ISE 2026. Bigger, busier, and more strategic.
ISE Barcelona 2026 closed another record-setting edition, welcoming 92,170 attendees and 1,751 exhibitors from across the global AV ecosystem. The mood on the show floor was energetic and confident, with strong international representation and packed halls from day one.
At the same time, industry conversations were pragmatic. While innovation and visual impact were everywhere, discussions consistently centered on scalability, execution, and business value. ISE 2026 felt less like a showcase of concepts and more like a reflection of where the AV and digital signage market is today.
Below are the most relevant trends our team observed at ISE 2026, focusing on digital signage, workplace communication, and space management.
1. Software platforms took center stage
Across the show, the focus shifted decisively from individual hardware components to software-driven platforms. While display technology continues to evolve, exhibitors and industry leaders emphasized content orchestration, management layers, integrations, and analytics as the primary sources of differentiation.
Companies such as Sony used their presence to highlight not only display hardware, but also the broader ecosystem and management capabilities across their portfolio.
Digital signage is increasingly presented as a platform capability rather than a standalone CMS, reflecting buyer expectations for broader control, consistency, and scalability.
2. AI was everywhere, with a focus on real use cases
AI-first signage was one of the most visible themes across ISE 2026. It appeared in CMS workflows, content creation, device management, and analytics discussions. Importantly, the tone around AI has shifted. Conversations focused less on experimentation and more on practical application, including productivity gains, operational efficiency, and smarter decision-making.
Pre-show briefings, partner events, and conference sessions highlighted AI as a core part of future AV and signage strategies, rather than a feature add-on.
3. Buyers are pushing for simplicity in a fragmented ecosystem
Despite years of innovation, the AV and signage ecosystem remains highly fragmented. Multiple operating systems, hardware vendors, and standards continue to coexist. This fragmentation was openly acknowledged by industry leaders and analysts at ISE.
As a result, enterprise buyers are increasingly favoring simpler architectures and fewer platforms that can manage complexity behind the scenes while remaining flexible across environments.
Distributors and integrators are prioritizing simplicity and gravitating toward platforms equipped with robust multi-tenant capabilities to efficiently manage client needs.
4. Digital signage is positioned as business-critical infrastructure
Signage was consistently framed as mission-critical technology, not just a visual layer. Use cases across QSR, workplace, education, transport, and public venues showed signage supporting customer journeys, employee communication, wayfinding, and operational workflows.
This reflects a broader shift in how organizations view signage. It is no longer peripheral. It is part of how spaces function and how information flows across organizations.
5. Proactive operations are becoming a core requirement for AV and IT teams
Another defining theme at ISE 2026 was the rising demand from AV and IT teams for more proactive ways to manage digital signage networks. As deployments scale and resources remain constrained, many practitioners described the challenges of reactive workflows driven by user complaints or manual checks.
Conversations increasingly centered on the need for early issue detection, clearer diagnostics, and tools that reduce operational burden. In this context, Korbyt Screen Detective resonated strongly with attendees for its ability to surface device issues and support earlier intervention.
Proactive device management is shifting from a value-add to an expected capability for enterprise platforms.
6. Enterprise scale, security, and governance are now baseline requirements
As signage platforms connect to more data sources and operational systems, cybersecurity, compliance, and governance featured prominently in industry discussions. These requirements were consistently described as non-negotiable, particularly in enterprise and regulated environments.
ISE 2026 reinforced that enterprise readiness is not optional. Buyers expect solutions that scale globally, align with governance models, and operate reliably across regions and teams.
7. Visual excellence is expected. Intelligence is the differentiator.
ISE once again delivered striking visual experiences, with immersive installations, large-format displays, and creative executions across the show floor. However, coverage and commentary consistently positioned visual impact as an expectation, not a differentiator.
What stood out were experiences driven by context, data, and real-time inputs, rather than static or looping content. The emphasis was on how visuals are powered and managed, not just how they look.
8. Market momentum remains strong, despite longer decision cycles
Industry leaders pointed to longer buying cycles and delayed projects, driven by economic uncertainty and more deliberate decision-making. At the same time, ISE 2026 demonstrated clear momentum. Attendance, exhibitor presence, and ecosystem growth all pointed to sustained demand.
The takeaway was consistent. When projects move forward, they are larger, more strategic, and increasingly platform-oriented.
Final thoughts
ISE 2026 confirmed that digital signage is evolving into a core layer of workplace and customer experience infrastructure. The conversation has moved beyond screens and spectacle toward platforms that simplify complexity, scale globally, and support intelligent, data-driven communication.
As the industry continues this shift, software, AI, and operational maturity are becoming the defining factors of success.
At the show, Korbyt showcased the latest additions to its 5CAI agent suite which brought home the Best of Show award, including:
- ConciergeAI, a conversational assistant to book spaces seamlessly
- Screen Detective, the first feature of CommandAI for intelligent device management
- New contextual editing capabilities within CreateAI for faster, brand-aligned creative workflows
- Native Canva app integration automates digital signage content right within the Korbyt platform
If you’d like to learn more about the AI features Korbyt demonstrated at ISE, view our playlist here.
