TV Tech: What do you anticipate will be the most significant technology trends at the 2026 NAB Show?
Steph Lone: I expect we’ll continue to see AI reshape the media and entertainment industry in nearly all regards. Just as cloud-based approaches and IP networking standards have created more flexibility across the content chain, AI can supercharge those gains when used responsibly and effectively. Agentic AI in particular stands to transform workflows by automating and accelerating multi-step processes, such as metadata extraction, localization, captioning, summary generation, and formatting, among others.
TVT: What will be your most important product news?
Article continues belowSL: Among the many services and solutions that Amazon Web Services (AWS) will be highlighting at NAB Show, we’ll be showcasing AWS Elemental Inference, the industry’s first fully-managed service that applies AI in parallel with encoding of live video that released in February. It represents an important milestone in pioneering the next generation of entertainment and reaching audiences where they are—on their phones, and without needing AI expertise to implement.
TVT: How is your new product different from what’s available on the market?
SL: Gen-Z viewers consume 88% of streaming content on smartphones and discover most content on TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. However, until now, vertical video production has required a dedicated team and producing 16:9 video from live feeds has been a massive pain point. AWS Elemental Inference enables broadcasters and streamers to shift to mobile-first, AI-powered distribution. It uses AI to automatically detect the action in a live video feed and optimizes it for vertical viewing in 6-10 seconds. Customers like NBCUniversal and Fox Sports Digital, which reports 90% of its digital content is viewed vertically, are already using it with great results.
TVT: What is it about NAB Show that brings you back every year?
SL: NAB Show provides a unique opportunity to connect with customers, partners, colleagues and friends while also learning about the latest trends and advancements influencing our industry. The scope of the event is so expansive. I always find myself learning something new and leave inspired. It’s also great to meet so many collaborators face to face, plan for what’s next and even find a little time to celebrate our collective achievements.
