What did we talk about before AI? The fantastic advances in technology that allowed for more processing, higher bandwidth, and smaller footprints. AI certainly accelerates some of these developments, but the real revolution in media technology is about making more with less. Humans are still in control, and we now have an incredible arsenal of tools at our disposal. We have truly entered the “de-materialized,” “de-coupled,” and “unchained” era of media technology.
By Cassidy Lee Phillips, Director of Customer Solutions of swXtch.io
Hardware and software solutions are so robust, and cloud architectures so flexible, that creative decisions can now take full precedence. Need to shoot in any resolution or framerate? Want to collaborate with talent across the globe? Require a scalable infrastructure that activates only when needed? It’s all possible. The traditional limitations imposed by physical production environments are fading, and the industry is rapidly moving toward a landscape where anyone with a network connection can become a creator.
Raw Power: Removing Technical Boundaries
The evolution of network infrastructure is a testament to the raw power at our fingertips. The port bandwidth of network switches has increased from 100G to 400G and even 800G, while cloud connectivity can now exceed 100G per link. Servers are so powerful that they allow us to containerize endpoints within them—essentially creating “clouds within clouds.” This abundance of computing resources is what enables the world’s top media companies to move uncompressed ST 2110 signals through the cloud with just milliseconds of transit time.
At swXtch.io, we have been transporting ST 2110, JPEG XS, AES67, and other multicast streams through cloud infrastructure for years. The sheer computing power available today means we no longer need to limit ourselves to compressed HD or UHD formats. Instead, we can freely work with 8K, 16K, or even raw data directly from the camera. The transmission of ultra-high-resolution video is no longer a technological barrier; it’s just a question of whether a production demands it.
Imagine a world where even the most complex, high-fidelity productions—once thought impossible without dedicated physical infrastructure—can now be executed seamlessly in a cloud-based environment. If you want to create your Sphere (maybe just “Circlevision”?) or experiment with immersive technologies, the biggest technical challenge isn’t moving the video—it’s designing creative experiences to fully utilize these capabilities.
Remote Operations: The New Normal
In my years as a Master Control Operator, the idea of operating a live television show from home was… insane. It was an accepted reality that the intricate demands of broadcast production required on-site control rooms, high-end equipment, and large teams working side by side. Then, in 2020, the pandemic forced the industry to rethink everything. Suddenly, remote workflows were no longer just experimental—they became essential. Broadcasters and production companies had no choice but to adapt. Thankfully, we discovered, with the Internet and cloud, live media operations could be executed from anywhere in the world.
Years of data and real-world implementations have now confirmed that cloud-based production is not only viable but also efficient. The latency of cloud-ground workflows is manageable even for live events, opening up a whole new dimension of multi-site collaboration. The ability to have operators, editors, and producers spread across different time zones, yet work together in real-time, has fundamentally changed how media organizations approach live broadcasting.
Take, for example, remote Master Control operations. What was once an on-site job that required direct physical access to equipment is now routinely handled through the cloud. Ad-insertion, quality control, and even full-scale live event production are all being executed remotely, reducing the need for massive, centralized control rooms.
Real-Time Media in the Cloud
In addition to years of remote Master Control operations, we are now witnessing real-time media production shifting to the cloud. Ad-insertion and the diversification of broadcast paths for redundancy or regionalization were among the first cloud-native applications to gain traction. But the capabilities of cloud-based production have since expanded far beyond these initial use cases.
One of the most compelling examples of cloud-based production was seen during the largest international multi-venue sports event of 2024. When the production team outgrew their on-premise audio intercom system, they turned to the cloud for a solution. My team at swXtch.io connected their belt packs and virtual panels through our virtual network switch (cloudSwXtch), transforming the cloud into a fully dynamic and non-blocking multicast network. This allowed for hundreds of live conversations to occur simultaneously, with IGMP joins and leaves happening in milliseconds, ensuring instant connectivity every time someone pushed the “talk” button.
The growing list of virtualized media services available today is staggering. Purpose-built hardware still has a place in live production, particularly for capturing video and audio at the source, but cloud data centers are now incorporating GPU and FPGA acceleration, allowing even the most intense workloads to be processed remotely. Uncompressed video workflows are already functioning in cloud environments, limited only by bandwidth availability and the complexity of production requirements. While hosting a full UHD production switcher in the cloud may still be a challenge today, it’s only a matter of time before that, too, becomes the norm.
