Editor’s Note: This article featuring Taka Uchida 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 Taka Uchida, CEO, Panasonic Projector & Display Americas, for his expert predictions on the technologies and strategies that will shape the future of pro AV.
Taka Uchida 2026 Predictions
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?
Taka Uchida: Transformation will come from smart deployment of hardware, software and services to deliver increasingly diverse and sophisticated audience experiences — experiences answer the rising expectations for immersion, interactivity, personalization and reliability. As these experiences evolve, the underlying systems inevitably become more complex, making seamless workflows across devices, platforms and service layers essential to keep installations running properly.
One of the biggest challenges and opportunities for the AV industry will be the transition toward IT-focused and cloud-based solutions. As AV becomes more networked, software-defined and remotely managed, integrators will need to deepen capabilities in areas like networking, security and cloud management. They will need to shift from supporting from one-time installations to driving ongoing performance and service outcomes.
Commercial Integrator: What’s getting better about the pro AV industry these days? What seems to be getting worse?
Uchida: What’s getting harder is the growing challenge of balancing increasingly complex AV systems with limited resources and persistent cost pressure. Integrators and end users are faced with designing, deploying and supporting more sophisticated, multi-vendor environments without proportional increases in staffing, budgets or time. As the industry transitions toward IT- and cloud-based solutions, that strain is amplified by a widening talent gap. The AV industry needs more professionals who are fluent in networking, security and cloud operations – skills which can be challenging to find and develop.
On a positive note, the industry is making significant momentum toward interoperability and scalable, remotely manageable architectures, helping teams deliver more varied and immersive experiences with greater consistency. One of the most exciting developments in 2025 was the launch of OpenAV Cloud, a nonprofit designed to accelerate the move to the cloud through open standards, cross-platform collaboration and customer-first innovation. As a member, we’re excited to collaborate with this group of AV leaders to build a more connected, interoperable ecosystem that makes complex workflows easier to manage over time.
Commercial Integrator: What’s liable to catch some pro AV industry integrators and installers off guard in the coming year?
Uchida: I believe we’ll continue to see more industries embrace the power of immersive visual experiences. While the entertainment industry has embraced the power of engaging visuals in recent years, it will be interesting to watch higher education, corporate and the public sector see value in visual technology. We already started to witness this in 2025, sparking the evolution of our partnership with Igloo Vision to support immersive training rooms for government and defense applications.
Our partnership initially started with the purpose to power immersive floor-to-ceiling 360-degree projection mapping for immersive classroom and conference room applications. Now, we’re excited to support the public sector, government and defense market with TAA-compliant immersive rooms that simulate vivid mission environments. Unlike a VR headset that creates simulations on an individual level, these immersive rooms make it possible for attendees to interact with each other so they can practice problem-solving, collaboration and response in real-world settings.
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?
Uchida: The most pressing challenge facing pro AV professionals today is managing the increasing complexity of systems — driven by heightened audience expectations for unique and captivating immersive experiences. To make matters more challenging, the industry is operating with limited resources and a growing talent gap as AV becomes more IT- and cloud-centric.
The solution lies in shifting from one-time installations to lifecycle-driven, service-oriented integration. This involves standardizing interoperable, IT-aligned platforms; investing in skills across networking, security and cloud operations; and embracing open collaboration to reduce fragmentation.
At Panasonic, we’re addressing this by expanding beyond hardware into software, services and strategic partnerships — such as our work with Igloo Vision and our commitment to support industry-wide initiatives like OpenAV Cloud to help build a more open, connected and manageable AV ecosystem.
Commercial Integrator: Finish this sentence: 2026 will be remembered as the year that the pro AV industry…
Uchida: embraced partnerships to create more seamless, interoperable workflows.
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).
