An agentic perspective: IBC becomes the crucible where emerging technologies and AI forge the future of TV

By Dr Amal Punchihewa

For a century, television has shaped culture and driven technological progress. From the advent of colour and the rise of satellite broadcasting to the digital transition and streaming revolution, each breakthrough has extended the medium’s reach and influence. At IBC 2025, a special installation showcased these milestones through archival footage, iconic hardware, and curated storytelling, underscoring television’s enduring role in connecting audiences worldwide.

Marking a century since John Logie Baird first demonstrated a television picture at Strathclyde University in 1925, the exhibit looked not only to the past but also ahead to what the next 100 years may hold.

IBC 2025 underscored that innovation goes beyond technology and is also about people. The show spotlighted new voices, diverse perspectives, and fresh ideas, with initiatives dedicated to skills development, inclusion and preparing the future workforce.  

The conference, exhibition and related activities of IBC 2025 once again brought the world’s media, entertainment, and technology community together in Amsterdam at a time of rapid industry transformation. Global leaders, disruptors, and innovators converged in a truly international showcase that delivered energy, creativity, and purpose.

This year’s edition reaffirmed IBC’s role as the essential meeting place for media worldwide. Delegates turned out in force, recognising the event’s importance in driving innovation, exchanging ideas, and strengthening partnerships with key industry players.

According to the organisers, IBC 2025 welcomed 43,858 visitors from 170 countries to Amsterdam’s RAI convention centre. Attendees engaged with both the show floor happenings and the IBC Conference, which offered an agenda-setting view of the industry’s most pressing issues, from the rise of AI and emerging business models to sustainability and the future of storytelling.

Reaffirming its status as the world’s most international media and entertainment (M&E) event, IBC 2025 brought together the entire M&E ecosystem. Global broadcasters, content owners, established technology vendors, agile start-ups, and fast-scaling disruptors, all converged in Amsterdam for the four-day showcase, held from September 12 to 15. 

Although attendance was slightly down from 2024’s 45,085 attendees, the organisers highlighted stronger engagement with next-generation technologies, noting that the overall quality of meetings and interactions was particularly high.

The show featured more than 1,300 exhibitors, while over 600 speakers took to the stage across multiple platforms, showcasing new technologies, debating industry transformation, and building the relationships set to drive the sector forward. 

Spanning fourteen halls, IBC 2025 covered the full spectrum of broadcast and media activities.

• Halls 1-3: Delivery, distribution and satellite
• Halls 4 and 5 – Content everywhere, streaming, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, cloud services, cybersecurity, and app development
• Halls 6-7: Post production, graphics, media production, and data storage solutions
• Halls 8-10: Multi-technologies, production, management, audio, and transmission
• Halls 9, 11-13: Production, cameras, lenses, lighting, video, and accessories
• Hall 14: Future technologies, AI, 5G, and ad tech
• Congress Square (outdoor): Additional exhibitors 

IBC 2025 once again united leaders, disruptors, and innovators in a truly international showcase that delivered energy, innovation and purpose. For exhibitors, it offered unrivalled opportunities to connect with buyers, decision-makers and partners, benchmark against competitors, and strengthen sales pipelines.

“IBC2025 felt more dynamic, inclusive and forward-looking, exactly what our industry needs to thrive and move confidently into the future,” said Jon Roberts, CTO of the UK’s ITN.

Across the conference days, visitors experienced cutting-edge technologies, thought-provoking discussions, and a strong sense of global community in Amsterdam. IBC 2025 marked a pivotal moment of innovation and transformation for the media and entertainment industry, firmly positioning itself at the epicentre of change. Exhibitors drew tremendous interest with hands-on demonstrations and breakthrough technologies.

Michael Crimp, CEO of IBC, said, “IBC2025 has delivered real business outcomes with overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees. What struck me most was the sense of optimism and purpose — exhibitors, visitors, speakers, and partners all came here to shape the future of our industry.”

AI was one of the most debated topics at IBC 2025, with mixed perspectives on its role in broadcasting. Given the significant storage and computing power required by many AI tools, the conversation often overlapped with discussions on cloud technologies. Equally prominent was the emphasis on deploying AI ethically and responsibly.

Across multiple sessions, a consistent theme emerged around the integration of AI into media production workflows. This shift is not only boosting efficiency in content creation and distribution but also unlocking new creative potential. By automating repetitive tasks such as metadata tagging and content indexing, AI frees creative professionals to focus on crafting narratives that resonate emotionally with audiences. In this way, AI is becoming a catalyst for both efficiency and creativity, driving a new wave of media innovation that is as fast-paced as it is deeply engaging.

AI’s role in personalisation and audience engagement was another recurring theme throughout the conference. By analysing viewer data and preferences, AI is enabling media companies to deliver personalised content experiences, significantly boosting audience retention and satisfaction. This ability to match content to individual preferences not only deepens engagement but also unlocks new monetisation opportunities. 

