ISE2026: Thriving on an integrated identity

IBC

A show which mixes a vast number of different business areas shouldn’t work but it does because the underlying technology is finally integrated.

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ISE 2026 in Barcelona attracted a record 92000 attendees as the remarkable rise of professional AV shows no sign of slowing down. In the 22 years since the first ISE event drew 3500 people to Geneva, the Pro AV industry has professionalised and matured. Numbers this year were undoubtedly boosted by the permanent closure of 30-year old exhibition Prolight + Sound but what was notable about this edition of ISE was an industry confident of its identity.

This has not always been the case. ISE stands for Integrated Systems Europe, words which once stood for the technical and localised business of systems integration but which now carries more universal weight. A show which still mixes expensive home cinema with bus stop signage and police control rooms with giant stadium displays finally seems to be speaking the same language. It has become integrated.

As Futuresource Consulting note, “ISE has evolved from a collection of specialist AV exhibitions into a single, integrated platform representing a fully connected industry.”

The applications for offices, classrooms, churches, sports venues, hotels and supermarkets may remain distinct but the boundaries between them in technology terms is being erased.

You could readily imagine how streamers and broadcasters could stake out territory at future ISEs as TV and film production and distribution itself becomes almost an application area of AV. Broadcast engineering, like AV, has become increasingly standardised and software-driven. Live sports are already being broadcast in experiential venues like COSM while esports is built on equipment that works in both broadcast and AV.

The majority of AV products now operate as network-connected devices rather than standalone systems, enabling greater flexibility, scalability and integration across applications. It is this which is driving the global market for Pro AV up to $258 billion by 2030 - an astonishing 21 percent growth rate - according to Caretta Research.

Indeed controls, infrastructure and software now represent 37% of the entire pie at $79bn [per Caretta] as the industry evolves beyond hardware to AV-over-IP and centralised management systems.

“It’s clear that integration is where the momentum is,” said Sean Wargo, consultant at Apogee Insight. “The highest areas of growth are coming from services including cloud services and data management.”

Another significant driver is the experience economy—"technology that enables personalisation, interactivity, and immersive experiences,” said Mike Sullivan, Senior Industry Analyst at AVIXA. “Pro AV is central to this trend, supported by advances in display technologies, AI integration, and control systems that make experiences more accessible and engaging.”

 

A new era of broadcasting

The AV market has become one of the most dynamic growth areas for companies traditionally operating in the broadcast and cine sectors. What was once a relatively separate domain is now rapidly merging with the broader world of live events, corporate communication, education, and hybrid production.

“People often say that television or broadcasting is dead. It absolutely isn’t,” said Ciarán Doran, curator and chair of the Broadcast AV Summit. “We’re entering a new era of broadcasting — one where brands and corporates are becoming broadcasters themselves, creating their own channels.”

The Broadcast AV Summit brought together the streaming economy, “where brands connect directly with end users through their own channel or deliver content straight into their inboxes”, with the Creator Economy headlined by YouTuber Callum Hewitt.

“The Experience Economy is where much of the technology you see here at ISE becomes essential,” Doran said. “The era when traditional broadcasters were the sole gatekeepers of high‑quality content is over. Think of the Harry Potter experiences or the immersive exhibitions at the Science Museum in Paris — these emotional, sensory environments are no longer created solely by the broadcast world. They’re built with professional AV technology, and they represent the new frontier of broadcasting.”

The big beasts of broadcast manufacturing have now made ISE home with many, like Blackmagic Design, Sony, Grass Valley or AJA expanding their real estate.

David Ross who runs hardware vendor Ross Video keynoted the Broadcast AV summit and highlighted opportunities for his business within in‑house studios, governments, and ‘architainment’.

“This is where architecture and media come together through the innovative use of LED and projection,” Ross said. “It might be a building façade, an atrium or a feature on a wall in the lobby, but the intent is the same - to make the space itself part of how the organisation communicates.”

“AV end-users increasingly expect broadcast-level image quality with consumer-level usability,” said Guilhem Krier, head of new business and market development for Broadcast & ProAV at Panasonic Connect. “They want cinematic colour, stable IP streaming, remote control, automated operation, and scalable systems, all without needing highly trained operators on site.”

