engagement you are trying to build before deciding on the specific hardware or technical approach. Next, choose the right equipment and video resolution for the job.

"I'm a big fan of Pixel Perfect content," said Schoenberger. “I realize that budgets can be tight and that we want to reuse existing video content whenever we can. But I think my biggest piece of advice is to always be aware of the pixel map and your resolutions that you're working with. Content that’s been stripped from YouTube can look blurry and skewed on a large display. And after all, it's not difficult to take existing assets and bring them up to the right resolution and size, so that they look good in your experiential content."

The last step in creating great experiential content is “to make sure you're having fun with it,” he concluded. “This includes your display shape and layout. A lot of people stick to rectangles because it’s easy, but that's not always fun, playful, or exciting. Be willing to push yourself out of your comfort zone and try new things!”

After years of speculation, the initial fear surrounding artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has largely subsided. Today, Pro AV professionals are actively exploring how to harness AI to streamline production and distribution. Yet, with so many options in GenAI, the process isn’t simple—and despite heavy promotion, the technology remains in its early stages for the video production industry.

Commonly used to create text, images, music, and video from existing data patterns, GenAI clearly holds promise. Still, experts acknowledge that AI is currently in the “hype” phase.

At the recent AV/IT Summit in New York City (presented by SCN and AV Technology), a panel of experts concluded that while AI is sparking excitement, many professionals are still figuring out which tools to use and how to apply them. This uncertainty has already led to the creation of new AI specialist roles within Pro AV companies to help guide adoption.

One panel participant, Bill Bennett, product design and solutions manager at ENCO Systems, leans toward optimism for the future. His company specializes in real-time, AI-powered translation and transcription. At the event, ENCO demonstrated its enCaption Sierra product, a live system that runs entirely on-premise, avoiding cloud costs and connectivity issues, while instantly displaying captions during the summit.

According to Bennett, customers increasingly want automated, on-prem systems but also demand instant multilingual translations for global audiences. Instead of human captioners, AI can now deliver faster, more accurate transcripts, and many clients have already integrated such solutions.

Regardless of whether you believe the hype, AI is poised to transform Pro AV by automating tasks that were once manual and inconsistent. Real-time transcription, multilingual translation, intelligent camera tracking, audio enhancement, and predictive analytics are just a few areas where AI is making an impact.

Across the industry, experimentation is accelerating. There’s a growing sense across the industry that those who fail to adopt AI risk losing their competitive edge.

Expert Perspectives

AI-Media’s latest solution, LEXI Voice, translates live speech into multiple languages and delivers natural-sounding voice output in real time—expanding accessibility and audience reach. Powered by speech recognition, translation, and voice synthesis models, LEXI Voice enables attendees at live events or viewers of live streams to hear content in their own language, instantly and cost-effectively.

Russ Newton of AI-Media emphasized that while many companies are embracing AI, true impact comes from integrating it at the core of workflows. “Some are simply layering AI tools on top of legacy workflows, missing the opportunity to truly reimagine processes for speed, scalability, and cost efficiency,” he explained. “The best approach is to integrate AI at the core of your workflow, especially for repetitive, accuracy-critical functions such as captioning, translation, and voice synthesis. This is where AI delivers the greatest impact and return on investment."

Systems integrator CTI is also adopting AI for efficiency and transformation. Dave Hatz, VP of machine intelligence, explained that the company uses AI not only for design automation and invoice accuracy but also for employee support via chatbots. For him, success depends less on the technology itself and more on aligning AI projects with business value, working closely with stakeholders, and deploying securely.

“From the leadership level down, we are adopting AI for both incremental efficiency gains as well as exploring transformational changes to how our teams work,” Hatz said. "I lead our DevOps team, and while we started with the 'let's try ChatGPT and Copilot' phase like everyone else, we've moved well past that. We have dedicated AI developers and a structured approach that takes projects from idea through R&D, pilot, and into production quickly and effectively. From there, we quickly learn, refine, and expand the solutions with a focus on delivering true business impact.”

Today, CTI is actively using AI in its daily operations to spec and manage system integration projects. “Our design consultants and engineers use AI-generated scope of work documents integrated directly into our D365 CRM system,” Hatz said. The company is also piloting an AI system that helps their finance team catch errors on invoices before sending them to customers, errors that would otherwise delay payment from the customers.

“The key insight we've learned is that the AI technology isn't the hard part," Hatz offered. "Success depends much more on ensuring you are aligned to delivering true business value, developing solutions with business stakeholders and not just for them, and deploying in a secure and scalable manner."

AI-Assisted Auto Tracking

Meanwhile, Sony is embedding AI into robotic PTZ cameras and professional displays. Features like auto-tracking, intelligent framing, brightness adjustment, and predictive maintenance improve efficiency and personalization. Sony’s latest firmware updates for its 4K/HD PTZ cameras expand intelligent automation even further, with tools like subject framing, fixed angles, and natural composition adjustments.

“AI is being integrated across a range of AV products to enhance performance and user experience,” said Karim Springer, lead sales support engineer, professional display solutions, Sony Electronics. “In PTZ cameras, it's powering automated shooting with advanced auto focus, auto tracking, and auto framing for seamless, efficient operation. In professional displays, AI enables content personalization, environmental adjustments like ambient light adaptation, and predictive maintenance, among other smart capabilities.”

Last year, Sony showed how its deep learning technology enables precise subject tracking, maintaining consistent framing even when faces are partially obscured. This year, it unveiled the version 3.0 firmware update for its SRG-A40 and SRG-A12 PTZ cameras. Features include “Tracking Range,” which provides auto-framing of a defined area to avoid unintended subjects, “Fixed Angle Position” for pausing and holding a predefined view for consistent framing, and “Lead Room Effect,” which adjusts composition naturally to provide space in the direction of the subject’s gaze.

Looking Ahead

Despite progress, challenges remain. Ethical concerns about bias and job displacement persist, while accuracy and reliability are critical in broadcast and Pro AV work. Costs of implementation and the constant influx of new platforms also pose hurdles. Plus, the real challenge might be the need for employees with specific knowledge of the various AI platforms (with new ones appearing virtually every week) and what they can do.

That said, experts agree that AI will soon play a larger role in live production. From automated camera switching and captioning to audience sentiment analysis and real-time translation, AI promises to make events more global, inclusive, and cost effective. Some predict AI will handle much of the technical execution, freeing human teams to focus on creative storytelling and audience engagement.

Newton expects live event production to be AI-orchestrated, with speech, video, text, and metadata flowing seamlessly across platforms and devices in real time. “Expect AI to take on more live functions, from camera automation and audience sentiment analysis to adaptive captioning and localized voice translation," he said. "At AI-Media, we see this as an opportunity to not only reduce costs and improve workflows, but to transform live events into truly global, inclusive experiences accessible to all."

“I think we're heading toward a fundamental shift in what's possible creatively in live event video production,” said Hatz. “The pattern I see across AI implementation is that it handles the technical execution, freeing humans to focus on the creative vision and storytelling."

Producing high-quality live events today requires teams of specialists, such as camera operators, TDs, graphic designers, and audio engineers. While that expertise will always be valuable, Hatz believes AI is going to democratize access to professional-level production capabilities.

