The executive behind the iconic global trade show held each year in Las Vegas (April 18–22) joins Industry Voices to break down the key developments for this year’s edition, the elements that make NAB Show distinctive, and the trends shaping the evolution of the industry: “The challenge is integrating new tools without disrupting existing operations”

*This content is included in the March issue of TM BROADCAST. You can access the full magazine here.

It is not only about hearing about isolated trends, but about testing them in real-world environments and within an interconnected ecosystem. This is one of the ideas Karen Chupka, EVP of Global Connections and Events at NAB Show, repeatedly emphasizes — and one of the aspects that, in her view, makes an event like NAB Show truly distinctive. With the upcoming edition of the event approaching (April 18–22, 2026, at the Las Vegas Convention Center, USA), we have the opportunity to welcome her as this month’s guest in our Industry Voices section.

In line with what other professionals who have appeared in this space have noted, the debate among industry players is no longer whether technologies such as IP, cloud or artificial intelligence can be integrated into companies’ workflows, but how to do so. In this context, Chupka highlights the value of the event: “The Show is one of the few places where the entire ecosystem can examine how those pieces fit together.”

 “AI, cloud and IP workflows are increasingly part of the same production architecture, and the Show is one of the few places where the entire ecosystem can examine how those pieces fit together”

Among these technologies, artificial intelligence stands out — as expected. Chupka illustrates this with a telling figure: “This year the Show will feature roughly twice as many AI-focused exhibitors as last year, which reflects how quickly AI tools are moving from experimentation into everyday production workflows.”

Another key element she emphasizes is NAB Show’s ability to bring together the entire industry. The Show has deep roots in broadcast engineering, but today it spans the full lifecycle of media, from content creation and production to distribution and monetization.” In this regard, she adds: “Streaming platforms, technology providers, sports organizations, creators, postproduction teams and enterprise media groups are all part of the same conversation. That range creates a setting where discussions about technology, storytelling and business models happen side by side.”

In a conversation we held around this time last year (which you can read here), Chupka pointed to sports and the emergence of new professional profiles entering the sector as areas of growing interest for NAB Show. Those themes remain fully relevant this year, although — as she explains — they are part of a broader shift: “Those themes absolutely continue, but they’re part of a broader picture where the media ecosystem is becoming more interconnected than ever.”

Attendance projections for this year’s edition, the economic impact of the event and the main highlights of the program are also among the topics addressed in this conversation.

Below is the interview.

First, what are your expectations for the upcoming edition of NAB Show?

The overall expectation for the 2026 NAB Show is that it will reflect just how quickly the media and broadcast technology landscape is evolving. Across the industry we’re seeing rapid changes in production workflows, distribution models and the tools used to create content.

That momentum is already showing up in the numbers. We’re projecting roughly 60,000 attendees from around 160 countries and about 1,100 exhibitors, including roughly 125 companies exhibiting for the first time. Registrations are pacing well ahead of the last few years, which suggests people are eager to come together and see how these technologies are actually being applied.

What makes the Show unique is that you’re not just hearing about trends, you’re seeing them demonstrated in real production environments. Engineers, creators and technology providers are all exploring how the next generation of media infrastructure will work.

“Instead of reading about technologies in isolation, professionals can see how systems interact, compare approaches and talk directly with the companies building them”

Based on your conversations with industry leaders, what technological trends do you expect to dominate discussions at this year’s NAB Show?

Artificial intelligence will clearly be one of the dominant themes. This year the Show will feature roughly twice as many AI-focused exhibitors as last year, which reflects how quickly AI tools are moving from experimentation into everyday production workflows.

But AI isn’t the only conversation. Industry leaders are also focused on how cloud-based production, IP infrastructure and automation are reshaping the way content is created and delivered. The question many organizations are asking now is not whether these technologies will be adopted, but how to integrate them with existing broadcast systems while maintaining reliability and quality.

What’s interesting is that these technologies are converging. AI, cloud and IP workflows are increasingly part of the same production architecture, and the Show is one of the few places where the entire ecosystem can examine how those pieces fit together.

“Live sports sit right at the intersection of technology, storytelling and audience engagement, and many of the innovations shaping broadcast workflows are happening in that space”

From your perspective, what role does NAB Show play in helping the broadcast and audiovisual industry navigate the current period of transformation?

Periods of rapid technological change can be challenging for any industry. Engineers and technology leaders are often evaluating dozens of possible solutions at once, while also trying to maintain existing infrastructure.

NAB Show provides a place where those conversations can happen in a very practical way. Instead of reading about technologies in isolation, professionals can see how systems interact, compare approaches and talk directly with the companies building them.

In that sense, the Show acts as a bridge between innovation and implementation. It allows the industry to move from theoretical discussion to real-world deployment.

In the interview we had last year, you mentioned that sport and the emergence of new professional profiles entering the sector were among the areas of interest for NAB Show. What would you highlight as the main focus areas of this edition? Will these topics continue to play a prominent role, or have new priorities emerged?

Sports continue to be one of the most dynamic areas of the media business, so it remains a major focus. That’s why the Sports Summit has expanded to four full days this year. Live sports sit right at the intersection of technology, storytelling and audience engagement, and many of the innovations shaping broadcast workflows are happening in that space.

