As InfoComm approaches, the AV industry is gearing up for a pivotal event — one that promises to address pressing economic challenges and help forecast the market for the year ahead. This year, Orlando takes center stage. It won’t just be about showcasing cutting-edge technologies; it will also serve as a forum for critical conversations around tariffs, economic uncertainty, and their implications for our industry. And many of us will be watching closely to see whether international attendance is affected by ongoing political activity in the United States.

One of the biggest questions at InfoComm will be around the impact of recently announced tariff policies. As of this writing, the U.S. government is expected to implement a 25% tariff on all foreign-manufactured smartphones and a 50% tariff on European Union imports starting June 1, 2025. Like most tech sectors, AV is particularly vulnerable — our supply chains are global, and our components come from all over the world.

But beyond the hand-wringing and finger-pointing, what I find most interesting is how our industry responds. Resilience and adaptability have long been hallmarks of AV professionals, and I expect we’ll see that on full display. How will companies mitigate these new costs? Some are already making moves. Lenovo, for example, has shared plans to diversify production across multiple countries, reducing dependency on any single region and allowing for more strategic navigation of trade regulations. That kind of flexibility — moving manufacturing to lower-tariff regions — could be critical in the months ahead.

I also expect to see a broader focus on cost containment from both manufacturers and attendees. For example, I think AI and managed services will be front and center. When paired, these offerings can provide software-driven solutions that don’t carry the same import costs as physical hardware. AI also holds the promise of extending device life through predictive maintenance — making service contracts more valuable and giving the market time to stabilize.

Unlike in past years — when every booth seemed to slap on an “AI Inside” label without much to back it up — we’re now seeing actual, useful applications. As AI continues to streamline programming and integration, integrators can save time (and labor costs). There’s also potential for hardware to be sold at a lower upfront cost, with the intelligence of that hardware delivered via subscription — a shift to SaaS models that could be less susceptible to tariffs.

Another trend I expect to gain traction at the show is the move toward collaboration and open systems. Many of my colleagues — and customers — are no longer content with proprietary, closed-off ecosystems. The demand for interoperability has gone from wishful thinking to a firm expectation. I believe we’ll start making purchasing decisions based on how well products integrate across ecosystems — not just how flashy or feature-rich they are on their own.

And yes, I’m going to say it: I think AV-over-IP (AVoIP) is finally ready to take the spotlight for signal transport. I’ve never been one to push this technology just for the sake of it, but the math is starting to make sense. If we already have the network infrastructure in place — if our buildings are wired with matrix switchers (now network switches) — then simply adding transmitters and receivers is a cost-effective solution. Control can be centralized, reducing the need for a full system in every room.

In short? Money, money, money will be the theme of InfoComm this year. And I, for one, am looking forward to seeing how manufacturers and vendors step up — offering solutions that help all of us deliver high-quality experiences without passing along massive price hikes.