“Imagine a live event where AI handles real-time camera switching based on the content and energy of the presentation, automatically generates graphics and lower-thirds, optimizes audio levels, and even creates social media clips in real-time,” he offered. “The humans can focus entirely on the creative storytelling—what shots tell the story best, what moments deserve emphasis, how to craft the overall narrative experience. The future isn't fewer creative people involved in live events, it's creative people being able to focus entirely on creativity rather than being limited by technical execution constraints.”

AI is making inroads into many corners of live event and film production, but how are pros using it—and do they trust it to get the job done? A variety of such scenarios and options were discussed Tuesday at the “AI in the Production Process” panel, where speakers shared what tools they’ve been using, approaches they’ve taken, and some precautions that are needed when using AI for planning, execution, and post-production.

[All the InfoComm News, Products, and Insights for 2025]

Leading the panel was Rachael Harris, production manager for Harris Production Services, joined by Chris Crichlow, founder & managing director at CFLEX; Greg Casparian, director of Creative Technology at Total Concept Integration; and Janell Smith, CEO and founder of IDTVFLIX.

Smith led the discussion on planning, sharing how she used AI at different stages of developing and planning production of a sci-fi property, Hive Mind. Some of the tools she brought to bear on the project included using ScriptaAI for script breakdowns; Cinelytic to simulate shoot schedules and cost scenarios; and Midjourney to render concept art and environmental design, aiding visual development and worldbuilding.

While she used them to accomplish tasks and provide insights, Smith didn’t take the results as written in stone. “I think we're still at the stage where we are [using it for] cross referencing; I'm using it as a tool, but not solely for everything. It's not like the Bible,” she said. “I think we're still in the beginning stages of using it as a tool.”

Discussing project execution, Casparian emphasized the importance of having a clear understanding of the AI tools you’re putting to work, and used a simple metaphor to make his point, holding up a wrench and asking, “Show of hands—who’s used one of these? And who’s used one as a hammer? Every tool has a job, and it can be used for other things, but we need to be very careful about what tools are being used on what particular jobs.”

Following up, he added, “Know your tools and their limitations, because at some point, whatever workflow or program you're using, something is going to break, and you need to know how to take over in that situation. And if you don't have the skills to be able to see where the problems are and troubleshoot them, then you have over-stretched yourself, and you're just asking for problems.”

That led into the topic of being led by AI rather than leading the AI, and Crichlow provided a real-world example, where he and his team created an activation at a creative industry summit in Munich and were asked by the client mid-show to radically change the room’s setup and purpose overnight. On a whim, he entered the parameters into ChatGPT to get a basic visual representation of what the request would look like. “It took my parameters and plotted, creating a whole bunch of stuff outside of the client's original request,” he said. “The client then saw that, saw something shiny, and said, ‘Great, I want that,’ which…we then needed to be able to walk that back. So don't show your clients fun things using AI tools when you're in the middle of trying to execute and be mindful of what it is that you're asking this LLM (large language model) to put together for you.”

As the story underlined, AI will increasingly be used to as a tool for live event production, but that adoption will have to be handled with caution, balancing the tools’ use against the insight and real-world experience provided by human expertise.

If you're looking for a weather-related metaphor, the forecast for the Pro AV industry is partly sunny…with a chance of tariffs.

[All the InfoComm News, Products, and Insights for 2025]

On Tuesday, AVIXA presented its annual Market Insights Lunch, a 90-minute primer on the current state of macroeconomic trends impacting the Pro AV industry. This year's program, "The State of the Pro AV Industry: Convergence Realized!" was presented by Sean Wargo, VP of market insight, and Mike Sullivan-Trainor, senior industry analyst.

The luncheon ran the economic gauntlet while exploring highlights from the organization's Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA) report, which provides data that builds the story of where the industry is heading over the next five years. Basically, AVIXA offered a conservative forecast that predicts a lower overall growth rate, a result of uncertainty from high interest rates, geopolitics, and poor economic performance. "Tariffs are a factor, there's no doubt," Wargo said.

While the pace is slower, the outlook for 2030 is still a $402 billion Pro AV market that is expected to grow annually at about 3.9%, which means it will continue to exceed GDP growth. Developing markets, such as the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific, will lead industry growth, while mature markets, including North America and Europe, will lag.

Wargo expects to see security and surveillance exhibit the highest growth rate, while live events will continue its comeback. Transformational technologies are increasingly being woven into the fabric of the industry, including AVoIP, AI, extended reality, and software and cloud migration.

What's driving the outlook? Wargo said growth engines are shifting. For example, experiences are driving buyers, with plans to improve AV production rooms for broadcast high on the list of upgrades in corporate, retail, and venue market segments.

The labor market remains tight in the Pro AV industry as well, conditions that have remained elevated since 2022. Staffing and skilled labor remain top concerns, followed by product equipment costs and the macroeconomic environment.

Despite headwinds like tariffs and labor costs, Sullivan-Trainor said Pro AV remains optimistic about future opportunities. He said more than 80% of channel partners expect growth each year, and 2025 is no exception. There may be economic challenges, but there are still projects to be done.

The tariff uncertainty continues to remain a top concern within the Pro AV industry. Over the past three months, the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) has consistently shown expansion. March saw the highest growth, with a slight moderation in April. Despite the small dip from March (60.9) to April (59.7), the overall trend remains positive, indicating sustained growth in the sector.

The AV Employment Index (AVI-E) bounced back in April to 55.5 from 53.5. The AVI-S and AVI-E continue to show modest growth of the industry. The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April, exceeding the expected 138,000, but the government revised previous months downward. March’s figure was adjusted to 185,000, while February’s was revised down even more sharply to just 85,000 new positions.

This suggests the labor market hasn’t been quite as robust as initially reported. Unemployment remains at 4.2%. The impact of federal layoffs and tariffs are expected to have broader effects in the coming months.

“We are not doing layoffs. Rather we are choosing to delay replacement hires until the economy picture is clearer,” shared an AV integrator in North America.

[It's Time for InfoComm 2025]

“Clients are withholding commitments due to economic transition and uncertainty. Tariff concerns with price and supply is high,” commented an AV Integrator in APAC.

The Pro AV Business Index report is derived from a monthly survey of the AVIXA Insights Community, a research community of industry members that tracks business trends in commercial AV. The report comprises two diffusion indexes: the AV Sales Index (AVI-S) and the AV Employment Index (AVI-E). In each case, an index above 50 indicates an increase in sales or employment activity. For more information about joining the AVIXA Insights Community, visit www.avixa.org/AVIP.

InfoComm 2025 is coming. Before the Orange County Convention Center welcomes attendees this June 7-13 in Orlando, SCN turned to several InfoComm 2025 exhibitors to talk trends, technology, inspiration, and an exclusive special sneak preview of what they’ll show in their booths.

[Products, Sessions, Insights: InfoComm 2025 on AV Network]

Today Taka Uchida, CEO of Panasonic Projector & Display Americas, ushers in a new era for the company.

SCN: What is your company’s main focus at the show this year?

