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Pro AV news, trends, and expert voices for the AV industry

Pro AV Today, hosted by Ben Thomas, covers the latest developments in professional audio-visual technology, including new products, industry trends, and the people driving change across the AV sector. The show gives AV professionals, integrators, and technology buyers a consistent source of expert-driven news and analysis. Published on MarketScale, it reaches a targeted B2B audience across the professional AV industry.

194 episodesHosted by Ben Thomas
Channel Brief·Pro AV Today · 194 episodes
Updated Jun 22, 2026

Infrastructure and AV converge: practical integration drives real value now

Pro AV Today argues that AV integration with IT, energy grids, and healthcare is no longer theoretical. The channel offers episode-level evidence from industry events, vendor conversations, and hard market forecasts.

Pro AV Today's core thesis is that the audiovisual industry has moved past product spec-focused discussion into real-world problem-solving across converged infrastructure: IT systems, energy grids, healthcare operations, and defense training. The channel supports this repeatedly through event coverage (InfoComm 2026, Connected America 2025, ITSEC), vendor interviews, and market data showing that AV professionals now operate within IT-driven, cloud-native, mission-critical environments where failure carries operational and safety consequences.

Drawn from InfoComm 2026 felt different: less specs, more… and 4 more →

“The majority of newly upgraded conference rooms require network-centric workflows compared to five years ago.”

Episode 2: Real-World IT Practices Are Streamlining AV Deployments

By the numbers

72%

of AV integrators cite talent shortages as biggest profitability threat

$422B

Pro AV market projected size by 2029

9%

of U.S. electricity usage data centers could reach by end of decade

26%

growth in U.S. data center inventory in 2023

What the channel argues

InsightAV systems now sit on the IT backbone; cloud adoption and hybrid work have made this convergence operational, not theoretical.→
DataField Nation reports 72% of AV integrators cite talent shortages as their most pressing challenge to profitability and project timelines.→
DataThe global Pro AV market is projected to reach $422 billion by 2029, intensifying demand for scalable service models.→
DataHP Dimension with Google Beam delivers spatial conferencing without headsets at $25,000, signaling next-wave immersive meeting infrastructure.→
InsightPortable AV systems must operate reliably in unstable, infrastructure-poor conditions for mission-critical public safety and crisis response.→

What you'll learn

•AV integration with IT is now mandatory for modern deployments; hybrid work and cloud adoption have made network-centric workflows the baseline, not an option.
•Talent shortages pose an existential threat to the AV industry: 72% of integrators cite them as their biggest profitability risk, forcing recruitment beyond traditional AV circles.
•Market growth to $422 billion by 2029 is driving demand for scalable, remote-capable service models that can sustain growth without local staff expansion.
•Immersive, spatial conferencing technologies like HP Dimension are redefining remote work infrastructure, moving beyond video quality into presence and human connection.
•Security, healthcare, and energy sectors are adopting AV and audiovisual infrastructure as mission-critical, not optional: poor design fails patients, delays grid resilience, and undermines defense readiness.

What to do about it

→Expand AV recruitment beyond traditional tech circles to IT, operational technology, and adjacent fields; invest in mentorship and CTS-certified training to build inclusive talent pipelines.
→Reassess your AV service delivery model to enable remote, scalable support (like LinkLab) and reduce dependency on local labor; prepare for network-centric, IT-aligned deployments as the market norm.
→Map your AV infrastructure against healthcare, security, and mission-critical operational standards; audit systems for cloud integration, zero-trust security, and resilience in unstable connectivity environments.

Who and what shows up

Kumar Sokka

security industry leader

Discussed balancing innovation with mission values as IT, HR, and compliance reshape security buyer profiles.

Fredrik Nilsson

Vice President of the Americas, Axis Communications

Addressed how AI, cloud computing, and new compression standards (AV1) are reshaping security and surveillance deployment.

Keysight Technologies

connectivity and measurement solutions provider

Framed portable AV systems as essential for mission-critical communications in unstable, infrastructure-poor environments.

IBM

enterprise AI and cloud platform provider

Reported that 64% of CEOs face pressure to accelerate generative AI adoption; utilities are moving beyond pilot projects to unlock measurable results in decarbonization and grid modernization.

Questions this channel answers

Q

How is the AV industry responding to talent shortages and labor crisis?

By recruiting beyond traditional AV circles (IT, operations), investing in mentorship programs, and adopting scalable service models like remote support and CTS-certified training to reduce dependency on local staff.

Talking Recruiting, Retention and Everything in Between … →
Q

What does AV-IT convergence look like in practice?

AV systems are now deployed on network-centric, cloud-integrated infrastructure managed by IT and compliance teams; majority of newly upgraded conference rooms require network-centric workflows, a shift amplified by pandemic-driven hybrid work.

Real-World IT Practices Are Streamlining AV Deployments … →
Q

Where is AV technology creating measurable business value beyond aesthetics?

In healthcare (reducing nurse burnout via remote monitoring and integrated systems), defense (hybrid physical-digital combat training), public safety (portable AV for crisis response), and immersive conferencing (improving retention and trust in hybrid work).

AV’s Expanding Role in Healthcare: How AV Tech Is Easing… →
Q

How large is the addressable market, and what growth drivers are creating urgency?

The global Pro AV market is projected to reach $422 billion by 2029, driven by hybrid work adoption, healthcare modernization, security digitization, and AI-driven infrastructure demand across data centers and energy grids.

How AV Integrators Can Face the Challenge of Scaling The… →
Q

What infrastructure challenges are slowing AV and connectivity expansion?

Power and cooling capacity constraints, complex permitting for fiber routing, skilled labor shortages, and the need for future-proof design that won't become obsolete within years, especially in rural and data center construction.

Data Center Construction Demands Are Surging But Power, … →
Topics:AV and IT convergencePortable and mission-critical AV systemsData center and fiber infrastructureHealthcare AV and staff retentionSecurity and AI integration
Themes:Convergence is operational: AV now runs on IT backbone and cloudInfrastructure scales through talent and technology partnerships, not local hiring aloneAV solves real problems: clinical burnout, grid resilience, defense readiness, not just aesthetics

Industry context

The professional AV industry is shifting toward AV-over-IP as foundational infrastructure, with large-scale deployments at major venues proving scalability and reliability at enterprise scope.

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