IBC 2025 in Amsterdam was not just another trade show — it was a compass-setting experience for many of us navigating the evolving terrain of media, content tech, and digital broadcast. Whether through carefully curated panels, fast-paced booth conversations, or serendipitous exchanges in the hallways or during the many networking opportunities, what became clear is this: we’re in a moment of industry realignment — not just in tech stacks, but in expectations.

At Rare Crew, we’ve always believed that innovation happens in the spaces between – between industries, people, technological possibilities and expectations. IBC 2025 made those spaces tangible.

It Wasn’t About Just “Being Seen” — It Was About Meeting With Purpose

This year’s IBC stood out for a simple but powerful reason: conversations were deliberate. As shared in one of the post-event debriefs, the event’s vibe was “quality over quantity.” It was less about badge scans and booth footfall — and more about pre-arranged meetings that mattered, smaller networking groups all around, market-aligned use cases, and the ability to move conversations forward in meaningful ways.

For Rare Crew, this translated into:

• Focused meetings with content-tech innovators and digital broadcasters
• Interest in our modular software approach, especially for independent studios
• Requests for follow-ups around (digital) asset management, license, and freelancer management

While others noted the absence of some big-name footfall, we found that the right people came — from teams seeking operational clarity to CTOs scouting solutions for post-production challenges and data-driven storytelling.

The Industry Has Moved From AI Theory to Real Use Cases

One of the central themes that echoed strongly across IBC 2025 was the maturation of AI from a buzzword to a toolkit.

This year, AI wasn’t about “magic,” but practical implementation:

• AI agents used in live broadcast production environments
• Multimodal AI for subtitle quality control and archive restoration
• Clear acknowledgment of AI fatigue and governance risks

Rare Crew’s takeaway? The AI race is no longer about being first. It’s about being useful, practical and as much close to reality as possible. And in a room full of global broadcasters and tech firms, the appetite was for AI that simplifies complex workstreams, not overwhelms them. The task now is to use AI well to our advantage.

A New Generation Is Emerging – And We’re Listening

One of the most inspiring undercurrents of IBC was the clear presence of younger talent. Multiple organizations — from public broadcasters like RTE and Globo to large studios — brought junior teams to learn, engage, and explore.

As discussed in the debrief, this younger demographic isn’t just the future — they are the current accelerators of change:

• They ask “why” before “how”
• They care about values and work-life balance
• They cross boundaries — between broadcast, gaming, AV, and content creation

At Rare Crew, this aligns closely with our approach. We’ve built our teams to be cross-functional and open to the evolving needs of content-driven organizations — from digital broadcasters and rights-holders to production agencies and creative teams — and we’re seeing those investments reflected in our client conversations.

The Show Must Go Beyond the Show

One must be prepared and maintain relationships, which is something we understand how important this is and what we are trying to do with our clients and partners. It’s been said that: “If you're not speaking to the right people before IBC, it’s already too late.”

That’s exactly right. Trade shows are no longer about just showing up - they’re about continuity, diligent work and cooperation. Our takeaway from IBC 2025 isn’t just about who we met, but what we’re doing with it now:

• Scheduling follow-ups with companies we met at IBC.
• Publishing this blog and our newsletter to keep the conversation going.
• Preparing bespoke materials for partners who expressed interest in our solutions for content ops, compliance, processes automation, freelancer engagement, etc., interest in our market expertise and custom services in software development.

Looking Ahead with Purpose

For all the talk about AI and automation, the strongest theme at IBC 2025 was actually human. Human curiosity. Human collaboration. Human innovation. And a human-centered approach to solving complex problems.

Rare Crew’s mission has always been to design technology that enables people to do their best work — faster, smarter, and without unnecessary friction, systematically and in a measurable way. What IBC showed us is that the world is catching up to that philosophy.

We’re excited for what’s next — and we’re ready to keep the momentum going.

Interested in discussing a project with Rare Crew or just learning more about our services? Book a meeting with us to start transforming your company's digital operations.