Future B2B’s AV/IT Summit in New York City brought together integrators, consultants, manufacturers and end users last week to discuss topics ranging from cost-effective implementation to the practical realities of deploying AI in a rapidly changing multiformat world. Hosted by Cindy Davis of AV Technology and Mark J. Pescatore of Systems Contractor News, the event included interactive sessions, networking opportunities, a keynote address and an exhibit area.
The programme opened with a “Pain Points” session featuring Bill Chamberlain, president of Verrex, and Steve Greenblatt, president and founder of Control Concepts, which highlighted the need to identify key stakeholders early in a project and bring design, implementation, service and support teams together sooner. Panellists also noted that traditional AV and IT roles are increasingly merging to meet demands for multi-layered networked infrastructures.
The keynote, delivered by Byron Tarry, founder and chief transformation officer at NEXXT, examined how AI is transforming collaboration environments and workplace design. Tarry addressed what he called the “AI Lifecycle Confidence Gap” – the disconnect between how far organisations can accurately predict technology needs (18-36 months) and the longer lifespan of physical infrastructure (five-plus years) – and proposed a layered architecture model to decouple physical spaces from evolving technology.
A panel on “Broadcast-Level AV For Enterprise and Higher Education,” featuring representatives from EVS, Shure and ENCO, explored the growing convergence between broadcast and pro AV, with a focus on the democratisation of video production through IP-based systems, cloud workflows and AI-driven automation. Accessibility also featured prominently, with AI-powered transcription and real-time translation cited as tools helping make meetings and events more inclusive.
The “Designing the Modern Higher Ed Classroom” panel, presented by HETMA and featuring participants from USC, Rutgers and Johns Hopkins, emphasised that successful campus AV design requires understanding institutional needs beyond specific products. USC’s Ilana Intonato noted that around one in five students has some form of disability, reinforcing the case for accessibility as a universal design principle rather than a reactive measure.
Further sessions covered the evolving role of AV consultants as independent bridges between clients, architects, integrators and manufacturers, and explored how expectations for collaboration technology have shifted since the pandemic, with organisations needing to “earn the commute” by offering better in-office experiences.
The event closed with “The Great AI Debate,” where panellists discussed edge versus cloud AI and the importance of data as the foundation for any AI implementation. Viral Tripathi, CIO at Diversified, said successful AI projects begin with identifying business challenges rather than adopting AI simply because it is a trend.
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