Audiovisual technology continues to be a driving force behind effective collaboration and communication. Drawing insights from industry events like ISE Barcelona 2025, ongoing client implementations, and continuous market analysis, our workplace technology professionals have identified seven key trends that are reshaping the AV landscape. Let's dive into what's making waves in the industry and how these innovations can benefit your organization.
The Shift from Hardware to Software-Driven Audio Solutions
Audio solutions are increasingly becoming software-driven, which means more flexibility and easier deployment at scale. Sound reinforcement and acoustic echo cancellation (AEC) now rely primarily on automatic software rather than hardware controls. Industry leaders like Shure and Biamp are at the forefront of this shift.
- Align's Take: "Software-driven audio solutions enable unprecedented scalability, but don't be fooled by the 'set it and forget it' promise. There can still be specific acoustic challenges that require more nuanced attention, particularly in more complex spaces with multiple microphones.”
Additionally, audio technologies are now intrinsically tied with video tracking systems. Solutions from Q-SYS and Crestron use beamforming ceiling microphones to create production-like automatic speaker-tracking camera systems.
Align got the chance to evaluate multiple manufacturers in specific demo rooms in ISE Barcelona 2025.
- Align's Take: “The integration of audio and video tracking creates powerful, automated systems, but real-world environments often present unique challenges. Our evaluations at ISE Barcelona confirmed that while these technologies are highly capable, fine-tuning and careful planning is often necessary to achieve optimal performance and a truly 'production-like' experience in diverse spaces. “Head tilt” functionality, whereby the system automatically chooses the camera that the in-room speaker is looking at is still a work in progress.”
The Growth of Digital Signage as a Business Opportunity
As hardware becomes more innovative, companies have unprecedented opportunities to extend their branding beyond traditional channels. Digital signage allows organizations to deliver dynamic content across various environments—from exterior building displays and retail storefronts to interior lobby screens, conference room booking panels, and employee communication boards.
Within these various applications, corporate environments are benefiting from displays with lower pixel pitches for crisper, more impactful visuals. For exterior signage, many clients are looking to promote their brand through creative, dynamic, and sometimes kinetic large LED canvases. But the real innovation is happening in the software layer—specifically in content management systems.
Platforms like Appspace, Korbyt, and Brightsign each offer increasingly automated and “smart” features and capabilities for both clients with mass deployment need and/or smaller content management teams. On an enterprise level, these platforms now offer vital data analytics to help clients make business decisions. Clients increasingly rely on knowledgeable AV professionals to guide them toward the CMS solution that will deliver the best return on their digital signage investment.
- Align’s Take: "When it comes to digital signage, companies that define clear communication objectives first, then select the right CMS to achieve those goals, see measurably better engagement and ROI."
The Acceleration of AVoIP Adoption
Audio and Video over IP (AVoIP) represent a fundamental shift in how AV signals are distributed. Instead of using dedicated point-to-point connections with specialized cables, AVoIP systems transmit audio and video data over standard computer networks.
Audio over IP has already become standard practice in many installations, and now video over IP is following the same path. Crestron NVX was the dominant player pre-COVID, now AV Pro Edge, Lightware, and SDVoE are making the multi-cast video space more cost-effective.
These technologies excel in large enterprise applications such as digital signage networks and overflow rooms but also offer compelling advantages for smaller retrofit projects where running new dedicated cabling would be difficult or prohibitively expensive.
With IT’s growing ownership of AV for management and security, AVoIP is transitioning from an efficient video transport to a necessary one. Despite the cost and risk of large-scale deployment, strategic coordination, especially with IT, ensures boundless benefits.
- Align’s Take: "What's fascinating about the AVoIP revolution is how it's democratizing advanced AV capabilities. Organizations that previously couldn't afford complex matrix switching can now achieve enterprise-grade functionality using their existing network infrastructure. Once again, the shift from hardware-defined to software-defined systems is becoming a game changer.”