At the same time, the Show is also reflecting the rise of new professional roles across the industry. Creators, enterprise media teams and technology specialists are increasingly working alongside traditional broadcasters. The expanded Creator Lab speaks directly to that shift, providing programming focused on both production tools and the business side of content creation.

So those themes absolutely continue, but they’re part of a broader picture where the media ecosystem is becoming more interconnected than ever.

Attracting first-time visitors is also a priority for NAB, as you mentioned in our previous interview. What specific initiatives do you plan to launch this year to attract these new attendees?

One of the most important ways to attract new attendees is to make the Show relevant to the full range of professionals now working in media and content production.

That’s part of the reason we’ve expanded areas like Creator Lab and strengthened programming around enterprise video production. It’s also why we’ve added a second AI Pavilion. Many companies that historically weren’t part of the broadcast industry are now producing high-quality video internally, and they’re looking for guidance on tools, workflows and distribution strategies.

We’ve also focused on making the overall experience easier to navigate, both through the layout of the Las Vegas Convention Center campus and through tools like a new and improved NAB Show app, which will help attendees discover sessions, plan their schedule and connect with exhibitors.

“Creators, enterprise media teams and technology specialists are increasingly working alongside traditional broadcasters. The expanded Creator Lab speaks directly to that shift”

How do you expect the current geopolitical developments to affect NAB Show, considering that a significant part of your audience comes from outside the United States?

NAB Show has always been an international gathering point for the industry, and that continues to be the case. Right now we’re seeing strong global participation, with attendees expected from about 160 countries and more than 20 percent of registrations coming from outside the United States.

Of course, global travel conditions can influence how people plan their schedules, but what we consistently see is that the value of bringing the industry together in one place remains very strong. Broadcast and media technology are global businesses, and many companies rely on NAB Show as a place to meet partners, evaluate systems and move projects forward.

So while the global context is always evolving, the Show continues to serve as an important meeting point for the international media community. If attendees and exhibitors from outside the United States have questions about issues like visa requirements, they can find the most current information on the NAB Show website.

How do you see the positioning of NAB Show within the global ecosystem of industry trade shows? Put more informally, what place does NAB aim to occupy alongside other major international events such as IBC or ISE?

Each major industry event plays an important role, and many professionals attend more than one during the year. What distinguishes NAB Show is the breadth of the ecosystem it brings together.

The Show has deep roots in broadcast engineering, but today it spans the full lifecycle of media, from content creation and production to distribution and monetization. Streaming platforms, technology providers, sports organizations, creators, postproduction teams and enterprise media groups are all part of the same conversation. That range creates a setting where discussions about technology, storytelling and business models happen side by side.

For many companies, NAB Show is the premier location where the entire media supply chain is visible in one environment. With thousands of exhibitors and attendees, including international delegations and country pavilions, the Show functions as both a global marketplace and a meeting point for partnerships, product launches and industry collaboration.

Looking ahead, how do you imagine the evolution of NAB Show over the next five years?

NAB Show will continue evolving alongside the industry it serves. As technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud infrastructure and software-defined production mature, the conversations around them will likely become even more integrated into everyday workflows.

We’ll also see continued growth in areas like sports media, the creator economy and enterprise video production. These sectors are increasingly connected to traditional broadcast infrastructure, and the Show provides a place where those relationships can develop.

What won’t change is the core purpose of NAB Show: bringing the global storytelling community together to explore how content is created, distributed and experienced.

 “Global travel conditions can influence how people plan their schedules, but what we consistently see is that the value of bringing the industry together in one place remains very strong”

To conclude, if you had to identify, from your perspective, one key challenge and one major opportunity for the industry today, what would they be?

One of the biggest challenges is managing the pace of technological change. Media organizations are evaluating new tools constantly — artificial intelligence, cloud workflows, automation — and the challenge is integrating those systems without disrupting existing operations.

At the same time, that transformation creates enormous opportunity. The ability to produce, distribute and personalize content has never been greater. Technologies that once required massive infrastructure can now be deployed much more flexibly, opening the door for new voices and new business models.

For the industry, the opportunity lies in combining those innovations with the storytelling expertise that broadcasters and creators already possess.

Is there any strategic aspect for NAB that we haven’t mentioned and that you believe is important to highlight?

One thing that often stands out about NAB Show is the level of collaboration that happens when the industry gathers in one place.

Engineers, creators, executives and technology companies all arrive with different perspectives, but they’re often working on the same challenges. What frequently happens is that those conversations lead to partnerships, new ideas and sometimes entirely new ways of working. In fact, our post-Show survey data shows that nearly US$17 billion in business is generated each year through connections made at NAB Show.

That kind of real-world impact is what keeps people coming back and what keeps the Show relevant year after year.

NAB Show in numbers 

“We’re projecting roughly 60,000 attendees from around 160 countries and about 1,100 exhibitors, including roughly 125 companies exhibiting for the first time”

“Nearly US$17 billion in business is generated each year through connections made at NAB Show”