Now that the dust has settled on the 2024 NAB Show, I can sit back and reflect on some of my conversations with exhibitors.
My show is likely completely different to most attendees. I spend most of my time dashing from stand to stand, meeting technology vendors and hearing about their latest developments and what they view as the industry’s key trends.
In my ten things to look out for at NAB 2024, I wrote that I expected artificial intelligence to dominate the conversation. And that was exactly what happened.
Almost every vendor I met spoke about how they’re looking at AI and how it can help their customers, including dealing with mundane tasks, delivering more audience engagement, helping with subtitles, and analysing data.
A few companies also mentioned “responsible artificial intelligence” where it can be employed as a co-pilot to assist the end-user. I expect to hear more about that at IBC Show in September.
While many companies are starting their journey with AI, some are well into adoption. As Moments Lab co-founder and CEO Philippe Petitpont told me, “AI is working and delivering value. Now it’s about taking the next step.” I look forward to hearing more about what that next step is.
In my round-up of NAB 2023, I wrote how I was surprised at the lack of discussion around FAST at last year’s show. In 2024, we seem to have come full circle with the topic once again in the spotlight, except this time companies were talking about FAST 2.0 and how it will deliver more personalisation, particularly around advertising. At one point, I even found myself discussing FAST 3.0 but I suspect that’s still a long way off from becoming reality.
At NAB 2024, it finally felt like IP is gaining traction after years of the industry talking about it. During my discussion with Cobalt Digital, Suzana Brady, SVP of worldwide sales and marketing revealed “certain markets are only buying IP-ready gear”, which I see as a big step forward.
It also felt like JPEG-XS is gaining traction, particularly when discussing SMPTE ST 2110. Geeter Kyrazis, chief strategy officer at swXtch.io, explained how the coding standard reduces bandwidth but “is still high-enough quality to do Tier 1 productions”. He added that JPEG-XS is also helping with sustainability, a topic that I felt is still in the background of many vendors’ thinking.
Overall, it was inspiring to talk to so many people who are passionate about what they do, and what’s happening in the media technology industry. It’s been a tough 12 months with the industry still recovering from the Hollywood strikes, but I left Las Vegas feeling positive about where the industry is, and how it’s moving forward. Roll on NAB 2025!
