InfoComm 2025 was a landmark event that underscored the professional AV industry's accelerating integration of artificial intelligence. While AI has been a recurring theme in previous years, this show demonstrated a clear shift from buzzword to practical, foundational technology. The consensus from industry experts and exhibitors was that AI is no longer a "nice-to-have" feature but a necessity for enhancing user experiences, streamlining workflows, and driving new levels of operational efficiency.
Here's a breakdown of the key AI trends and innovations that stood out at InfoComm 2025:
1. Smarter Meeting and Collaboration Spaces
The continued rise of hybrid work has made intelligent meeting rooms a primary focus for AI development. InfoComm 2025 showcased a new generation of AI-powered collaboration tools that are more intuitive and seamless than ever.
- Intelligent Cameras and Audio: Solutions from companies like Yealink and others featured advanced auto-tracking cameras that follow speakers and adjust framing in real time. Adaptive microphones, such as VLINKA's AI Ceiling Microphone, demonstrated the ability to tune to a room's acoustics and focus on specific voices, creating a more professional and equitable meeting experience for all participants.
- Automated Workflows: The push for smarter rooms extended to automation. AI is being used to simplify complex tasks, from automatically starting a meeting when people enter a room to optimizing audio and video settings on the fly. This "smarter room technology" is designed to make the user experience as seamless as simply walking into a space.
2. AI in Digital Signage and Content Creation
Digital signage is one of the most visible applications of AI in the AV world, and InfoComm 2025 provided a glimpse into its intelligent future.
- Generative AI for Content: Exhibitors like Korbyt, with their new "CreateAI" and "CurateAI" agents, showed how AI can revolutionize content creation. The ability to generate and personalize content, such as a beach scene with custom messaging and graphics, in seconds opens up new possibilities for dynamic and highly responsive digital displays. This suggests a future where marketing and design are driven by real-time intelligence.
- Data-Driven Personalization: Beyond content creation, AI is making digital signage more data-driven. The potential for AI to track user interactions—such as eye movements or product engagement in a retail setting—and tailor content accordingly was a major topic of discussion. This moves digital signage from a static display to an interactive, personalized communication tool.
3. Streamlined Operations and System Management
AI's impact isn't limited to the end-user experience; it's also poised to transform the back-end of the AV industry.
- Proactive Diagnostics and Maintenance: The convergence of AV and IT, a major theme at the show, is being supercharged by AI. Solutions now reside on local or cloud-based networks, enabling AI to provide remote diagnostics and monitoring. This allows integrators and IT teams to identify and fix issues before the user even knows there's a problem, leading to better uptime and more efficient managed services.
- Design and Integration Assistance: InfoComm sessions highlighted how AI can be a valuable tool for AV professionals themselves. Topics like "AI Game Plan for Systems Integrators" and "Equipment Specification Intelligence: AI-Powered Product Selection" focused on using AI to streamline time-consuming tasks and optimize project management, ultimately boosting efficiency and customer satisfaction.
A Measured Sense of Hope
While the "AI Revolution" was a dominant theme, there was a sense of measured optimism among attendees. Some observers noted that much of what was labeled "AI" was still a refinement of existing algorithms, and true breakthroughs were more limited. However, the overarching feeling was one of excitement and hope for the industry's direction.
InfoComm 2025 cemented the idea that AI is not a fleeting trend but a foundational layer that will continue to evolve and become more deeply embedded in professional AV solutions. It's clear that the future of the industry is smarter, more automated, and more focused on creating intelligent, human-centric experiences.
