While it may seem like things in the commercial AV industry just kept cranking along through 2025 as they have in recent years, there are several impactful trends that emerged or solidified themselves this year.
These are the developments that defined the best of AV in 2025, and the ones shaping how integrators and enterprise decision-makers build for 2026.
1) “AI” in Everything, but Not Really AI
Seemingly every AV product or service in 2025 has some “AI” feature, whether it’s for audio processing, facial detection, camera switching, analytics or collaboration.
However, the problem is that much of it is not genuine AI. If it doesn’t require outboard cloud processing, it’s just pre-programmed logic dressed up with marketing terms. The only areas where AI is showing up in AV so far are from companies layering transcription on top of meetings, but machine learning and so-called adaptive intelligence are still emerging.
That’s not to say the AV technologies being marketed as “AI” aren’t impressive and useful, but they aren’t truly AI. Most “AI” features today are just really impressive algorithms built into products. These marketing promises will keep coming up, so it’s important to know how to differentiate the hype of “AI” from the actual features being delivered.
2) Shifting Away from Manufacturers Who Burned Bridges
Supply chain disruptions during the pandemic exposed cracks in how much integrators can rely on our vendors. Some manufacturers overpromised on delivery dates, couldn’t deliver gear at all or left integrators scrambling to fulfill commitments. And many of the patchwork solutions cobbled together in the aftermath have failed to live up to expectations and the long-term needs of the enterprises that deployed them.
As a result, a growing number of integrators, consultants and clients are moving away from vendors who failed them and are looking to other solutions instead. This has created an opportunity for competitors to aggressively innovate with their offerings to try to supplant the industry leaders. However, the breadth of product offerings can vary greatly from one vendor to another. This means that switching vendors in one vertical can have knock-down effects that affect unrelated vendors in different verticals.
Trust matters in this industry. And the vendors who rebuilt it during tough times are capitalizing on that credibility now.
3) Budgeting for Lifecycle Management
Legacy AV systems used to run for years and years without intervention. Software updates and security patches were occasional at best. That model doesn’t work now.
Modern AV systems require constant updates. These support new features, fix bugs and patch security vulnerabilities. Inevitably, systems reach a point where additional software updates are required but can no longer be supported by the physical hardware. Eventually, this will render the system unable to continue to function. Many clients don’t budget for this reality. As systems age and approach the end-of-life, not having a plan for ongoing lifecycle management can result in needing to upgrade the entire enterprise’s conferencing systems all at once.
Enterprises may get lucky with timing and get longer utility out of their conferencing compute. However, as there is no guarantee on where the product lifecycle is at any given time, integrators can avoid getting caught flat-footed by planning for a three-to-five year lifecycle and budgeting to update at least 20% of rooms annually. There are other features and functionalities, such as innovations with intelligent video, that can also drive an even faster refresh cycle.
This trend moves AV from a one-time capital expense to ongoing operational planning. It’s not flashy, but it’s necessary.
4) Intelligent Video Solutions Are Maturing
Intelligent video systems — those capable of automating camera switching, framing active speakers and tracking front-of-room presenters without manual intervention — have moved from experimental to expected.
As explored in “A Practical Guide to Intelligent Video Systems,” these intelligent systems are becoming standard in hybrid meeting environments as remote users demand meeting equity. Manufacturers continue to refine functionality, and more competitors have been entering the space with standalone cameras, soundbars, kits and fully-integrated platforms designed to handle all types of dynamic collaboration needs.
5) LED Everywhere
LED has moved from a specialty application to the new standard. It is now a practical alternative to projection in corporate conference rooms — something that would have been cost-prohibitive and hard to imagine just a few years ago.
Users no longer face the tradeoff between a large-format display that’s too small for the space or a projection system that lacks brightness and clarity. LED now delivers vivid color, sharp resolution and scalability without the maintenance burden of lamp replacement or ambient light limitations.
The price barrier has collapsed. What was once reserved for experience centers is now within reach for mid-market enterprises and standard meeting spaces. This opens up new design possibilities and new client expectations around what “premium AV” should deliver. And innovations with portable LED solutions that fold up and fit in elevators offer more portability at larger sizes than any large-format LCD could ever hope to achieve.
Looking Ahead
The AV industry in 2025 was shaped by evolving expectations for smarter systems, more reliable vendors, proactive lifecycle planning and video solutions that adapt to how people work.
For integrators, the challenge is staying ahead not of the tech itself, but of their clients’ shifting needs, especially as the intersection between AV and IT continues to evolve. Consultants and integrators will need to plan for reality and deliver consistency — that’s what clients will care most about in 2026.
Nathan Firesheets, CTS-D, CTS-I, CMCP-G, is director of technology and innovation at AV-Tech Media Solutions.
