ISE Insights

When FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off today, billions of viewers will focus on the football. But for broadcast and AV professionals, the tournament represents something much bigger.

For decades, venues were designed around primary use cases. Today, that approach is becoming increasingly difficult to justify.

The smart home industry has spent years talking about automation. AI is about to change the conversation completely. 

For many venue operators, accessibility has traditionally been viewed through the lens of compliance. But that mindset is rapidly becoming outdated. 

The organisations creating the best employee experiences are not overwhelming people with technology. They are removing friction. 

For years, post-production was protected from automation by one assumption: creativity could not be replicated. AI is now challenging that belief. 

The smart home industry has a paradox. The more technology enters the home, the more invisible it needs to become. 

Many studios and broadcasters are now confronting a hard question. Can virtual production scale commercially beyond premium productions?

Most universities are investing in technology. Far fewer are investing in strategy. That distinction matters. 

Modern stadiums are no longer simply sports venues. They are connected technology ecosystems. 

Luxury clients are asking different questions. Not just: “How intelligent is the home?” But increasingly: “How responsible is it?” 

The companies winning the return-to-office battle are not forcing people back. They are giving them a reason to return. 

Broadcast rights used to be straightforward. That world has disappeared.

For years, projection dominated large-scale live events. Now LED is changing the economics – and expectations – of venue design. 

The most important technology in the modern smart home is often the least visible. Not the lighting, the home cinema, the voice control. The network. 

AI is entering education far faster than many institutions are prepared for. And the consequences will extend well beyond teaching tools. 

The real battle is no longer between OTT and broadcast. It is between flexible media ecosystems and rigid operational models.

Hybrid events were supposed to transform live experiences forever. Instead, many audiences still feel disconnected, underwhelmed, or secondary to the in-person experience. 

The connected home was built around data. Now the residential technology industry is beginning to confront the consequences. 

For years, the streaming industry obsessed over image quality. Now audiences care about something else entirely: delay.

Retail is no longer competing primarily on product. It is competing on attention. 

For years, broadcasters treated IP workflows as the future. Now the future has arrived – and many organisations are discovering the transition is far more complicated than expected. 

For years, sustainability in live events was often treated as a branding exercise. Now it is becoming a commercial and operational requirement. 

Audiences are becoming harder to impress. Traditional passive entertainment formats are struggling to compete.