Philip Grossman, editor of TKT1957, in the TKT1957 survey «The year 2030: AI or engineer?».

1. How will the broadcasting industry and broadcast technologies change in the next 5 years?
2. If we model the world of broadcasting and broadcast tech in 2030, what role will AI play?
3. How will AI change your business segment?
4. Which professions will AI displace in the broadcasting technology industry by 2030?

1. How will the broadcasting industry and broadcast technologies change in the next 5 years?

I believe that over the next 5 years, the focus will be on optimizing current technological advancements (IP, HDR, UHD/8K) and distribution models. The broadcast industry typically does not embrace rapid changes, as systems must remain stable to ensure optimal revenue maintenance and growth. Broadcast engineers need to trust that the technology will work consistently.

There have been numerous changes over the past 5 to 8 years (IP, HDR, UHD, 8K, OTT, etc.), and I believe that in the next 5 to 10 years, we will see fewer “industry-changing” technologies. Instead, there will likely be a refinement of existing technologies and improvements to those already in place.

The number of viewers (“eyeballs”) has not significantly changed over the past decade; however, the amount of time these viewers can be reached has increased due to smartphones, tablets, OTT, and other platforms. Over the next decade, I believe the broadcast industry will focus on determining which technologies genuinely improve the bottom line and which are merely “window dressing.”

2. I think AI will find its place by enabling organizations to do more with less. I don’t believe AI will completely replace any single role, but it will reduce workloads across various roles, potentially allowing organizations to downsize. This situation is similar to the advent of producer/editors. In the past, newsrooms had both producers and editors, but as editing software improved and the ability to capture high-quality content on lower-cost devices (smartphones, GoPros, etc.) became easier, many organizations began seeking out dual roles.

I believe AI will drive this trend further over the next 6 years. It will reduce the load on tasks like script editing, content tagging, bookkeeping, and more. It will also help graphic creators reduce time to air and possibly enhance creativity by sparking new ideas.

3. AI will help optimize various elements within the television production workflow. For example, AI camera tracking will reduce the manpower required for events or enable greater coverage with existing staff. Other areas that will benefit include ad optimization in creating traffic lists and automation tasks within master control environments.

4. I don’t know if any professions will be fully displaced, but team sizes may be reduced, or more work might be accomplished with the existing staff. AI will not necessarily replace people, but people using AI will replace people.

All the opinions of industry leaders can be seen in the survey “Year 2030: AI or Engineer?”.