The Rise of Proactive Monitoring for AV Network Security
The convergence of AV and IT is creating new security challenges that many organizations are unprepared to address. Approximately 60% of AV equipment is unsecured on networks or connected via unmanaged switches, which creates potential vulnerabilities across the enterprise.
This situation is compounded by a skills gap–IT professionals are often untrained to deal with AV technical issues, while traditional AV teams may lack network security expertise. The result is a longer mean time to repair (MTTR) and provisioning delays that impact business operations.
Leading monitoring solutions like Utelogy and Xyte are racing to provide proactive monitoring capabilities that promise reduced downtime, recurring revenue opportunities, and powerful automations. These platforms aim to bridge the gap between AV and IT while providing the visibility needed to maintain reliable, secure systems.
- Align’s Take: "The AV industry is at a crossroads where technical skills must evolve. We're seeing a growing demand for professionals who understand both AV systems and IT security protocols. Organizations that invest in this hybrid expertise will be better positioned to protect their technology investments and maintain operational excellence."
The Adaptation of Meetings for Hybrid Work
Unified Communications (UC) integrates multiple communication tools into a single platform for seamless business communication. This technology category has become essential for today's distributed workforce. It’s a landscape that continues to evolve, though with some persistent challenges. The three major platforms—Microsoft Teams, Zoom, and Cisco Webex—still operate largely in their own separate ecosystems, creating frustrating silos while gradually adding interoperability features as the market demands.
On the hardware front, manufacturers like Poly, Logitech, Neat, and the incumbent Cisco remain the industry standards for room systems and devices. A significant post-pandemic shift has been the rise of "Bring Your Own Meeting" (BYOM) or "Bring Your Own Device" (BYOD) approaches, particularly for smaller offices. This trend is supported by all the major manufacturers mentioned above, as well as agnostic specialists like Barco and Jabra.
In response to hybrid work environments, the focus has shifted to achieving "meeting equity"—ensuring all participants have an equal experience regardless of location. Technologies addressing this challenge include Microsoft Front Row (which repositions remote participants for better visibility), enhanced gallery views, speaker-framing cameras with dynamic tracking capabilities, and various AI-powered features from platforms like Zoom.
- Align’s Take: "The siloed nature of unified communications platforms creates real headaches for organizations with mixed environments. What's encouraging is the industry's growing focus on meeting equity, with features designed to bridge the gap between in-room and remote participants. The organizations seeing the most success are those designing their spaces around the technology rather than trying to force technology into existing spaces."
The Integration of AI to Create Smarter AV Systems
AI is already embedded in numerous AV functions, including:
- Camera tracking for more dynamic video
- Meeting transcription in unified communications
- Occupancy counting and sensing
- Intelligent automations
Beyond these specific applications, the security industry is poised to converge with AV in unexpected ways. We're seeing new integrations between access control systems, CCTV, and paging systems. Similarly, lighting and shades integrations continue to gain popularity, while sensing technologies and integration with digital signage and communication systems present both opportunities and challenges.
- Align’s Take: “The most exciting applications are those that fade into the background. That kind of seamless experience is what we're striving to deliver."
The Evolution of Strategic Partnerships in Complex AV Ecosystems
The complexity of today's AV ecosystems makes strategic partnerships more valuable than ever. Working with specialized providers ensures access to deep expertise across various technologies while maintaining a single point of accountability.
Collaborative relationships between clients, integrators, and technology partners lead to more innovative solutions and smoother implementations.
- Align’s Take: "The days of transactional vendor relationships in AV are over. The most successful projects involve true partnerships where all parties bring their unique expertise to the table.”
Ready to transform your workplace with the latest in audiovisual technology?
Our Workplace Technology team specializes in designing, implementing, and supporting cutting-edge AV solutions tailored to your specific needs. Contact our Workplace Technology team today to learn how we can help your organization leverage these trends for better collaboration, communication, and business results.