Taka Uchida: We’re excited to celebrate a new era in Panasonic’s rich legacy of innovation as Panasonic Projector & Display Americas (PPNDA). Our booth will highlight advancements to our core products for live entertainment, museum and education settings.

A new 40,000lm 3-Chip DLP Projector will further enhance our mission to streamline on-site workflows for large-venue entertainment applications. Continuing our collaboration with our partner IGLOO from InfoComm 2024, our PT-RQ7 7,000lm 1-Chip DLP 4K projector will drive an immersive meeting room experience. This activation will showcase the potential for projection technology to transform education and corporate meeting rooms, encouraging more in-person collaboration and engagement.

Additionally, we’ll highlight the expansion of our product portfolio with all-in-one dvLED solutions for indoor applications, control rooms, classrooms, and showrooms. We’ll also focus on new industry partnerships that will expand our end-to-end workflow solutions, giving customers more efficient ways of working. We’re excited to showcase new solutions, conduct interactive demos, and celebrate our partner collaborations.

SCN: What buzzwords do you expect to be the talk of InfoComm 2025?

TU: AI and cloud-based solutions are sure to be a key focus this year, as streamlining workflows remains top of mind for the industry. Automation, such as our cloud-based device management capabilities, and seamless integration will be at the center of this transformation. In the Panasonic booth, we will highlight our growing ecosystem of solutions committed to enhancing the customer experience. This represents a significant shift as we move away from a hardware-centric focus to a more open offering built through collaboration with partners and alliances.

From a visual experience perspective, the power of immersive and the impact of 4K visuals are sure to be top of mind. As organizations look to create engaging immersive experiences, they need those visuals to be high-quality and realistic. That’s where 4K projection technology becomes critical. In the Panasonic booth, we’ll be showcase one of our 4K projectors, the PT-RQ7 Series and how it works with our partner IGLOO to wrap an entire room in exciting visuals. Attendees can feel as if they are taking in the view from the top of a mountain. The high-quality 4K visuals make the entire experience more realistic and immersive.

SCN: How does InfoComm inspire you?

TU: I look forward to the opportunity to connect with industry peers at InfoComm every year. The educational sessions and opportunities to explore the exhibit hall provide a glimpse into the trends and technologies shaping the industry’s future. My favorite part is being able to interact with customers, discuss the challenges they are facing, explore how our solutions can help them achieve their goals, and gather inspiration for future product innovations. This year, with our shift in focus, I am particularly excited to connect with potential partners and build collaborations that will help us amplify the value we bring to customers.

With the AV industry spread across so many markets and geographies, it’s inspiring to see so many great minds come together and share insights that drive the industry forward.

SCN: How important is the convergence of the broadcast and Pro AV markets to product development?

TU: The convergence of the broadcast and Pro AV markets is very important for product development, especially as the broadcast and Pro AV industries transition from physical connections like SDI or HDMI toward IP-based video transmission. Large venues such as studios, live event spaces, and stadiums support seamless integration of multiple devices, like cameras, mixers, and projectors. Aligning with IP-based connections, like ST 2110, is critical to eliminate the need for conversion equipment and simplify the signal chain. We will engage in product development that is conscious of IP standards and strive to achieve compatibility for a streamlined end-to-end workflow, from capturing to delivering content.

The emphasis on delivering high-quality, immersive visuals has become a critical demand across industries, including healthcare, live events, esports and gaming, control rooms, and more. SDVoE technology continues to address these demands while promoting sustainability and efficiency. By delivering uncompressed video and ultra-wide resolutions, SDVoE technology is creating new opportunities in display technology and reshaping Pro AV applications.

[Subscribe to the Exclusive SDVoE Alliance Newsletter]

Uncompressed video is the gold standard in AV technology. It ensures that every frame of video maintains its original fidelity, free from the artifacts and degradation often introduced by compression. On the contrary, compressed video introduces compromises that are unacceptable in high-performance AV applications. The compression method permanently removes data to reduce file size, resulting in degraded image quality that can hinder panoramic and ultra-wide displays. Additionally, off-color gradients, image noise and reduced resolution disrupt the immersive experience, detracting from the overall impact of the display. Unlike compressed video, which reduces file sizes and, in doing so, permanently eliminates some image data, uncompressed video preserves every pixel. The result is a full-resolution image with uncompromised detail and color integrity.

SDVoE’s uncompressed approach eliminates these concerns, providing a consistent and reliable visual experience. For applications where accuracy is essential, such as control rooms, live events, medical imaging and simulation environments, uncompressed video is non-negotiable. With compressed formats and slightly off-color gradients, image noise or lower resolution can significantly negatively impact performance and decision-making. For example, in a control room monitoring critical operations, the difference between true-to-life color accuracy and slight deviations can affect situational awareness and response times.

SDVoE technology delivers uncompressed video over standard Ethernet networks by utilizing a 10 Gbps network infrastructure, enabling expansive, panoramic views. These formats are particularly valuable in scenarios like command centers and entertainment venues, where wide fields of vision are essential. Whether used for a seamless video wall or a panoramic display, SDVoE’s support for ultra-wide formats ensures that viewers experience the full scope of the content without any visual distortion or degradation. The technology’s ability to handle large-scale resolutions without introducing latency ensures that users interact with the content in real time, maintaining the integrity of the experience.

SDVoE’s ability to transmit uncompressed video over standard Ethernet networks eliminates the limitations of solutions designed for 1 Gbps networks. These compressed systems, though cost-effective for specific use cases, are inherently limited in their scope and application. They cannot accommodate the rigorous demands of professional AV environments that require consistent, high-quality output across various applications. By contrast, SDVoE provides a unified platform that addresses the full spectrum of AV requirements, reducing the need for multiple, redundant systems.

From healthcare to live events, esports and control rooms, the demand for immersive and reliable video experiences has never been greater. By leveraging uncompressed video transmission over standard Ethernet networks, SDVoE eliminates the limitations of compressed formats, ensuring pristine image quality, true-to-life color accuracy and seamless real-time interaction. Its ability to support expansive resolutions and panoramic displays without introducing latency enhances visual impact and improves decision-making and performance in critical environments.

According to Flex Index data, of the 13,000 U.S. companies surveyed, two-thirds have settled into a flexible work policy.

A recent article published by MIT Sloan Management Review stated, “In the long run, those leaders who move work forward by building organizations rooted in trust and focused on performance will outperform those wrestling with their own employees.”

I contend that all of this is a moot point when it comes to the necessity of high-performing AV/IT/UC in the workplace. Before 2020, and even more so today, the workforce was distributed between campuses across the globe, traveling, or working from a home office. Even if most workers are in the office, being able to seamlessly collaborate and share content at a higher level in a meeting room or with an outside client is essential.

We reached out to 47 thought leaders from AV/IT/UC manufacturers and asked them to share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create engaging, user-friendly environments. In the box to the right are direct links to 25 of the interviews. Check out all 47 interviews in the AV Technology Manager’s Guide to Workplace Realities 2025. And below is a snapshot of a few.

