Muted growth, strong fundamentals

AVIXA’s revised forecast projects the global pro AV market to reach $332 billion in 2025, growing to $402 billion by 2030. This marks a notable pullback from previous projections, with growth rates dropping from 5.3% in the 2024 version of the IOTA to 3.9% in 2025. The recalibration stems from macroeconomic pressures such as high interest rates, geopolitical instability, and tariff uncertainties. Despite this, pro AV is still expected to outpace global GDP growth by approximately 0.8 percentage points, underscoring its resilience, strategic importance and fundamental strength, despite these widespread challenges.

Regional shifts and market drivers

Geographically, the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region remains the engine of growth, with India emerging as the standout performer, overtaking China in momentum. Other high-growth regions include the Middle East and Latin America. These shifts are driven by increased infrastructure investment and a growing appetite for immersive, technology-enabled experiences.

Two dominant forces are shaping demand: the hybrid workplace and the experience economy. Businesses are investing in AV technologies to enhance both in-office collaboration and out-of-office engagement, creating a symbiotic relationship between workplace transformation and entertainment-driven experiences.

Technology trends and convergence

Four key technologies are driving innovation in pro AV:

• AV over IP – Now a mainstream aspect of AV installations, this technology enables content distribution and system control via IP networks.
• Software and Cloud – These are increasingly central to AV operations, enabling remote management and scalability.
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) – AI is enhancing system intelligence, aiding in design, programming, and labor augmentation.
• Extended Reality (XR) – Augmented and virtual reality are gaining traction in entertainment, retail, and education.

The convergence of pro AV with adjacent sectors – broadcast, telecom, IT, and security – is reshaping the industry. This is evident in the rise of solution areas like broadcast AV and security/surveillance, which are now among the fastest-growing segments.

Segment insights and strategic opportunities

Corporate remains the largest buyer segment, though its growth is slowing. In contrast, government, military and energy, and utilities are all accelerating, reflecting recession-resilient investment patterns. From a solutions perspective, conference and collaboration still lead, but security/surveillance and broadcast AV are rapidly climbing the ranks.

Product-wise, content management hardware and services dominate, while standalone software, especially AI-powered tools, is the fastest-growing category. This shift highlights a broader trend toward value-added services and intelligent infrastructure.

While the pro AV industry faces a more cautious growth environment, it remains well-positioned for long-term success. Strategic investments in emerging technologies, regional diversification, and cross-industry collaboration will be key to unlocking future opportunities. The path forward lies in embracing convergence and leveraging the synergies between pro AV and its adjacent markets.

For more information about IOTA, visit: https://www.avixa.org/market-intelligence/IOTA

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