Artificial intelligence, networked infrastructure and software-led differentiation emerged as the dominant themes at ISE 2026, according to analysts from research firm Futuresource Consulting, which fielded a team of 12 across the Barcelona show floor meeting vendors, integrators and end users.
The company says the tone around AI has shifted markedly, moving away from broad capability claims towards practical workflow applications. Use cases highlighted at the show included AI-assisted editing in professional video, edge AI in meeting rooms and displays, and smarter audience targeting in digital signage. Futuresource says the industry is beginning to separate substantive deployment from marketing.
In the displays category, direct-view LED continued to dominate visually, with ultra-fine pitch and chip-on-board technology described as baseline expectations rather than headline innovations. Alongside the high-impact flagship installations, e-paper emerged as a credible option for scalable signage infrastructure, driven by improving image quality and falling costs.
Across audio, control, collaboration and signage, the firm observed a broad shift in where value is being created – away from hardware performance and towards software ecosystems, monitoring, analytics and lifecycle management. Futuresource says the strategic question for vendors is no longer simply what a device does, but how it is deployed, governed and maintained at scale.
On the subject of AV and IT convergence, Futuresource says networked AV is no longer a transition story. Encrypted AVoIP, cybersecurity compliance and IT alignment were described as baseline requirements across pro video, enterprise collaboration and building systems. “The industry is not converging with IT,” the firm argued. “It is operating inside it.”
Johnny Woodman, Futuresource analyst for professional displays and collaboration, said: “This year’s ISE felt like a moment of strategic pause for the professional displays and collaboration sectors — less about major product leaps and more about refining positioning, strengthening platforms, and improving ecosystem cohesion. The focus across the show was on meaningful incremental progress: AI-enabled enhancements, software-led improvements, simpler deployment, and solutions designed for flexible room formats.”
Woodman added that conversations with senior industry leaders pointed to a growing emphasis on understanding real customer journeys and clearer vertical-specific needs in what he described as a crowded market.
Amit Patel, analyst for professional audio and video, said: “ISE is always a show where the pro AV industry showcases its best technologies and innovations. From advances in professional microphones, DSP and networked audio, as well as cutting-edge developments in immersive audio, video distribution and collaboration systems, it was a great opportunity to connect with manufacturers and discuss market trends shaping integration, content creation and live event experiences.”
Ben Thrussell, associate director of sales at Futuresource, noted that the strategic questions surfacing most consistently at the show centred on where to focus for sustainable growth, how to distinguish genuine trends from noise, and how to better align with customer needs. “What stood out wasn’t a single product, but how many leaders were thinking strategically about what comes next,” he said.
To download the complimentary report click here.
You can subscribe to Installation magazine for free here and the daily newsletter here.