“In 2025, it will be crucial to be prepared for shifts to the way we work, particularly as more and more organizations push for employees to return to an in-person office schedule,” said Tyler Troutman, strategic market development at Shure. “Unified communications platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom are evolving to offer even more seamless transitions between everyday operations like videoconferencing, chat, and file sharing.”

AV products must be tailored to meet the demands of the dynamic modern workplace environment. Larry DeFazio, regional sales manager east for Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics, said, “Today’s modern workplace has become synonymous with the hybrid model—a blend of remote and in-office work.”

“Meeting rooms must be equipped with AV systems that are effortless to operate for users,” said Perry Sun, product marketing manager at Atlona. “Additionally, systems have to be duplicated across many rooms, necessitating solutions that are cost-effective to acquire and integrate.”

Rather than shifting from one return-to-office (RTO) policy to another, Dan Root, head of global strategic alliances at Barco, said, “A more effective strategy is to tailor work arrangements based on organizational, regional, and employee needs. If your back-to-office initiatives are failing, the issue may lie within your company culture, not your employees.

Improved workflow is increasingly important for increasing a company’s staff efficiency. Dan Holland, marketing manager at IHSE USA, said, “Media and entertainment organizations worldwide are now taking advantage of Display Management Systems (DMS) to integrate keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) over IP technology to run their businesses and communicate between staff, customers, and external agencies.”

Ideas flow in both directions. “As modern workers, we have developed the ability to “context switch” and have come to expect this capability from our devices,” said Alan Young, chief product officer and chief information security officer at Mersive. “The future of the workplace, where many-to-any collaboration allows inspiration to happen at the speed of now.”

Steve Wingo, manager of technical applications engineering at Sennheiser, added, “Hybrid and remote work are here to stay for many industries. With that comes ensuring that meetings are being held effectively from all corners of the world and that whoever is online has a unified experience.”

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Amit Ancikovsky, President, Americas at Kramer

As the AV landscape continues to evolve, one thing has become clear: The demand for seamless, end-to-end AV solutions is growing stronger. Today’s organizations want systems that not only work together out of the box but also offer long-term support across the entire lifecycle of the product. In response, Kramer is evolving to provide exactly that: a holistic approach that ensures everything from the hardware to the software, and even the service, is aligned to support the customer’s vision.

There’s a clear shift toward unified solutions—systems that can be easily managed, scalable, and flexible. Technologies like Panta Rhei, with its session management and cross-platform capabilities, are becoming essential as businesses seek greater interoperability between platforms like Zoom, Teams, and Webex. Even as we embrace this shift, we know that many organizations are working with a mix of legacy systems and newer technologies. That’s why we’ve designed our solutions to seamlessly integrate with existing infrastructure, ensuring businesses don’t have to start over when adopting new technologies.

Another key development is the growing adoption of AV over IP, especially as businesses look for more scalable, networked solutions. Our recent acquisition of ZeeVee strengthens our position in this space, bringing high-performance, AV-over-IP solutions that meet the demands of industries like hospitality, entertainment, and command and control, where high-bandwidth video and security are a priority.

On top of this, our acquisition of Ashton Bentley further underscores our commitment to offering complete solutions. With their modular furniture and AV integration capabilities, we can now provide businesses with a way to quickly and efficiently deploy technology in the workplace, whether it’s a small huddle space or a large enterprise environment.

These trends underscore the growing need for systems that are not only advanced, but also practical and adaptable. At Kramer, we’re proud to be positioned at the forefront of this transformation.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Josh Blalock, Chief Video Evangelist at Jabra

As the new year progresses, the integration of AI in the workplace remains a key focus for companies aiming to simplify and streamline their hybrid employees' daily tasks. 2025 will be the year that AI goes beyond a buzzword. AI has the potential to become a ubiquitous resource across various work functions, from automating repetitive tasks to organizing data, enhancing decision-making, and optimizing meetings. This year, we will see AI use cases take shape and become standard throughout the workplace.

Despite ongoing return-to-office (RTO) trends expected to continue this year, physical meeting spaces must still be designed to accommodate diverse working styles and have technology that facilitates both in-person and remote participant collaboration. Small rooms, phone booths, and huddle spaces have long been a foundation of in-office meetings. Yet, less than 3 percent of huddle rooms around the globe are video-enabled, leaving millions of small meeting spaces underutilized and underserved. In 2025, these spaces will need to be reimagined with new technologies, including generative AI solutions and high-quality audio and video, that facilitate hybrid collaboration.

Creating a successful work environment goes beyond the physical appearance of an office; it is cemented by the efficiency of the teams. In 2025, productive multitasking will reach new heights with AI, automatically capturing and summarizing key meeting points, handling scheduling, managing attendance, and tracking action items in real time, with greater accuracy. With the automation of these routine tasks, employees will have more time to collaborate effectively, ultimately fostering better communication across hybrid teams.

Strategic, adaptable workspaces are essential for ensuring effective communication between in-office and remote workers. The continued integration of AI into our daily work lives promises to bring even more comfort with the technology, and, with the right approach, it can be a powerful tool for driving more productive work in 2025.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Mark Corbin, President at Vanco International

When it comes to workplace applications in 2025, AV integrators and technology managers have a fine needle to thread. Economic growth is still behind pre-pandemic levels, and it’s slowing down globally. Technology managers will be under a lot of pressure to spend wisely, with every purchase passing beneath a magnifying glass—but at the same time, they will need to make upgrades. The first month of 2025 saw a rash of high-profile return-to-office mandates, spanning industries from tech to the federal government. However, office occupancy rates are still significantly below pre-pandemic levels. In 2025, workplaces will be packing more people into less space, and they will need a solid technology foundation to be successful.

From a practical standpoint, this means making the modern office as useful and flexible as possible. I anticipate we’ll see a spike in space conversions, adding huddle spaces and BYOD capabilities to every nook and cranny of the workplace floor plan. Technology managers would be well-advised to develop standard kit lists for rapid room upgrades. We’ve worked hard to simplify this process for our customers by offering an extensive range of affordable products: everything from UCC video bars and AVoIP distribution solutions to wall plates and batteries. You can practically spec a whole room from our catalog, even if you need to meet TAA requirements for a federally funded site.

Doing more with less is going to be a theme for enterprise technology managers in 2025. Still, that should never mean sacrificing quality, reliability, or interoperability.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Prakash Arunkundrum, Chief Operating Officer and General Manager at Logitech for Business

The first workplace prediction for the coming year is that smart office tools will be non-negotiable keys to employee experience. Many factors make up the employee experience, including culture, leadership, recognition, career development, and wellness. Regardless of hybrid work or return to office, in 2025, employees’ experiences with their digital environment will be marked by smart office tools for desk and room booking. For example, Logitech’s workplace automation solutions offer real-time availability of meeting rooms, interactive maps, and building sensors to adjust the environment. In 2025, companies will use sophisticated data analytics to design and refine their hybrid work policies. Metrics like real-time desk and meeting room usage will be used to determine where financial and tech investments should be made for personalized and flexible work arrangements and real estate planning. Logitech Spot, for instance, provides space usage data for improved planning by organizations, as well as environmental metrics that impact employees’ health, cognitive function, and overall in-office experience.

