IBC2024 is finally upon us, and I look forward to being sucked into a weekend of big ideas and even bigger exhibit halls. I’ll be joining over 43,000 broadcasters, content owners, rights holders, and service providers at the RAI Amsterdam to peer into the future of the global media and entertainment industry.
Connecting media sector leaders and visionaries worldwide, this festival of innovation will take place across innovation halls, ccelerators, awards shows, and more, and covers everything from AI to AdTech and augmented reality.
It’s a lot to wrap your head around, so I find that it helps to come prepared. For my money at least, here are the six key themes to look out for at IBC2024.
#1: AI’s vast potential for media
AI takes center stage at this year’s event—and on a new stage, no less. IBC’s all-new AI Tech Zone, powered by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), will play host to a showcase bustling with industry leaders and visionaries eager to explore how AI is transforming media and entertainment.
In another IBC first, the AI Media Production Lab will explore a series of specific AI concepts across three case studies, namely “Generative AI in Action”, “AI Audience Validation Assistant (AAVA)”, and “Changing the Game: Predictive Generative AI”. The final results will be showcased live on Monday, September 16 at 10:45-11:45 CET at the Innovation Stage.
#2: New advances in cloud computing
As digital media content continues to grow at rapid pace, so too does the need for reliable and secure compute and storage solutions to efficiently store and manage data. It may not necessarily be where the glamor is, but new advances in cloud technologies are always essential to learn about.
IBC2024’s Cloud Technology segment promises to shed light on cloud computing's transformative role in the media and broadcasting industry, while exploring advanced cloud solutions and strategies to enhance workflow, content delivery, and collaboration.
Among the vendors leading the charge in this space is our OEM partner EditShare, the media storage provider specializing in automated media management and scalable, high-speed storage solutions based on HPE ProLiant servers. Catch the EditShare team in Hall 7 of the exhibit.
#3: The future of OTT & Streaming
“Content Everywhere” is the name of one of IBC’s most popular panel programs, but it could just as easily describe the endgame of OTT’s limitless streaming potential. IBC2024’s OTT & Streaming segment reflects the streaming industry’s growing impact on the media landscape, with an expanded program covering everything from multi-platform delivery and app development to CDNs, cyber security, IPTV, and more.
Accelerator projects in this year’s segment include ECOFLOW, the proof-of-concept challenge proposed by Humans Not Robots and Accedo. Supported by companies such as ITV, RTL, EBU and the BBC, ECOFLOW aims to tackle the environmental impact of media consumption by making workloads more measurable and sustainable. Catch this one live at the Innovation Stage on Friday, 13 September, 16:45-17:45 CET.
#4: Delivering connectivity with Adtech
Adtech is bringing advertisers and audiences closer together than ever, and IBC2024 has the program to prove it. You can find seminars and presentations from leading experts on the latest advances in targeted advertising, real-time bidding, and analytics.
Topics will include devising new monetization models, reaching new demographics through personalized shoppable content, and ensuring a higher ROI with AI-powered targeted ads.
#5: Going deeper with immersive technology
As if a program containing over 1,250 exhibiting companies doesn’t sound immersive enough, there’s a chance to go even further down the rabbit hole at IBC2024. As the world delves deeper into virtual spaces, IBC’s Immersive Tech Showcase continues to grow each year, highlighting all the latest in augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and the metaverse.
Spread across not one but two dedicated halls this time around, the IBC2024 Immersive Technology segment offers the opportunity to test out the latest innovations at the intersection of gaming and media—quite literally in the immersive IBC esports Zone, where you can go for a virtual drive.
#6: Unifying the media ecosystem
Interconnected technologies like IoT, 5G, and smart devices are creating a unified media ecosystem, redefining traditional broadcasting, and overcoming connectivity and bandwidth constraints. At HPE we know this better than most, since harnessing 5G, cloud, and the edge is exactly what HPE Communications Technology Group (HPE CTG) is helping broadcasters and service providers achieve. If you would like to connect with us, drop by the HPE booth (14.C20) in hall 14.
In the same vein as HPE CTG, IBC2024’s Connected Technologies Showcase continues to push the boundaries of connected tech, exploring its benefits and challenges through a deep dive into the growth in broadband connectivity, the potential of 5G networks to facilitate remote production, the impact of edge computing, and much more.
And there really is so much more. This list only skims the surface of what’s on offer at IBC2024, so go and browse the program for all the showcases, events, exhibitors, and opportunities available.
There’s even still time to register, which you can do here: https://show.ibc.org/registration.
I hope this pre-show guide helps you navigate the show floor! Visit the HPE booth in hall 14
MattQuirk
With a passion for innovation and technology, I am lucky enough to work within high-growth opportunities across multiple industries including manufacturing, healthcare, energy, media and entertainment and security - with technology innovations that are advancing the way people live and work such as AI, autonomous everything and 5G.