No one can predict the future, but the trends and insights from 2024 offer a clear glimpse into where the media and entertainment sector is heading. While the past year brought its share of challenges, it also laid a solid groundwork for innovation and growth. So, what’s in store for 2025?
In our recent webinar, Leanne Tomlin, Global Marketing Director, was joined by Alana Kessler, Sales Director; Jonathan Wray, Regional Sales Manager, EMEA; KC Santos, Senior Sales Director; Nicholas Llewelyn, Solution Architect; and Nick Kind, Sales Manager, AI, to reflect on the industry trends of 2024 and share their outlook for 2025. In this blog, we summarize the key takeaways.
Key themes in 2024
Budget limitations were a central theme throughout the year, forcing organizations to reassess how resources were being allocated. However, as Nick pointed out that budget constraints had begun to ease towards the end of the year, he said, “People are making a lot of plans to resume in 2025,” highlighting that businesses are reallocating funds toward emerging technologies. Alana noted that 2024 had been focused on research and planning, echoing Nick’s sentiment, and adding that organizations were now more informed and ready to spend in the coming year.
This optimism was echoed by Jon, “next year [will be] the real tipping point.” He highlighted that technology was maturing and now aligning more with organizations’ needs, predicting that the deployment of these solutions will enhance workflows and support businesses to get past any budget constraints.
Recalling previous conversations, Nicholas noted that customers had been hesitant to commit to any long-term spending, adding that there was now more of a focus on hybrid workflows where cloud services were being used to store temporary projects in the shorter term. KC had also noticed the increasing adoption of cloud and hybrid storage, adding that intelligent storage was a game-changer in 2024.
What innovations will the industry focus on in 2025?
Continuing its growth from last year, artificial intelligence (AI) will remain at the forefront of industry innovations 2025. As highlighted by the panel, AI’s role in the M&E industry had already expanded significantly and is set to have an even greater impact in the coming year. Nick emphasized how AI-driven tools are increasing automation and enhancing metadata, making content more accessible. Noting how people want to their data now, Nick mentioned how Perifery’s AI solution is producing high quality metadata that enables companies to search and discover their whole archives. KC added that the industry has a better understanding of orchestration versus AI, which will help them select the correct tools and solutions this year.
Nicholas highlighted that a hybrid approach will become increasingly important in media and entertainment workflows and foresees that hybrid storage systems will continue to be adopted into 2025. He said, “it’s not about choosing between on-prem or cloud solutions, it’s more about creating an intelligent storage architecture that can leverage existing assets.” KC agreed with Nicholas on the topic, stating that on-prem and cloud storage can be combined to create an ideal workflow solution for companies.
Challenges
While the panel share mutual optimism for the outlook of 2025, they also acknowledged that there are certain challenges ahead. The legal and ethical implications of AI adoption, particularly in terms of data privacy and security, will demand careful attention.
On the topic of AI, Nick discussed concerns over content privacy. He said, “People don't want their data to be shared with another company's data to train an AI model.” He added that on-prem S3-accessible storage solutions allow organizations to maintain control by keeping content and AI within their own environment. Jon agreed, noting that Perifery’s solutions provide that extra level of protection that customers are looking for.
Sustainability and green initiatives were also discussed. Nicholas pointed out that sustainability is a vast topic and emphasized the importance of taking a balanced approach. He noted that while organizations often focus on immediate capacity needs, modernizing storage infrastructure can yield significant benefits. Replacing aging multi-petabyte clusters with fewer, higher-density nodes equipped with modern technology can dramatically reduce electricity usage and maintenance costs.
Alana also noted challenges due to lack of information and resources among end-users and resellers. With so many solutions available, it can become overwhelming to navigate the options. She said, “The more that we’re able to get face time with prospects and resellers and let them know what we can offer and how our solutions really fit and are complimentary to what potential prospects and end users may already have in their environment, I think will be a really beneficial and productive thing that we can move forward with next year.”
2025: The next chapter
By leveraging informed strategies and collaborative efforts, the world of M&E is well-positioned to turn challenges into opportunities, making 2025 a year of growth, progress, and success.
In 2024, the industry navigated financial constraints, emerging technologies, and evolving audience expectations, setting the stage for a dynamic year ahead. The insights shared by Perifery's panel of experts highlight a promising future for 2025, driven by maturing technologies and a renewed focus on innovation.
Hybrid workflows, AI-powered automation, monetization, and sustainability initiatives will remain at the core, enabling organizations to enhance efficiency and deliver superior content experiences. However, challenges such as data security, ethical considerations, and gaps in resources and knowledge require attention as businesses adopt these innovations.
Stay tuned as Perifery continues to explore these trends. For more insights, watch the full webinar on-demand!