He considers the convergence of AV and broadcast to be a fundamental shift that will define the next decade of video production.

“This will result in IP-native production becoming the new standard; AI-assisted automation playing an increasingly prominent role in camera switching, mixing, and real-time analytics; virtual and hybrid production becoming more accessible; and increased interoperability.”

AI with everything

It was impossible to discuss the future of anything at ISE without mentioning AI but the overwhelming theme was how AI can be integrated into existing systems and practices.

For example, AI might improve integrator efficiency, productivity, and the ability to deliver managed services.

“For decades, the industry has sought to shift from transactional, multi‑year upgrade cycles toward recurring revenue models,” Wargo said. “AI‑powered design tools, automated drawings, and intelligent product recommendations will accelerate this shift.”

Vibe coding already allows developers to delegate writing source code to a GenAI. Krish Shah, product head and founder of voice automated start-up Phonx AI said he only learned to code because of it. “There’s no way I could have learned everything I know in the last two or three years without AI. Today I’m running a team of seven developers and managing interns. That would have been impossible without AI.”

The technology is now advancing to agentic AI, where a large language model is given real‑world agency—allowing it to operate a web browser, perform transactions, and take actions on your behalf. Watch out though, because it will soon have the smarts to do this behind your back.

“We now have AI agents that can interact with each other through A2A (agent‑to‑agent) protocols and MCP, which function like APIs. This opens the door to multi‑agent back‑end systems inside companies,” said Rich Green, Founder, Rich Green Design.

One agentic AI tool called OpenClaw went viral on launch last month because it puts the ability to network a smart home in the hands of anybody. This is a security risk because it could link systems from phones and TVs to doorbells without any human intervention, Green said. He also said agentic software was so potent it threatened to disintermediate the entire professional development community.

Here come the robots

After agentic AI comes physical AI or embodied intelligence: when an AI agent is put into a robot.  “There’s a huge amount of activity in this space right now, especially around building world models so these physical AIs can understand and operate within real environments,” Green said.

It now feels like a race to get robots into our homes.

“We’re already seeing this in AV spaces: automated camera robots, traditional industrial robots, and pet robot companions,” said Rebekka Gingell of Lang. “As we introduce more and more robots into our everyday lives I believe it’s very important that we have laws about how robots are governed, especially as these become increasingly autonomous with AI.”

She added, “A cute robot pet doesn’t feel threatening but a humanoid robot has cameras for eyes. Inviting that into your home feels like inviting full‑time surveillance.”

Resilience and sovereignty are essential

The impact of tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty is upending the supply chain. Dependence on platforms and services that originate outside Europe’s legal framework, or political system creates significant risk. Sovereignty is becoming a guiding principle in procurement decisions — covering AI models, cloud services, and traditional software.

“For years, we’ve talked about ‘Made in China’ — whether LED panels or AI systems — and European companies and governments have been cautious,” said Florian Rotberg, MD, invidis Consulting. “But for the first time, we’re seeing ‘Made in the USA’ being blocked as well. That’s entirely new. Half a year ago, who would have imagined U.S.-made products being restricted because U.S. authorities or intelligence services were uncomfortable with their use?

“This is the new reality we’re operating in. The strategy is no longer just de‑risking from China — it’s also de‑risking from the U.S. Resilience and sovereignty are becoming essential.”

The EU is now recommending that corporations and governments adopt a two‑supplier strategy to ensure independence if something goes wrong. This matters for the entire industry since 80% of all cloud solutions used in Europe come from U.S. companies.

“That level of dependency is concerning,” said Rotberg. “Customers are now asking questions they never asked before: Where is the CMS developed? Is the software European, American, Middle Eastern? What happens if a service is shut down?”

Invidis consulting has recently been flooded with inquiries from major European organisations — including Olympic committees — asking whether alternatives exist to their current U.S.-based hyperscalers.

“The key message for the Pro AV industry is that everyone needs to recalibrate. De‑risking doesn’t mean changing everything, but it does mean building a more balanced ecosystem with at least two suppliers and understanding where the real risks lie.”