What’s the Future of AV Technology in the Commercial Space?
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
As businesses of all types become more driven by technology, audio visual (AV) systems have become an essential part of today’s commercial infrastructure. But the AV revolution is only just beginning: Here’s what to expect from the future of AV technology and how it will continue to transform what’s possible in the commercial space.
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How AV Technology Benefits Businesses
More than background music, paging systems, and video screens, AV technology now powers videoconferencing software, training room and boardroom connectivity, dynamic digital signage that greets visitors and keeps staff updated and engaged, sales-winning event presentations, and much more.
These aren’t add-on features but essential functionality for doing business in the 21st Century, as important as the structured cabling that connects and powers operations or the security networks that protect them. Professionally installed audio visual systems impress customers, strengthen branding and culture, drive sales (and, by extension, revenue), streamline onboarding and training, and ensure uninterrupted, organization-wide communications and collaboration, among many other benefits.
What are AV systems, and what are they used for? Get a recap here
8 Ways AV Tech Is Evolving to Meet Future Needs
But as powerful as it is today, AV technology is also rapidly improving. Like most other business-centered technologies, AV systems are shifting from useful to intelligent; from functional to flexible; and from isolated networks to inclusive, integrated systems that power operational efficiency and a superior employee experience.
Some call it a “smart boom,” and of course, AI is a big part of the equation. But it’s just one new element among many. Here are eight ways audio visual tech is evolving to better meet the needs of today’s most successful businesses.
1: Automation & AI
Just as in virtually every other industry, AI — a term generally used as shorthand for intelligent automation — is set to transform AV technology in a big way, and especially in videoconferencing. The goal is to ensure the highest-quality experience for every participant, even personalizing their experience based on location, preferences, or physical needs.
For instance, many systems are already using AI to automatically adjust room lighting, audio levels (including cancelling out sudden, unwanted noise), and camera tracking and framing. But that's not all! Advancements in AV tech are also bringing the ability to automatically:
Provide instant translations for participants in other cultures
Add captions and speech-to-text transcriptions in real-time
Detect and fix potential issues before they become disruptive
Provide consistency with larger, organization-wide standards
Adjust settings based on room occupancy or a speaker’s movements
Scan participants for engagement (e.g., expressions or body language)
2: Hybrid Meeting Equity
All of those AI-powered videoconferencing features also help improve meeting equity, a major goal for businesses operating in hybrid spaces. That means every participant gets the same high-quality experience, wherever they are, on-site or thousands of miles away.
Already a priority for audio visual systems, the future promises even more improvements in meeting equity. Users will soon be able to connect to AV systems directly from authorized personal devices and enjoy a customized experience based on their unique needs, including enhanced audio, instant translation, enhancements for the visually impaired, and more.
Deep dive: Learn more about meeting equity and how to achieve it with professional AV design and installation
3: Audio Quality
Both the audio and the video in AV technology are quickly evolving. In addition to AI-enabled improvements to live feeds that automatically adjust levels and cancel out noise, advancements like 8D audio and spatial sound provide three-dimensional delivery that surrounds participants for a truly immersive experience. And businesses can further improve audio clarity with integrated devices like beam-steering array speakers and other upgrades.
The result is improved engagement, collaboration, and participation for employees; a better chance to impress and win sales prospects; and more powerful, brand-building communications.
4: Video & Display Screens
Video and display functionality is evolving just as quickly. Many AV systems already use LED screens instead of traditional projectors for better clarity, resolution, and color accuracy. And these improvements can be taken even further with direct-view LED (dvLED), microLED, and chip-on-board (COB) LED, as well as the growing availability of 8k video definition.
In addition, curved and ultra-wide screens can deliver a more immersive experience, while being compact enough to fit virtually anywhere, including lobbies, boardrooms, training rooms, and conference spaces. They can even be organically integrated into a building’s design — for instance, transparent video screens mounted on glass walls that offer superior displays while also allowing in natural light.
These aren’t just superficial changes, but ways to measurably improve understanding and engagement, while also saving money on energy. And AI can improve things further by automatically adjusting brightness levels and giving participants more viewing angles.
5: Interactivity
Businesses can also expect next-gen audio visual technology to promote active participation in a number of ways, including:
The use of smart touchscreens to improve engagement in meetings, presentations, webinars, or other events
Integrating object recognition tools to promote understanding, or advanced interactive whiteboards to engage participants
Adding functions like live polling and feedback for real-time insights and corrections
Providing voice- or gesture-activated control for users in need of more access options
6: Portability
New AV technology can also deliver much of this new functionality in smaller, portable equipment that’s easily broken down, packaged up, and relocated. That means not just moving from room to room but across the country (or to another one) to support events, training sessions, site visits, and virtually anywhere else they’re needed.
This can save costs on renting equipment in different places while still ensuring a premium-quality experience virtually anywhere. And the technology works consistently across a variety of different settings, even those with dramatically different layouts and infrastructure.
7: IT & IP Integration
New AV technology is also being integrated into larger IT and building systems in a way that streamlines management and cuts costs with shared infrastructure.
Taking it a step further, Audio Visual-over-Internet Protocol (AVoIP) and Audio-over-IP (AoIP) technology can transfer AV management to the cloud for more flexibility and scalability — especially in large spaces using multiple screens and audio sources. This also centralizes control, giving technicians the ability to monitor, zone, and manage from a remote location.
Think of the convenience of conference room scheduling integrated within a building management system, complete with occupancy sensors and automatic energy-saving protocols. Or an automatic system monitor that makes necessary adjustments in real-time. That means no more stalled meetings or late starts from unexpected system failures or lack of on-site expertise, and no need to send techs on-site to reconfigure or upgrade systems.
8: Security Integration
Just like any other connected network, AV systems — and especially Internet-based AV — require an upgrade in security, too. To this end, experts recommend a “security-first design” that takes advantage of built-in encryption, AI-powered authentication and access control, and automatic firmware patches to close off vulnerabilities and ensure uptime.
At the same time, advanced AV technology can also help enhance security by improving the quality of surveillance video and the ability to scan for aberrations. The use of AI can also detect sophisticated “deep fakes” and digital masks to ensure that all meeting participants are not only human, but authorized to access the system. And Neural Processing Units (NPUs) can protect data on local hardware to help prevent Internet-based data breaches.
Enter the Future of AV Tech with IES Communications
Remember, as powerful as these advancements are, they still require human oversight. And they must be designed and installed by skilled technicians — if not, the result could be a low-quality system that’s distracting and disruptive rather than seamless and engaging.
But there’s also never been a better time to seize the power of this dynamic technology — and you can trust the experts at IES Communications to help you do just that. Contact us today to discover how to transform your workplace with future-focused AV technology.
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