Editor’s Note: This article featuring Brad Hintze and his 2026 predictions is part of Commercial Integrator’s series running throughout the month of January. In this series, we spotlight forward-looking insights from some of the pro AV industry’s most notable luminaries.
As we look ahead to 2026, the pro AV industry stands at the cusp of exciting opportunities and transformative trends. To explore what lies ahead, Commercial Integrator turned to Brad Hintze, EVP, global marketing at Crestron, for his expert predictions on the technologies and strategies that will shape the future of pro AV.
Brad Hintze 2026 Predictions
Commercial Integrator: Without getting into any specific vendor or particular branded solutions, what technology category or solution area do you see as 2026’s ripest, most profitable growth opportunity for pro AV integrators and installers? Explain your reasoning.
Brad Hintze: AI tools are going to become extraordinarily helpful when it comes to scaling big enterprise projects that demand outfitting many rooms. They’ll help integrators and installers tackle deployments at greater speeds, and they’ll keep learning critical data about the monitoring and maintenance of those systems. Much of what we’ll be doing is building the infrastructure to support the continued explosion of AI tools. Investments in AV infrastructure support AI investments and outstanding ROI.
I also think that the “no touch” automated meeting room has huge potential. A room that has your presentation or meeting ready to go as soon as the meeting leader hits the door, with everything from lights to climate ready to go, is certainly something we can achieve now, but I think the demand for those kinds of solutions will get even larger. People love technology the most when they don’t have to think about it.
Commercial Integrator: Which emerging AV technologies do you think are overplayed? Which ones do you think will truly transform the practice of integration in the coming years?
Hintze: It’s funny, but after mentioning AI several times in my previous answers, the term “AI” itself has almost become meaningless — meaningless, that is, when it’s used without modifiers. I think we need to be clearer about precisely what kind of AI we’re speaking about when we throw the term around: Generative AI? Intelligent video? AI audio solutions? Interpretive AI? We should be more specific, as our clients and end-users are still determining where to use what.
When it comes to pro AV deployments, the cloud certainly has its place, but the adoption of edge AI — intelligent video solutions that are built right into the camera, for example — will gain tremendous traction in the coming months.
Commercial Integrator: What’s getting better about the pro AV industry these days? What seems to be getting worse?
Hintze: I think we’ve really done a good job educating our clients about just what they need to get the results they want, and making clear what options are available to them. Again, when a firm realizes that pro AV in the era of hybrid work is just as critical as their electrical system, then our products and services become viewed as essential. That’s how we build an incredibly strong foundation.
Commercial Integrator: What’s liable to catch some pro AV industry integrators and installers off guard in the coming year?
Hintze: I’m not a Wall Street exec by any means, but I do wonder about a market correction. Sudden sell-offs can certainly constrict budgets, but again, I think pro AV is so embedded in our working day that it’s part of the infrastructure. That could help us navigate some headwinds. Of course, if I’m wrong and there’s a massive general AI breakthrough this year, that will dominate our industry along with countless others.
Commercial Integrator: What’s the single most pressing challenge that professionals in the pro AV industry must tackle right now? And how would you suggest tackling it?
Hintze: Workforce development continues to be a massive issue. Our dealers need qualified people — and we need to be as proactive as we can when it comes to manufacturer training.
Commercial Integrator: Finish this sentence: 2026 will be remembered as the year that the pro AV industry…
Hintze: 2026 will be remembered as the year that the pro AV industry figured out that it can truly be an integral part of an organization’s culture — especially if that culture is built on collaboration.
Stay tuned with Commercial Integrator as we gather year-end insights and 2026 pro AV predictions from the brightest minds in the industry. If you’d like to be featured, contact our editorial team (Alyssa Borelli, Amala Reddie and Dan Ferrisi).