The second prediction for the coming year is that environmental innovation that fundamentally redesigns core ingredients for climate-friendly products will continue to be rewarded. Consistent efforts to make key ingredients climate-friendly—such as redesigning sustainable materials, reducing plastics, and smart software—will become more important. Last year, by applying our Design for Sustainability (DfS) principles, we transitioned Logitech’s video collaboration portfolio to be manufactured with next-life plastics, helping enterprise customers support their sustainability objectives. In addition to Logitech products reflecting post-consumer recycled plastic, some of our solutions, like Logitech Spot, also help companies consider suggested actions to reduce energy costs by monitoring environmental conditions.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Michael Ferrer, Senior Director of Solutions Sales at Sharp

The modern workplace has transcended the traditional office. It is now a fluid environment encompassing smartphones, laptops, cloud content, and both virtual and in-person interactions. Whether working from home, a dedicated office, or remotely, we seamlessly transition between video calls, chat, email, and face-to-face meetings. Leveraging various tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom, email, chat, and even social media, we communicate, share ideas, are more productive, and, ultimately, solve business challenges.

The integration of AI into communication and meeting room technology is accelerating, streamlining tasks such as taking meeting notes, tracking action items, intelligent camera control, and voice recognition, thus creating smarter meeting rooms and more engaging meeting experiences.

Today's workforce spans four generations, from baby boomers to Gen Z, resulting in varying levels of tech proficiency. A common request we receive is to help simplify the meeting room experience. The ease of conducting a video meeting at a personal desk should translate seamlessly to the conference room. Employees who use their laptops for video meetings at their desks should be able to do the same in a conference room with minimal setup.

The rise of USB-C has simplified connectivity, with many laptops relying solely on this port. Sharp's professional displays now include USB-C inputs, built-in USB hubs for cameras and soundbars, and 65W charging capabilities, making conference room plug-and-play setups effortless.

DvLED displays are replacing traditional LCD video walls and projectors, offering large, seamless, and bright displays for immersive presentations. Ultrawide 32:9 aspect ratio dvLED screens are also gaining popularity, providing flexible display layout options—from a single image, side-by-side, or even 21:9 MTR Front Row configurations. This allows presenters to tailor the content and various meeting formats, enhancing engagement and efficiency.

Looking ahead, workplace technology will prioritize simplicity, efficiency, and enhanced collaboration, ensuring hybrid teams can work smarter, not harder.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Travis Kemp, Vice President of Product Management at Korbyt

Employers today are navigating demographic shifts and evolving workforce dynamics that demand new tools and strategies. The rise of hybrid work and return-to-office mandates has accelerated the need for flexible, frictionless solutions that provide a consistent experience, whether employees are in the office, at home, or on the go.

At the same time, workplaces are undergoing a cultural transformation as Gen Z and younger employees make up a growing share of the workforce. As digital natives, they expect workplace technology to be intuitive, seamless, and engaging, just like the tools they use in their personal lives. These expectations are driving innovation in workplace experience platforms, which enable organizations to modernize communication and create dynamic, tech-driven environments that enhance productivity and engagement.

Unsurprisingly, AI will play a pivotal role in shaping workplace experiences in 2025 and beyond. While many early AI-powered solutions were more marketing hype than true innovation, that’s changing. Software vendors are now delivering powerful tools that transform how digital content is created, managed, and experienced, while also optimizing space booking, utilization, and overall workplace organization and workflows.

Finally, experiential signage is also reshaping how people interact with physical spaces, blending high-impact visuals, interactive content, and sensory-driven design to create more engaging environments. At ISE 2025, the Esports Arena exemplified this trend, showcasing immersive displays, dynamic lighting, and spatial audio to elevate audience engagement. Beyond entertainment, these technologies are influencing workplace trends—transforming offices, lobbies, and common areas into more stimulating or calming spaces that enhance both productivity and well-being. These solutions will gain momentum as employers seek innovative ways to create healthier, more productive work environments.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: James Chen, Managing Director at Kordz

USB-C is more than just a connector; it is poised to become one of the backbones of next-generation commercial AV solutions, leveraging innovation and simplifying connectivity. For corporate environments, USB-C offers more than convenience; it presents new opportunities to design cleaner, more efficient workspaces with reduced downtime and maintenance. With support for high-resolution video, reliable audio, robust power delivery, and unified connectivity from a single cable, USB-C meets the growing interoperability demands of modern high-tech workspaces.

Several factors are accelerating its adoption. The recent introduction of USB4 v2 has pushed data transfer rates up to 80Gbps, enabling bandwidth-intensive tasks such as transferring raw video footage and streaming uncompressed 4K or 8K video. Additionally, USB-C's support for Thunderbolt tunneling protocols and compatibility with DisplayLink simplifies multi-display connections, making it ideal for boardrooms, content production studios, and live streaming environments with high-resolution, low-latency video and audio requirements.

At the same time, USB-C’s power capacity has increased to 240W, allowing it to power AV equipment directly. This eliminates the need for separate power supplies and minimizes the need for additional cabling.

The reversible design of the USB-C connector further enhances its viability as a unified connectivity solution. Unlike earlier USB connectors that required precise orientation—often challenging when ports were located in hard-to-reach areas—modern USB-C connectors can be plugged in either direction.

Thanks to the universal nature of the USB-C cable and connector, diverse computing, collaboration, and AV equipment can be quickly and efficiently integrated to achieve seamless interoperability, saving valuable time and frustration; improving reliability; and projecting a cutting-edge, professional image.

As USB-C standardization accelerates, its compatibility with future devices and technologies will continue to enhance its value. By understanding its capabilities and leveraging its advantages, businesses can future-ready their workspaces today, ensuring they stay at the forefront of technological advancements and industry innovation.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Jim Jensen, Senior Category Owner, PTZ and Remote Systems at Panasonic Connect

A recent Forbes article stated that five in ten U.S. employees have remote-capable jobs, and most of these workers "expect and prefer hybrid work.” As hybrid work continues in 2025, companies must adapt to meet the needs of their employees. This includes creating facilities that are collaborative, technologically advanced, easy to use, and multifunctional for a wide variety of use cases.

Investing in collaborative technologies enhances the connectivity and engagement of hybrid teams no matter where they’re working. Panasonic Connect understands that when employees can choose to work from their desired location, engagement, burnout rates, and retention all improve.

Technology deployments in recent years have expanded the possibilities for workplaces to maintain a well-functioning hybrid workplace. ProAV solutions allow organizations to offer collaborative experiences to their employees, whether in-person or remote. Panasonic Connect’s technology suite plays a pivotal role in creating workplace environments that operate efficiently and encourage connection.

For example, the AW-UE160 PTZ camera incorporates advanced technologies that reproduce frame composition with high accuracy and flexibility for a more natural auto-framing result to keep the speaker in focus and seamlessly monitor their movements around a given space. This enables dynamic views of presenters and speakers in corporate scenarios while delivering clear, crisp content to remote employees or businesses, allowing them to feel involved regardless of where they are working. These cameras also mold to fit the needs of each space and can be mounted or placed on a tripod.