The Expanding Universe of Media Technology
Every time we gain access to new technological resources, we push the boundaries of what’s possible. Funny how we always find a way to do this. The moment an extra lane is added to a freeway, traffic expands to fill it. The same principle applies to media production—global connectivity and virtualization allow us to create more complex shows than ever before.
But here’s the real shift: instead of simply expanding workloads, we are now consolidating them. Increased hardware capabilities mean more processes can be handled by fewer systems, reducing points of failure while simultaneously increasing flexibility.
Today, in the world of HD and UHD video resolutions, we can no longer blame network infrastructure for limitations. The old constraints of bandwidth and computational power have largely disappeared. Costs, once a major concern, have also been reduced as cloud services become more scalable. The result? Higher-quality productions with fewer resources. More events are being covered than ever before, including those that previously wouldn’t have justified the cost of a traditional production truck. The democratization of media technology is happening before our eyes.
Anyone with a network connection can now be a content creator.
The Role of AI and Automation
AI has undoubtedly played a role in reshaping content production. However, rather than replacing human creativity, AI can augment it. We are seeing AI-driven automation in areas such as graphics manipulation and regionalization of broadcast channels, allowing for greater efficiency and customization.
AI is also streamlining traditionally labor-intensive processes, from live translation and closed-captioning to automated camera tracking and smart editing. But despite these advancements, the role of human creatives remains irreplaceable. We may be entering an era where creativity and creative problem-solving hold more value than engineering expertise. As AI simplifies technical configurations and workflow management, professionals will need to focus more on strategy, storytelling, artistry, and audience engagement.
Security, Reliability, and the Risks of Virtualization
Of course, moving production to the cloud introduces new risks. Virtualization, while powerful, must be approached strategically. The greatest danger isn’t necessarily data security breaches—it’s failing to diversify resources.
The key to ensuring reliability in a cloud-driven environment is redundancy. Unlike legacy infrastructure, where a failure of the SDI router could bring down an entire production, modern environments offer the ability to distribute workloads across multiple network paths and cloud data centers. This level of resilience is unprecedented, but only if organizations take advantage of it. Those who rely on a single-threaded workflow are at risk of disruption.
Will Traditional Hardware Disappear?
Despite the rapid shift toward virtualization, traditional hardware solutions will not disappear entirely. Cloud data centers are built on physical hardware, live production still depends on cameras, microphones, and other essential capture devices. If you are not using someone else’s data center, you are building your own. The shift is not about replacing hardware.
TFT 1957 (Television & Film Technologies): What’s Next in Tech: NAB & ISE 2025 Highlights
The media industry is moving toward a hybrid approach—leveraging cloud-based infrastructure for flexibility while maintaining specialized hardware for tasks that still require it. This is not an “either-or” scenario; rather, it’s about optimizing the balance between software-defined solutions and purpose-built hardware.
The Economic Impact on Small and Independent Studios
One of the most exciting aspects of this technological shift is its potential impact on small and independent production studios. The rise of cloud-based media workflows levels the playing field, allowing smaller studios to access enterprise-grade technology without the need for massive capital investment.
In the past, high-end production tools were reserved for large broadcasters with deep pockets. Today, cloud elasticity enables studios of all sizes to scale their operations dynamically. Whether it’s a one-time event that requires high bandwidth and computing power or an ongoing series with fluctuating production demands, cloud-based workflows allow studios to adjust their infrastructure in real time.
This shift is already leading to the rise of new professional studios that operate almost entirely on cloud resources, navigating business cycles with unprecedented agility.
Creativity Without Limits
Perhaps the most significant impact of cloud and virtual solutions is the newfound creative freedom they provide. For some, this transition may seem daunting—after all, new technology always brings uncertainty. But for those willing to embrace it, the possibilities are limitless.
Instead of being confined by physical constraints, creative professionals now have access to an infinite toolbox. The barriers that once defined production—geographic location, hardware limitations, and budgetary constraints—are rapidly fading. The only remaining limitation is imagination.
The future of media technology is not about replacing humans with machines. It’s about empowering content creators with the most powerful tools ever built. We are no longer constrained by the boundaries of traditional production.
Let loose the artists upon this limitless canvas.
