This year’s IBC attendance was marginally down with 43,858 visitors – a decline of around 2,000 from 2024 – but exhibitors, anecdotally, reported an air of optimism, more customer meetings, and crucially, conversations with serious prospects rather than casual browsers.

And, as industry veteran, Ben Keen, observed, IBC 2025 will be remembered as “the first show where AI moved from hyped vapourware to deployable applications with genuinely valuable use cases.” After years of ambitious promises, artificial intelligence may have finally crossed the threshold from concept to practical implementation.

A lot to unpack then. Which is precisely what we did at this week’s OTT Question Time Online. 

Together with Ben Keen, Tom Smith, co-founder and Creative Director of FX Digital, and Stephane David, Head of Partnerships & Business Development EMEA at Tivo, we explored:

• What the vibe was really like in the halls and meeting rooms
• What the two vendors (FX Digital and TiVo/Xperi) were pitching
• Which other solutions and technologies genuinely impressed
• And what the IBC buzz reveals about the next stage of the industry