We predict that hybrid work will persist in 2025, and that we will see more companies adopting solutions that work together, such as PTZ cameras, audio, and videoconferencing solutions to allow employees to work more collaboratively.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Rob Moodey, Manager of Strategic Partnerships at Matrox Video

Even in an era when so many of our tools and documents are on servers on another site—maybe even another country—there remain many “local clouds” where devices, information, and users share the same LAN. These, too, are modern workplaces. (The Internet of Things does not exclusively occur on the Internet!)

Remote access to desktops—whether workstations or embedded in IoT appliances—can be demanding in terms of image quality, latency, and switching times, particularly when the desktop is high-resolution. Historically, this sort of access used KVM extenders with point-to-point connections, and sometimes switching arrangements, to select between multiple remote sources.

In the modern workplace, this connectivity is increasingly provided using LAN. Modern compression techniques like JPEG XS provide visually lossless compression on UHD60 desktops and encoding latencies of less than 16ms. For context, the threshold for noticing cursor latency—perceived delay in the cursor moving after moving the mouse—is widely recognized as being roughly 50ms.

In some applications where visually lossless is not sufficient, the KVM system ideally needs to support uncompressed video. Even mathematically lossless systems can behave unpredictably if the content differs significantly from the type of content (typically motion video) used to justify the “lossless” claim.

Visually lossless is normally characterized by a percentage (say, 80 percent) of a test audience not noticing a difference. In some applications, it is important that none of the audience notice any difference. In these applications, uncompressed is the usual criteria. An uncompressed 8pbc UHD60 desktop needs more than 12Gbps of sustained bandwidth.

Uncompressed UHD60 can be moved using two parallel 10Gbps links or a single 25Gbps link. This sort of bandwidth will increasingly underpin the modern workplace, delivering this to the edge rather than being performance that is only found in the core network.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Nicole Corbin, Vice President of Product at Utelogy

As organizations shift back toward in-office attendance, they must align space and technology planning with evolving work culture. The coming year will see transformations in how employees engage with their work environment, from redesigned office layouts to AI-driven analytics.

Traditional boardrooms are being reimagined as multifunctional spaces that support independent work within a communal setting. We are also starting to see companies creating home-like environments with comfortable lounge areas, informal meeting spaces, and wellness-oriented design elements.

Technology continues to play a critical role in ensuring efficiency and connectivity across distributed teams. AI-enhanced virtual meetings, smart whiteboards, and advanced room and desk booking solutions drive productive, purpose-driven workspaces. With more technology-equipped spaces to manage, estate managers seek solutions to maximize room uptime and usability. Occupancy, people counting, and temperature sensors automate device and environmental controls to enhance experiences and collect data. AI tools analyze this data to optimize space utilization, saving time, energy, and costs.

The Utelogy Platform continues to evolve, aligning with key workplace trends such as workflow management, automation, and sustainability. With real-time analytics and actionable insights, organizations can understand usage patterns, streamline workflows, and make data-driven decisions.

The platform integrates proactive monitoring, automated power cycling, and real-time energy insights to optimize power consumption in AV/UC environments. Businesses leveraging these tools can reduce energy waste, lower total cost of ownership, and enhance overall efficiency.

Utelogy’s new award-winning “Tech Tool in the Cloud” enables remote AV/UC control, troubleshooting, and remediation, improving IT support efficiency and minimizing downtime for seamless workplace operations.

The workplace continues to evolve, shaped by new cultural norms, innovative space planning, and intelligent technology solutions. Organizations must prioritize adaptability and employee experience to bolster a productive and engaging work environment.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Connor Petit, Associate Product Marketing Manager, Vaddio and Luxul

In the coming year, flexible workspaces are going to be essential. Offices are reducing their square footage, requiring them to maximize the space they have and make it work for a variety of employees—ones that are always in the office, and ones that work from home.

The conference room as we know it is not just for in-person meetings anymore; it needs to serve the demands of hybrid meetings. Remote workers need to be seen from the far end of the room as well as view everyone in the space. Audio considerations are important as well, as both sides must be able to clearly hear each other. Additionally, many workers are utilizing conference rooms to take one-on-one video calls. Spaces that have been used primarily for meetings and sessions with multiple participants in the past have become useful for privacy in a hybrid workforce, so outfitting meeting spaces to work well with video calls is going to be increasingly important.

We've also seen a trend towards workers moving their devices to the network, increasing flexibility for the user. Once the device is online, signals can be sent anywhere, allowing it to be remotely controlled from home. Closed office systems are becoming a thing of the past, and moving your AV infrastructure to the network is more crucial than ever.

Hybrid work is here to stay, and with that remote meetings have increased. Conference rooms and media spaces need to adapt to be flexible to all sorts of needs, and we at Legrand are excited to be part of the transition to modern workplaces.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Effi Goldstein, President at HDBaseT Alliance

It’s clear that everyone is working to provide that universally recognized “best videoconferencing solution,” but in truth, there is no one-size-fits-all product to solve such a highly subjective challenge. User habits and expectations are constantly evolving, and meeting spaces and workflows are transforming rapidly.

AI is now assisting participants, summarizing discussions, and following up on tasks, reshaping how both in-person and remote communication and collaboration is conducted. However, one thing remains unchanged: fulfilling end-user expectations requires a professional system design that can ensure seamless integration of space, equipment, and connectivity infrastructures. Without careful design, even the most advanced tools may not function as intended.

On the connectivity side, as more meeting room peripherals become USB3 enabled, selecting the right signal distribution solutions is critical. The wrong choices can lead to performance downgrades that can diminish the quality of even the best equipment. With dozens of new HDBaseT-USB3-supported products hitting the market, we can expect to see significant improvements in meeting spaces, including enhanced connectivity reliability, and higher-performance plug-and-play collaborative environments.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Joel Mulpeter, Director of Product Marketing at Crestron

As Crestron’s Brad Hintze noted in a recent edition of our magazine, Smarter Spaces, “Following years of chasing a perfected hybrid working model, many organizations are now considering mandatory office attendance. For many, it’s a major change as many employees who have built their recent work lives around remote and semi-remote or hybrid working will eventually be required to attend the office full time in the near term.”

We’d already begun to consider this trend—when an employee is required to split their time between home and headquarters, making the transition as frictionless as possible and keeping the in-person experience as engaging and productive as the remote office become top priorities.

We had written about this in a previous edition of Smarter Spaces: “Designers are rethinking traditional paradigms to create hybrid conference rooms that work for everyone—in person and remote—which means designing for the camera as much as the people in the room. It also means rethinking that rectangle. We have to design so everyone has eye-to-eye contact with remote participants and any displayed content. But we can’t lose what we know about in-room collaboration that works, which includes everyone in the room being able to see one another as well.”

Visual AI programs can go a long way toward ensuring that cameras are always attuned to a speaker or presenter, but thoughtful design, including changing the room orientation and implementing curved or trapezoidal conference tables, can help guarantee the best results. It’s also vital to ensure the right lighting and shading solutions are deployed, and that user interfaces are designed to be as intuitive as possible.

