UC leaders are heading into a brand new shopping for cycle with a well-recognized drawback. AI is in all places, however not each AI function is prepared for the actual world.
That is likely one of the key themes on this UC At present interview, as we communicate with Jenn Heinold, Senior Vice President of Expositions for the Americas at AVIXA, forward of InfoComm 2026 in Las Vegas.
The present, produced by AVIXA, will deliver collectively hundreds of AV, IT, office, and collaboration professionals. For UC patrons, the large query is straightforward: which applied sciences are value their time?
Jenn says the strongest AI use circumstances usually are not about changing AV. They’re about bettering it.
“One of the best AI is an enhancement to AV, and never the opposite means round,” Heinold advised UC At present. “One of the best AI is what’s making AV more adept, environment friendly, and personalised.”
That sensible view is shaping a lot of the occasion. It’s also behind the brand new AVIXA AI Accelerator, a full-day program centered on placing AI into motion.
Jenn explains that this system will transfer past concept. It is going to give attention to workshops, governance, frameworks, and actual deployment questions.
“It’s not about AI in concept,” Heinold stated. “It’s actually about coming collectively, doing workshops and dealing teams on tips on how to put AI into motion.”
InfoComm 2026 Highlights AI, UC, and Good Office Tech
For UC and IT patrons, one of the vital necessary areas to observe is the Good Office software hub.
Jenn says this a part of the present was constructed round a selected request from finish customers. They didn’t wish to see remoted merchandise. They wished to see full working environments.
The Good Office hub will embrace foyer areas, particular person work pods, occasion and broadcast areas, convention rooms, Microsoft Groups Rooms, digital signage, office analytics, and safety applied sciences.
That issues as a result of UC choices are now not restricted to at least one platform or one system. Patrons want to grasp how the entire office expertise stack works collectively.
“I don’t come to InfoComm for only one product. I come to construct an area,” Heinold stated, reflecting the suggestions AVIXA heard from finish customers.
This makes the hub particularly related for enterprise groups planning assembly room upgrades, hybrid work methods, and AI-enabled collaboration areas.
Why Interoperability Nonetheless Issues for UC Patrons
The interview additionally explores interoperability. It stays one of many greatest challenges for UC groups.
Many organizations are standardizing round platforms equivalent to Microsoft Groups. However they nonetheless want cameras, microphones, shows, room programs, signage, analytics, and administration instruments to work collectively.
Jenn believes the business is shifting in the suitable path.
“We’re listening to a honest dedication from the business to collaborate throughout the completely different instruments,” Heinold stated. “A few of the partitions which have been there are positively coming down.”
That shift could possibly be necessary for 2027 shopping for choices. UC leaders are on the lookout for expertise that reduces complexity, not instruments that create extra integration work.
Jenn additionally factors UC patrons towards Central Corridor, which is themed round work options. It is going to function conferencing, collaboration, digital signage, command and management, and office applied sciences.
She additionally highlights the Imaginative and prescient Stage, plus keynote periods from Microsoft and Cisco centered on AI in collaboration environments.
AV, IT, Broadcast, and AI Are Converging
A significant theme working via the dialog is convergence.
Jenn says InfoComm has lengthy centered on the convergence of AV and IT. Now, that checklist is increasing.
“I actually really feel like 2026 is the yr of convergence for AV, IT, broadcast, and AI,” Heinold stated.
For UC leaders, that convergence is necessary. Collaboration expertise is changing into a part of a a lot wider office expertise. Assembly rooms, broadcast studios, analytics, signage, safety, and AI instruments are more and more linked.
That’s the reason InfoComm 2026 may provide a helpful view of the traits patrons might be chasing subsequent yr.
Watch the complete UC At present interview to listen to Jenn Heinold clarify the place UC leaders ought to focus at InfoComm 2026, how AI is altering office expertise, and why sensible, built-in environments have gotten central to the way forward for work.