Beyond programming, personalisation extends to advertising. AI-driven insights are making ad placements more targeted and effective, allowing media companies to better serve diverse global audiences while driving revenue growth.

The IBC 2025 conference also underscored the importance of ethical considerations in the deployment of AI. As AI becomes more deeply embedded in media workflows, concerns around data privacy, bias, and intellectual property rights have become more pronounced. 

Industry leaders stressed the need for frameworks that ensure responsible AI use that safeguards consumer data while maintaining transparency and fairness in AI-generated content. Calls for ongoing monitoring, ethical governance, and cross-industry collaboration were clear, even as most AI solutions showcased at the event remained in an early technological stage rather than fully commercialised products. 

Another notable trend was the growing presence of younger attendees eager to engage with broadcast technology. Through initiatives like the Talent Programme, IBC 2025 provided a platform for fresh voices and diverse perspectives. Building on the success of last year’s launch, the Talent Programme directly addressed the industry’s urgent need to attract, develop and support the next generation of media professionals. 

The age and diversity challenges in the broadcast and media industry were discussed as part of the IBC Talent programme. A key concern is the underrepresentation of professionals under 30, combined with the rapid exit of experienced staff approaching retirement in their late 50s and early 60s. This is a trend that has intensified with recent staff reductions, contributing to a potential brain drain.

The gender diversity issue was also highlighted. While some figures cite 36% female representation, the organisers noted that achieving balance remains difficult, particularly in technically demanding areas of engineering and video production, where panels and teams are still overwhelmingly male.

A notable event highlight of IBC 2025 was the launch of the Media Climate Accord (MCA). Industry leaders emphasised the need for meaningful, sector-specific action on climate, with contributors eager to see the initiative grow. The MCA provides a framework for engaging media organisations and tracing their progress towards achieving Net Zero.

Another standout feature was the debut of Future Tech in Hall 14, a dynamic hub for emerging technologies and collaborative projects. Visitors experienced live demonstrations of generative and agentic AI, immersive and interactive media, cloud-native workflows, private 5G networks, and sustainable innovation, showcasing the cutting-edge of media technology. 

Visitors noted that this year’s IBC was buzzing with energy, innovation and momentum, particularly in Future Tech. A 5G-enabled light aircraft drew widespread attention, sparking engaging conversations about the next frontier of connected media. Some projects within the IBC Accelerator explored the deployment of private 5G networks in the air, further highlighting the possibilities of next-generation connectivity.

The introduction of the C2PA initiative at IBC was another major milestone, reaffirming the industry’s commitment to content authenticity and public trust in journalism. 

Additionally, the IBC Technical Papers once again provided rigorous insights into practical innovation. Presented as part of the paid conference, the programme showcased original research addressing real-world challenges faced by the international broadcast and digital media industry.

The IBC Technical Papers cover all sectors of the media, entertainment, and technology industries, delivered by a mix of industry professionals, academics, and R&D experts. At IBC 2025, these renowned papers were presented in thematic sessions, offering attendees rigorous insights and practical solutions to real-world challenges.

Visitors also noted the growing voices of younger professionals within the IBC community, bringing fresh energy alongside established leaders. This infusion of talent, collaboration, and innovation made IBC 2025 feel more dynamic, inclusive and forward-looking, which is exactly what the industry needs to thrive and move confidently into the future.

From mentoring and fast-pitch networking to discussions on building a sustainable talent pipeline, IBC worked closely with stakeholders to foster fresh perspectives and vital connections — helping the next generation of media professionals feel seen, supported and inspired.

The show floor reflected the full strength of the global M&E community, with major players ensuring that every hall showcased ground-breaking advances in production, distribution, cloud services, streaming, and next-generation consumer experiences. 

One of the most significant trends in media is demographic-driven consumption. The industry now recognises two distinct ecosystems: one for millennials and younger audiences, and another for Gen X and older viewers. To remain relevant, broadcasters must engage both ecosystems in parallel — through traditional broadcast and social media — or risk losing consumers each year.

The annual IBC Innovation Awards also celebrated outstanding achievements across content creation and delivery, social impact, and sustainability, recognising the global media and entertainment industry’s most innovative contributions.

The Content Everywhere award was presented to SVT-AV1: Alliance for Open Media, Intel, and Meta for making video streaming viable on low-end mobile devices and low-bandwidth networks through the development of a decoding-aware mode of the SVT-AV1 software encoder.

The shift from hardware to software has also transformed production development. Exhibitors showcased software-defined, scalable production and seamless media transport solutions, enabling flexible, high-quality workflows from anywhere via IP and 5G.

While attendance was slightly down, stakeholders emphasised that IBC remains a vital industry event, with all participants looking forward to continuing the journey together next year.