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AI was the buzzword at professional AV show ISE 2025. Microsoft talked about the AI-powered Workplace, AI postproduction tools were said to be “transforming the industry” and UK firm Synthesia claimed it was building the world’s first enterprise AI video platform.
But if execs in Silicon Valley are fearful that AI is eating software, Brian Solis, Head of Global Innovation at cloud-based platform ServiceNow, offered a different take. This is one that explores technology from a human-centered perspective.
“We always tend to view technology as something that impacts the future, rather than how technology can help us in our work or our day-to-day lives,” said the digital analyst, author and ‘visionary’ in the show’s keynote in Barcelona. “Artificial Intelligence changes that conversation.”
The AV market is no exception to the uncertainty about AI’s impact on the future of work and of jobs. Solis shared his vision of how the Pro AV and systems integration sector can innovate through developments in AI.
“Let’s think about AI differently,” Solis urged. “Historically, any time there's been a new disruption, we put that technology into the box marked ‘business as usual’. The consumerization of artificial intelligence is the first technology that has no box. There is no playbook for how to integrate AI in our work. That makes it difficult but also makes it a special opportunity because we all get to imagine what the future of work and our industry looks like.”
Going beyond generalisations and wishful thinking Solis suggested practical action a business or an individual could take which involves shifting one’s mindset from the notion that we compete with AI to the idea that we compete with AI.
“Most organizations do not know how to use AI,” he claimed. “They do the same as they do with every new technology which is to use it to automate yesterday's work, to make it faster, better, cheaper more scalable.
“But when you use disruptive technology in such a ‘business as usual’ way you don't realize its exponential benefits. The AI revolution to date has had almost no impact because it's being used as a cost takeout tool.”
There's nothing wrong with that, Solis said. “It’s called iteration. Iteration can save money. It can increase efficiency. But you can't build the business of tomorrow with yesterday's thinking.”
“But when you use disruptive technology in such a ‘business as usual’ way you don't realize its exponential benefits. The AI revolution to date has had almost no impact because it's being used as a cost takeout tool.”
There's nothing wrong with that, Solis said. “It’s called iteration. Iteration can save money. It can increase efficiency. But you can't build the business of tomorrow with yesterday's thinking.”
He challenged the room to challenge GenAI itself in order to serve up modalities of thinking that don’t just enhance the status quo but break it.
“The most common misunderstanding is that artificial intelligence is a smart version of Google,” he said. “Most people use AI like they use Google. They're designing a prompt around an expected outcome. You know what’s going to come out the other side. You're just using the machine to be faster or smarter or to help you extend your capability beyond the time or resources you have available.”
There’s nothing wrong with that but it doesn’t move the dial, he said. It might keep a business running but it won’t innovate a product or solution or a business idea that’s going to get ahead of the market.
“Where AI starts to become magical is when you expect the unexpected,” he said. “Where you don’t know what's on the other side of your prompt. AI can unblock the unknown.”
This part of Solis’ speech recalled the Rumsfeld Matrix, introduced to the bemusement of many by the former U.S. Secretary of Defense in 2002.
Solis’ point being that humans and businesses conventionally operate in a decision making circles where we can predict the outcome. GenAI, however, can provide us with information we never thought we needed to know – the unknown unknowns. All we have to do is ask it the right questions.
He compared the today’s prevailing use of AI as one of augmentation and automation or iterative artificial intelligence to that of innovative AI which could deliver “game changing use cases.
“That’s when you start creating new value and you create an exponential growth curve. It starts when you start to disrupt yourselves and the market in the best possible way.”
Some clues to how to do this:
Begin each day with an open-minded prompt such as ‘What trends and opportunities am I not seeing in my industry or for my clients?’
Or ‘How might I completely redefine my approach to a key challenge in my work or my client’s business?’
Ask of the AI ‘What are my customers or my employers key challenges?’ and ‘How can we rethink the playbook and our relationship with tech to achieve these outcomes?’
Ask questions that treat AI as a partner in innovation, he said, citing examples like ‘How would you as an AI, design this service or solution to [accomplish A, B, or C] in ways only AI could perceive?
Ask for outcomes that would suit a Steve Jobs or a Walt Disney or any other creative technologist who broke with convention.
For better results, Solis recommended paying for a GenAI model. He keeps a journal of ‘breakthrough prompts’ that help him to achieve augmented outcomes and unknown outcomes to build on in his next query.
The World Economic Forum agrees. In its “Future of Jobs” report, WEF laid out which skills are key right now, and which will become vital in the coming years. Analytical and creative thinking skills took the top spots for what companies are expecting from workers. Self-efficacy skills, including being resilient, flexible and agile, being motivated and self-aware, and curious and committed to lifelong learning, round out the top five.
This is “in recognition of the importance of workers ability to adapt to disrupted workplaces,” the report said.
Only one technology-related skill — technological literacy — made it into the top 10 at sixth place. The ability to understand and work with AI and big data currently ranks 15th. Having the skills to navigate this change — and maybe even new job requirements — is therefore crucial.
Morris Garrard, Senior Market Analyst, Futuresource Consulting observed that sustainability has been less prominent at this year's show compared to last year, with AI emerging as the key buzzword, particularly in the analytical side of signage.
“Companies are also starting to work on the generative side of AI to improve smart signage, indicating a shift in focus within the industry,” he said.
Morris further highlighted the significant presence of E-paper displays at the show, describing it as an exciting inflection point for the professional displays industry and a complementary product to other technologies.
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