All of this demands that integrators work closely with the team designing the physical office. That’s why it’s so important to involve a technology professional early in the design process and facilitate discussions with end users in order to bring the right technology into the mix.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Joe da Silva, Vice President of Marketing at Extron

As enterprises and educational institutions continue embracing hybrid models, the AV industry is driving seamless collaboration, engagement, and efficiency. Over the past five years, our work environments have evolved significantly—from a swift pivot to remote work to a gradual return where hybrid work is now the norm.

This shift has prompted a reimagining of traditional spaces. Previously, meeting rooms prioritized capacity and basic AV infrastructure such as projectors, displays, and control interfaces. Today, organizations can design targeted, feature-rich spaces tailored to specific job functions. These rooms focus on collaboration, both in-person and across distances, leveraging automation and user-centric AV technology. The result is a human-centered meeting experience, empowering employees—no matter their location—with tools that enhance connection and productivity.

First off, expect continued growth in AV solutions that integrate with multiple platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams, et cetera). Demand for platform-agnostic AV systems will rise, reducing friction for employees navigating diverse collaboration tools.

Secondly, real-time hot-desking, room scheduling, digital signage, and interactive displays are transforming workplaces and campuses. These technologies offer live updates, wayfinding, and emergency alerts—delivering contextual, data-driven content based on space occupancy, interactive campus maps, and more.

And finally, 2025 will see sustainability continue to be a priority that influences purchasing decisions. Enterprises and institutions are seeking energy-efficient AV solutions such as auto-shutdown and enhanced sleep mode features, low-power amplifiers, and e-waste reduction programs. Manufacturers are responding with eco-friendly processes that include sustainability, not only in the products they produce, but also in every step of their design, manufacturing, distribution, and eventual disposal.

Also in 2025, the fusion of culture, technology, and space design will continue reshaping how we work and learn—ushering in a future defined by flexibility, connection, and sustainability.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Sotaro Nishida, Vice President of Business Solutions at Yamaha

As hybrid work becomes the norm, the importance of clear, reliable audio has never been greater. Seamless communication is now an expectation, and any technical hiccups can disrupt productivity and collaboration. To meet these demands, organizations require audio solutions that are easy to manage, integrate seamlessly with existing IT infrastructures, and support advanced technologies like Dante and NDI.

A critical yet often overlooked component of an effective AV setup is the network switch. In conference rooms and large-scale installations, the right switches serve as the backbone of a reliable audio system. They simplify deployment, optimize bandwidth management, and ensure secure power distribution through Power over Ethernet (PoE). By automating these functions, modern switches alleviate the burden on IT teams, allowing them to focus on higher-level tasks rather than troubleshooting connectivity issues.

Beyond network infrastructure, automation is also transforming system design. Automated planning tools enable teams to create professional-grade audio systems without requiring specialized acoustic expertise. By inputting room dimensions and intended use cases, users receive tailored equipment recommendations and a 3D visualization of their setup. This streamlined approach makes AV planning more accessible, reduces setup time, and ensures that systems are designed to meet the specific needs of an organization.

Looking ahead, the future of workplace audio technology is centered around automation and integration. Smarter tools are simplifying installation and management, enabling teams to concentrate on collaboration rather than technical challenges. Cloud-based solutions, automated system planning driven by user data, and remote monitoring capabilities are making workplace AV more intuitive and adaptable. As these technologies continue to evolve, organizations can expect even greater efficiency, flexibility, and audio quality in their hybrid work environments.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Karl Jackson, Senior Manager, Corporate at LG Electronics USA

Modern workplaces continue to evolve, driven by advancements in technology, shifts in employee expectations, and a growing emphasis on flexibility and well-being. Organizations are prioritizing effective hybrid collaboration, intelligent space management, and enhanced workplace experiences—requiring technology that is both adaptable and intuitive.

Hybrid work is no longer just about video calls—it’s about building an interconnected ecosystem. Businesses are embracing solutions that support a range of platforms like Google Meet, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, ensuring smooth collaboration across different workflows. Interactive displays and advanced content-sharing tools are helping teams brainstorm, present, and engage more effectively. As a result, meetings are more dynamic, teamwork is more intuitive, and the outcomes are more impactful.

Remote onboarding and training have become essential in today’s workplace, requiring seamless integration with e-learning platforms to create effective and engaging experiences for new hires. At the same time, companies are placing a greater emphasis on employee well-being, incorporating mental health apps, wellness platforms, and even onsite health clinics to support their teams. Thoughtfully designed digital solutions can also enhance workplace communication—whether through patient engagement tools in healthcare settings or interactive displays to keep employees informed and connected.

Workplace environments are also transforming with high-brightness touch displays that improve wayfinding and bold messaging. Meanwhile, cybersecurity remains a top priority in command and control settings, with hardware solutions including remote power for dvLED displays to ensure reliability and peace of mind.

AI and automation continue to boost efficiency and enhance decision-making. Businesses are also actively reimagining client education spaces to showcase the full potential of their solutions, creating immersive environments that leave a lasting impression. With dynamic displays, curved LED screens, and flexible OLED technology, these spaces are designed to captivate, inform, and inspire.

Through fostering seamless communication and creativity, these innovations are transforming the way workplaces connect and collaborate—whether they're across the hall or across the world.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Jatan Shah, President at QSC

Organizations are increasingly prioritizing intelligent spaces that enhance collaboration, energy efficiency, and overall workplace experience. As companies reassess their real estate strategies, there is a growing emphasis on optimizing underutilized spaces through technology-driven solutions that foster seamless communication and sustainability.

Advancements in technology, including sensors and AI-assisted workflows, are making hybrid work setups increasingly efficient and seamless. These innovations enable spaces to adapt in real time, supporting a blend of in-person and remote collaboration while enhancing productivity and user experience.

Scalable and adaptive technology is becoming essential for cost-effective integration, ensuring workplaces can evolve alongside shifting business needs while maintaining long-term value. The intersection of data, automation, and smart infrastructure is enabling environments that respond dynamically to occupant behavior, improving both operational efficiency and user experience.

The ability to harness data from built environments—ranging from space utilization to energy consumption and user interactions—is unlocking new opportunities for workplace optimization and strategic decision-making. By leveraging these insights, organizations can create environments that support productivity, enhance employee engagement, and drive more sustainable business practices. This evolving landscape underscores the importance of solutions that drive efficiency, engagement, and innovation—shaping the future of work.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Matt Morgan, Regional Sales Manager, Corporate, USA South at Ross Video

The rapid evolution of the corporate workspace is changing the way businesses communicate with each other. As organizations transition to remote and hybrid work models, live video has become an essential medium for teams to maintain connection and for organizations to connect with global audiences—even during unprecedented global events. Still, this also brings new challenges, and companies need to evolve to keep pace.

As companies create an increasing amount of live video content—from internal meetings to product launches and shareholder events—the standards for quality are increasing. Businesses are no longer expected to simply make video content but to release it at a level that differentiates them from their competitors.

This is where getting the right tools and strategies will help. As companies ramp up their AV production, they require solutions capable of meeting increased demand while maintaining quality.

Corporate studios and event spaces should be more than functional; they should be flexible. From casual internal meetings to large-scale global broadcasts, corporate workspaces today are expected to enable a range of use cases and accommodate a spectrum of users, from tech-savvy professionals to those with little AV experience. These spaces must also accommodate remote and in-person audiences.

