The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) has outlined plans for its 2025 Media Technology Summit, set for October 13–16, 2025, at the Pasadena Convention Center in California. The program emphasizes artificial intelligence interoperability, cloud workflows, and advanced imaging as the media industry navigates rapid technical change.
Table of Contents
Focus on AI Interoperability
The summit expands a dedicated track on AI, concentrating on how models, tools, and services exchange data across postproduction and live broadcast systems. Sessions will examine metadata consistency, content verification, automated quality control, and pathways for aligning standards so AI tools can operate across vendors and facilities.
Organizers aim to bring together broadcasters, studios, vendors, and standards bodies to promote shared approaches to transparency and accountability in algorithmic workflows. Draft recommendations discussed at the event are expected to guide future standardization efforts.
Cloud and Virtual Production
Another theme centers on hybrid production pipelines that combine on-premise hardware with cloud rendering and remote collaboration. Case studies will address latency reduction, frame-accurate synchronization between real and virtual cameras, and resilience for multi-location productions. Demonstrations are planned to highlight access to capabilities that were previously limited to large facilities.
Sustainability in Media Engineering
The program brings a sustainability lens to codec choices, power optimization, and virtualized editing environments. Sessions in a “green pipelines” series will discuss the energy implications of AI training and inference, as well as strategies to reduce the carbon footprint of storage arrays, render farms, and live production.
Workshops, Students, and the Innovation Zone
Professional development includes technical workshops on color management, HDR calibration, and IP-based media transport. Student programming and mentorship opportunities seek to connect early-career engineers with experienced practitioners.
An expanded Innovation Zone will showcase startups and academic projects in areas such as real-time graphics, machine learning, and immersive storytelling. A “future labs” area will invite hands-on feedback for prototypes from developers and researchers.
Standards Forum and Collaboration
A one-day Standards Forum is planned to convene roundtables on harmonizing AI and metadata frameworks across regions. Outcomes from these sessions are intended to inform SMPTE working groups and collaborations with international organizations.
Why It Matters
As studios, broadcasters, and streaming platforms adopt AI and cloud workflows, common technical foundations become critical for reliability and long-term preservation. The 2025 summit positions SMPTE to steer best practices that keep creative ambitions aligned with interoperable, secure, and sustainable technology.
Find out more about the Summit at https://summit.smpte.org/2025
