Complex technology stacks, tighter budgets, and rising expectations, this year’s MPTS brought the challenges from the media industry into sharp focus. In this blog, our Product Marketing Manager, Rhian Morgan, shares her top takeaways from the event.
1. Concerns over a widening skills gap
One of the most consistent themes was the complex and growing skills shortage in the industry. As workflows evolve and tools become more sophisticated, the need for both technical fluency and hands-on experience is rising. But many teams are struggling to keep up. Professionals are eager to modernize, but they often lack the knowledge, tools, or confidence to take the leap. So, how do we bridge the gap between technology and talent?
There’s a clear need for more than just innovation. It calls for better education, targeted training, and ongoing support. Technology providers have a responsibility to not just sell the technology, but to empower people to use it well.
2. Cost pressures are holding back innovation
High-end technology continues to raise the bar for quality, but the cost of these tools often puts them out of reach. Unpredictable cash flows and tighter budgets are fuelling hesitancy, especially when clients are reluctant to invest in the infrastructure required to deliver premium results.
However, expectations around output haven’t lowered. Teams are being asked to do more with less, which is creating real pressure. This makes value-driven innovation more important than ever. Tools that are scalable, cost-transparent, and easy to integrate will resonate most. The key is to prove their ROI, which will help teams justify the investment.
3. Users want streamlined, purpose-driven tools
“Make it simple” – a message that was echoed across multiple sessions. As teams are expected to do more with less, demand is growing for intuitive, interoperable, and reliable solutions.
In this context, tools that feel familiar, reduce cognitive load, and slot seamlessly into existing pipelines are far more likely to be adopted. Teams are moving past the lure of shiny features and chasing trends. Instead, they want purpose-driven solutions that genuinely solve problems.
4. AI: Beyond the hype
And that leads us to AI. Rather than the grand visions of replacing entire workflows, it was refreshing to see that organizations are approaching artificial intelligence with an element of reality. The focus now appears to be on practical, incremental uses of AI, with a call for tools that assist with automating repetitive tasks such as transcription, indexing, and content enrichment. These are the kinds of use cases that offer real, immediate value without requiring teams to completely rethink how they work.
The industry seems to be in an era of purposeful AI that saves time, enhances creativity, and helps teams make smarter decisions.
5. Hybrid is hitting the sweet spot
Ah, the long-standing debate of cloud vs. on-prem vs. hybrid. At this year's event, it seems that hybrid workflows were clearly in the spotlight. In the session ‘Cloud vs Real Estate’, the consensus was that while cloud adoption remains popular, many teams still rely on trusted legacy tools. Hybrid models offer the best of both worlds, allowing teams to evolve at their own pace while maintaining reliability.
There is a fear of change within the industry, driven in part by overloaded teams, complex infrastructures, and a flood of buzzwords. What media professionals really wasn’t are streamlined, intuitive tools that work seamlessly and fit into existing environments without disruption. And at the minute, hybrid solutions are hitting the mark.
6. Collaboration has gone global
With production teams scattered across countries and time zones, collaboration tools are a critical part of any media workflow. Tools that support seamless file sharing, real-time feedback, and centralized media access are essential for keeping the creative momentum going. But it’s about more than simply connecting people, it’s about enabling workflows to move faster, smarter, and with fewer barriers.
Tools need to not only be accessible, but also intuitive, integrated, and designed to support the way teams actually work. Solutions that remove friction and enable true creative collaboration will be the ones that lead the way.
7. Sustainability: On the radar, but not yet a priority
Although I didn’t make it to any sustainability-focused sessions, the topic was discussed in others I attended. While most teams recognize its importance, sustainability tends to take a back seat to cost, speed, and practicality in the decision-making hierarchy.
That said, there are encouraging signs of progress. During the session, ‘Virtual Production: State of the Nation’, concepts such as virtual sets and remote collaboration tools were highlighted as cost-effective, greener alternatives, as they can be incorporated to reduce travel and physical builds. There's real potential here, but it has to make operational and financial sense, and not just be a tick box exercise.
In summary: MPTS 2025 showed that the future is hybrid, automated, and global – but only if we make it usable, affordable, and human-centric. Across the board, there’s an urgent need to align powerful technology with real-world challenges: bridging skill gaps, justifying investment, simplifying tools, and enabling smarter collaboration.
As an industry, we’re no longer dazzled by the newest features or trendiest buzzwords. What matters now is purpose-driven innovation that truly empowers teams.
Want to hear more from the Pixitmedia team on their thoughts and takeaways from industry events? Register for our upcoming webinar.
