IBC always evolves to reflect what the industry is up to, and visitors to Amsterdam this year have some interesting new areas to explore.
IBC has got a long history of poking and prodding at the latest technologies in the media and entertainment industry to see what is happening on the cutting edge of things. Sometimes this pays off. For those with very long memories the Widescreen Festival played a big part in popularising shooting for television in the (then new) 16:9 format. Various things to do with Stereo 3D? Yeah, best left to the dustbin of history.
This year inevitably it is the turn of AI to step up to the plate.
The new AI Tech Zone, powered by EBU, brings together emerging AI providers, established producers, content creators and innovators looking past the tried and true to re-imagine media creation and operations from the ground up. The zone will be presented by headline sponsor AWS and partner, NVIDIA, fuelling hands-on AI demonstrations, so at least there should be some interesting stuff to investigate amidst what is sure to be a certain amount of hype.
There is also an AI Tech Zone Stage which will spotlight groundbreaking AI advances across areas including content authenticity, intelligent media storage, accessibility, mixed reality and creativity in production, while sharing critical insight into regulation and policy developments.
And there’s an AI Media Production Lab within the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, exploring a series of specific AI concepts to improve creativity in storytelling, deepen non-bias audience feedback and engagement, and power real-time predictive analytics to personalise live sports viewing.
We’re big fans of the IBC Accelerator program and there’s some really good stuff being examined this year. Its probably a bit niche compared to our normal beat, but the ‘Evolution of the Control Room - Leveraging XR, Voice, AI & HTML-Based Graphics Solutions’ project has got a huge number of top companies involved and could have implications for all sorts of productions once the workflow is bedded in.
The Conference costs to attend, as you’d expect, but as well as all the exhibitor stands, there is also a very active show-floor content programme stitched through the show’s four days, with presentations, panels, masterclasses, and demonstrations focused on a high range of topics, These included (you’ve guessed it) AI, along with 5G, Cloud, Esports, Immersive Experiences, OTT & Streaming, AdTech and Connected Technologies. Venuses to look out for include the Showcase Theatre, the Innovation Stage, two Content Everywhere Stages, and the aforementioned AI Tech Zone Stage.
The show will also feature a unique IBC Talent Programme on the Monday in the Showcase Theatre in Hall 8. The free-to-attend sessions will explore how the M&E community can work together to nurture new talent, make training accessible, and develop common standards on diversity and inclusion.
Another new element being introduced is a special Audio Visual (AV) buyers' event on the eve of the show. Working with the AV User Group, IBC has created an IBC Speed Pitch Event for 40 of its members tomorrow. The event offers media technology companies the opportunity to promote their products, services and brands directly to major AV purchasers, including Arup, AstraZeneca, Bank of America, Barclays, Deliveroo, Schroders, UBS and WPP.
Elsewhere there will also be:
The Esports Showcase, in partnership with Unlocked, in Hall 8, which shows the latest innovations in gaming production and delivery
The new World Skills Café, the industry's first global flagship event for skills, diversity, and education, taking place Thursday, 12th September at the RAI Amsterdam
Partner groups RISE and RISE Academy, Galsngear, Women in Immersive Tech, Women in Streaming Media, HBS, SMPTE, RTS and Final Pixel Academy supporting and participating in initiatives aimed at fostering talent and inclusivity
And the IBC Innovation Awards, which take place on Sunday, 15th September at the RAI (by which time the winners of the RedShark IBC Awards will already have their hands on one of our lovely trophies).
In other words, there’s a lot going on. Stay tuned to our special IBC2024 page to catch all the news from our reporters and film crews out and about at the RAI…