These needs require the development of flexible, tailored solutions. Whether it’s a podcast, a webcast, or a large live event, the right AV technology and production workflows will help IT and AV teams deliver a smooth audience experience.

As corporations reimagine the way they work—with more flexible hybrid and remote workspaces—technology plays a key role in engaging corporate teams and elevating how companies communicate. Our solutions are scalable and intuitive, allowing businesses to confidently produce high-quality content, regardless of technical skill.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Larry DeFazio, Regional Sales Manager - East, Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics

Today's modern workplace has become synonymous with the hybrid model—a blend of remote and in-office work. Sony stands at the forefront of this evolution, offering a comprehensive suite of professional AV products tailored to meet the demands of this dynamic environment. Our flexible range includes crystal-clear and reliable displays, high-resolution projectors, and PTZ cameras with Auto Framing—all designed to enhance collaboration across various settings. Sony's digital signage and videoconferencing solutions, powered by our advanced System-on-a-Chip architecture, integrate effortlessly with existing AV needs, supporting the seamless transition to hybrid workspaces.

Another element that enables the modern workplace is compatibility. Sony’s products allow for smooth operation within expansive systems, emerging technology, and solution partners that align with what our users demand. Network control and cloud-based management are standard features, simplifying the tasks of AV/IT teams. On top of that, our solutions are designed to work in harmony with popular collaboration platforms, streamlining the implementation process for AV managers.

Additionally, reliable support is a crucial component of a smarter workplace. That’s why the Sony BRAVIA Professional Display advanced replacement warranty minimizes downtime, while our comprehensive training resources empower both end users and AV professionals to fully leverage our technology. Our commitment extends to fostering partnerships with technology solutions, ensuring our products complement a wide array of third-party tools. This collaborative approach guarantees that our offerings meet diverse needs today and tomorrow.

Innovation at any company is driven by valuable customer insights. At Sony, we continuously refine our products and provide firmware updates to address the ever-changing landscape of AV and IT, ensuring our technology not only meets but anticipates the future needs of the modern workplace. Through all these avenues, Sony is dedicated to empowering communication and delivering cutting-edge, user-friendly technology solutions that propel businesses forward in the hybrid world.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Tyler Troutman, Strategic Market Development at Shure

The modern workplace is in constant flux, requiring organizations to adopt an evolving rotation of tools and technologies to address changing workplace needs. In 2025, it will be crucial to be prepared for shifts to the way we work, particularly as more and more organizations push for employees to return to an in-person office schedule. As these changes take shape over the course of the year, Shure is delivering high-quality audio solutions that enable collaboration regardless of physical location.

Unified communications platforms like Microsoft Teams and Zoom are evolving to offer even more seamless transitions between everyday operations like videoconferencing, chat, and file sharing. The use of these conferencing platforms combined with AI productivity tools enables efficient communication, and Shure is driving communication capabilities with solutions that ensure clear and accurate audio capture.

The new IntelliMix Room Kits are an example of a product that offers a comprehensive solution for effortless deployment across small to large meeting rooms. Many of today’s all-in-one solutions do not yet adequately solve the acoustic challenges of our modern meeting rooms. The IntelliMix Room Kits are a complete Microsoft Teams Room system, ensuring the best audio quality for Teams Rooms, plus AI-powered Huddly video cameras to optimize the video experience in meetings. This comprehensive solution is set to transform the modern meeting experience by incorporating audio intelligibility, AI-driven tools, and video capture in an all-in-one solution to meet today’s workplace needs.

Our commitment at Shure is to deliver innovation in audio, and this means continuously investing in development to push the boundaries of what’s possible in communication. Organizations must recognize the need for better collaboration tools and give employees access to conferencing technology that both enables clear communication and drives productivity—ultimately improving the workplace collaboration experience in the new era of work.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Jim Jensen, Senior Category Owner, PTZ and Remote Systems at Panasonic Connect

A recent Forbes article stated that five in ten U.S. employees have remote-capable jobs, and most of these workers "expect and prefer hybrid work.” As hybrid work continues in 2025, companies must adapt to meet the needs of their employees. This includes creating facilities that are collaborative, technologically advanced, easy to use, and multifunctional for a wide variety of use cases.

Investing in collaborative technologies enhances the connectivity and engagement of hybrid teams no matter where they’re working. Panasonic Connect understands that when employees can choose to work from their desired location, engagement, burnout rates, and retention all improve.

Technology deployments in recent years have expanded the possibilities for workplaces to maintain a well-functioning hybrid workplace. ProAV solutions allow organizations to offer collaborative experiences to their employees, whether in-person or remote. Panasonic Connect’s technology suite plays a pivotal role in creating workplace environments that operate efficiently and encourage connection.

For example, the AW-UE160 PTZ camera incorporates advanced technologies that reproduce frame composition with high accuracy and flexibility for a more natural auto-framing result to keep the speaker in focus and seamlessly monitor their movements around a given space. This enables dynamic views of presenters and speakers in corporate scenarios while delivering clear, crisp content to remote employees or businesses, allowing them to feel involved regardless of where they are working. These cameras also mold to fit the needs of each space and can be mounted or placed on a tripod.

We predict that hybrid work will persist in 2025 and that we will see more companies adopting solutions that work together such as PTZ cameras, audio, and videoconferencing solutions to allow employees to work more collaboratively.

AVT Question: Please share how technologies are helping to reshape the workplace and create user-friendly environments.

Thought Leader: Dan Holland, Marketing Manager at IHSE USA

Media and entertainment organizations worldwide are now taking advantage of Display Management Systems (DMS) to integrate keyboard, video, and mouse (KVM) over IP technology to run their businesses and communicate between staff, customers, and external agencies. They recognize the benefits of DMS for KVM-over-IP and are rapidly embracing them to gain efficiency, lower costs, and greater flexibility in their day-to-day operations.

At IHSE USA, our future focus is on DMS for KVM-over-IP, which enables new opportunities in the way AV and IT businesses can operate and work together. Both technical and non-technical users can connect simply and easily to remote computers, allowing access to applications normally limited to direct connections or internal-only facility KVM switch systems. While the advantages of DMS for KVM-over-IP approach are clear, it does represent a significant departure from previous approaches and injects an entirely new set of security issues. With IHSE’s DMS, the signals passed between the operator and computer retain full integrity but, most importantly, provide total system security.

The main difference between an IHSE DMS and a classic KVM-over-IP system is it can be configured to support multi-monitor setups, multi-viewers, and wall processors as well as support configurable Extended Display Identification Data (EDID). IHSE also incorporates multiple layers of security supporting LDAP or Active Directory, as well as two-factor authentication (2FA).

Today, and into the future, there will be an increased need for computer-based automation, testing, and simulation, which increases the importance of improved workflow to increase the efficiency of a company’s staff. Taking advantage of IHSE’s more than 40 years of technology leadership, all IHSE systems provide resolution compatibility across different types of computer operating systems. IHSE continues to offer product solutions specifically designed for control room display management systems used in professional A/V, broadcasting, air traffic control, and industrial and government/military applications.