IBC 2026 brought together companies, professionals and creators in Amsterdam to examine the transformation of the audiovisual industry. Artificial intelligence, new production tools, the creator economy and the transition to IP infrastructures were among the event’s main highlights.
During the various sessions at IBC 2026, representatives from Meta, Sidemen Entertainment, Tubi, Snap and BBC Studios discussed the growth of the creator economy. Participants noted that creators had begun to operate like professional studios, while traditional studios had adopted strategies associated with the creator ecosystem.
The event also highlighted that audiences increasingly valued authenticity over size or reach. In this context, the Affinity Score was unveiled, ranking Blair Imani ahead of highly popular figures such as MrBeast. The analysis showed that working with numerous micro-influencers could be more effective than relying on a single creator with a massive audience.
Television faced a decisive transformation
The future of television featured prominently at IBC 2026. Experts warned that the following decade could transform broadcasting more profoundly than any other change since the advent of television itself.
The sessions highlighted the need for broadcasters to adapt their models, platforms and strategies to compete with digital services such as YouTube. The industry agreed that this transformation represented an opportunity to reshape how audiovisual content was produced, distributed and consumed.
Netflix also announced the expansion of its Media Production Suite to third-party tools. The move changed the way the platform collaborated with technology providers and production partners around the world. The announcement came as the company celebrated ten years since its international expansion and continued to scale its operations across more than 50 countries.
Artificial intelligence gained prominence
Artificial intelligence featured in numerous discussions and demonstrations. During a session dedicated to the application of agentic AI in news, participants explored its potential in the production, distribution and broadcasting of news content.
Trust and governance were identified as essential elements in the adoption of these technologies in newsrooms. Experts stressed the need to establish oversight mechanisms that would make it possible to benefit from automation without compromising the reliability of information.
Accedo demonstrated how it used artificial intelligence to give streaming customers greater control over their platforms. The aim was to facilitate their operational autonomy without requiring them to manage the entire technology infrastructure independently.
New solutions for audiovisual production
IBC 2026 also served as a showcase for a range of technical innovations. Dream Chip unveiled the Atom Two HDR camera, which combined a compact form factor with increased dynamic range for live production applications.
AI-Media showcased caption encoders capable of sending live audio to the cloud and returning captions in up to five languages simultaneously. The output could be integrated directly into professional broadcast streams, facilitating real-time translation and content accessibility.
Meanwhile, the South African Broadcasting Corporation acquired 14 UHK-X600 UHD camera systems from Ikegami. The purchase formed part of a multi-year project to transition production at its main Johannesburg facility to an IP-based infrastructure.
IBC 2026 reflected the transformation of the audiovisual industry
The developments presented during IBC 2026 confirmed the evolution of an industry shaped by the convergence of television, digital platforms, artificial intelligence and independent content creation.
The event showed that audiovisual companies had begun to adopt more open production models, smarter tools and more flexible infrastructures. At the same time, authenticity, trust and adaptability became established as essential factors for the future of media and entertainment.
