To remain relevant in a converged AV/IT world, the professional AV systems industry must evolve from siloed AV solutions backed by proprietary protocols to AV solutions backed by standardized protocols and cloud-based. Transitioning to the cloud marks the end of a long-standing reliance on hardware-bound AV tech. These changes are quickly building momentum, and organizations must act quickly to keep up with a changing industry.
This move to cloud-native solutions comes amid rising demand for remote management, interoperability, and data-driven automation. As these introduce more moving parts for AV tech setups, they also require a new, interoperable approach.
OpenAV Cloud launched in May 2025 to address these challenges with Panasonic Projector & Display as one of six founding members: Brightsign, Legrand, Shure, Sony and XYTE are also founding members.
It brings together major AV players, integrators, and technology providers to focus on implementing and supporting OpenAPIs, collaboration on a cloud-to-cloud standard protocol, and committing to providing customers with control and portability of their data. In the rapidly changing world, developing and promoting open standards makes the transition easier for all stakeholders than ever before.
OpenAV Cloud: Cloud-Based AV for an Interoperable Future
OpenAV Cloud is a nonprofit industry association promoting open, interoperable, cloud-native AV technology to address inefficiencies caused by proprietary protocols and isolated ecosystems. It advocates for transitioning to the cloud by offering open, read/write cloud-based API options across multiple brands, along with customer-controlled data access and export workflows. In the OpenAV Cloud ecosystem, security and interoperability are defaults, not add-ons.
The entry bar for OpenAV Cloud is set intentionally low to create an inclusive, welcoming environment with minimal friction for collaboration. The OpenAV Cloud association is also putting together a formal charter for membership and committee leadership to formalize the approach toward creating an OpenAV Cloud. This open approach has prompted other leading companies in the AV tech field, alongside Panasonic, to participate. A Discord server has been set up for members of the professional AV systems community to solicit input from system integrators, software developers, A/V consultants, and end users.
Why Pursue Cloud-Based AV Now?
This cloud-based solutions initiative came at just the right time for AV technology. AV environments have already migrated to a networked environment, and increasingly require remote, software-defined management that can be easily integrated with a whole host of IT software platforms. As the professional AV industry drives for more efficiency and integration with IT platforms, these blended environments operate under increasingly strict requirements, meaning that there is less room than ever for downtime.
And now we have the emergence of A.I. technology, which can make the user experience even better.
To meet these needs, corporate, education, and entertainment sectors have been pushing for faster deployment and scaling, unified control systems, and even predictive maintenance (something that industry partners achieve via a combination of A.I. and IoT analytics). These demands require open cloud-based API functionality as well as seamless and secure cloud-to-cloud integration. The alternative is maintaining proprietary stacks, which limits the agility and innovation necessary to meet these demands.
The Potential Impact of Cloud-Based AV
Open, cloud-native solutions have significant implications for customers, integrators, and manufacturers alike.
Customers will enjoy greater control over systems and data, while reducing vendor lock-in. This can translate into some promising use cases in areas that rely on system interoperability, such as occupancy-based signage updates, automated room reassignment, and preemptive system monitoring.
Integrators stand to gain from simplified deployment, accelerating time-to-value for their clients and improving cross-brand device management for easier control of complex environments. Manufacturers can serve both of these groups more readily with faster innovation cycles while also expanding their market reach through compatibility.
Panasonic's Role and Commitment
Panasonic is a founding member of OpenAV Cloud and an advocate within the community for interoperable standards. It is committed to cloud-based API development, remote monitoring and management capabilities, and cross-brand integration.
What's Next for Professional AV Systems?
Bringing a whole industry together is a complex process, and there's still much work to do. The OpenAV Cloud association is starting to make some traction in defining an industry standard, but this will take time. Furthermore, it must also tackle thoughtful considerations such as balancing openness with security. Industry leaders and stakeholders interested in joining the community conversation can visit the OpenAV Cloud Discord server to get involved.
As these challenges fall, members will work together to scale effective governance across a growing community of manufacturers while also providing tangible deliverables for industry partners. Those include building developer tools and resources for integrators.
While the initiative is still in its early days, OpenAV Cloud marks the beginning of a turning point for the AV industry. Its success hinges on continued collaboration and commitment to openness. In the meantime, founding members like Panasonic are constantly following a bright north star: a truly interoperable AV ecosystem that benefits all players.
