SVG Sit-Down: Vizrt's Nicholas Jameson on AI in Workflows, Pushing Boundaries With XR/AR Virtual assets may someday soon be changed by voice command By Ken Kerschbaumer
Thursday, May 8, 2025 - 7:00 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
There was a time when Vizrt had to do a lot of evangelizing around the role of extended reality and augmented reality in live sports or studio programming. That is no longer the case: XR and AR were two of the buzziest topics at NAB 2025. Couple that with the growth of AI in data visualization, another core aspect of Vizrt systems, and Vizrt Senior Customer Success Manager Nicholas Jameson had plenty to discuss at the show.
What were some of the key messages for Vizrt at NAB 2025?
Obviously, a lot of the news this year is around the investment in AI and focusing on AI functionality, AI features, and AI models that can help end users with their workload as opposed to just creating crazy graphics. One of the results of that is using AI with Reality Connect and Virtual Studio to allow [for example] talent to interact with AR objects and move around them or even do object tracking or telestration by just moving their arm or hand.
At NAB 2025, Vizrt's Nicholas Jameson noted a focus on AI that can help end users with their workload as opposed to just creating crazy graphics.
For workflow purposes, we want to use AI to make things like Libero and Arena and making them a bit faster and more intuitive and bringing them to the masses. Libero Go, for example, has object tracking and detection using AI, thanks to Nvidia cards that are smaller, denser, and can speed up what were previously longer processes. Viz Arena 5.5 has downstream cut detection, which smooths wipes and dissolves in camera feeds. And there are things like making virtual ads easier and cleaner.
What are some of the trends you are hearing from customers?
The consistent theme, especially from some of those core users, is more people are getting involved with AR. If you had asked me five years ago how many sports teams were doing AR graphics on a regular basis, it would be less than 10. Now there is a market of 120 teams in the U.S. alone that are ready to do AR, and they have the budget and appetite as well.
The networks - Fox, ESPN, NBC, CBS - are pushing the boundaries and chasing after AR. All of them are increasing investments, looking to make AR repeatable and available to all their productions.
Now they are looking at virtual-set extensions and doing keying without the need for a green screen, even taking those workflows to remote locations and quickly spinning up a virtual and an AR studio with keyable assets.
Where do you see generative AI helping take that to the next level?
A lot of people are trying to figure out the best way to use AI, and customers are deciding what they want to do with it. We recently put together a data center that is kind of a backbone data distribution inside the Viz Engine and can do things like creating an AI data connection in Libero that can use tracking and stats data to do things like social-media crops and push out player-specific highlights much more quickly than in the past.
Obviously, at NAB 2025, you continue to highlight virtual sets and volumetric capture, and you've been a leader in those spaces. How are those operations improving?
The new Render Pipeline we introduced in Viz Engine 5 gives more photorealism and realistic graphics with things like casting shadows and reflections. Our integration with Unreal opens a huge market for us, as everybody is building in it and playing around with it. We continue to make sure our Viz Engine renderer supports Unreal, but we also support other 3D build and render platforms, like Cinema 4D and Blender.
The name of the game, ultimately, is making sure you're getting the most out of the hardware platform, and it's all about bringing immersion to a new level. We're seeing users move back to using the Viz Engine renderer as the core render platform, and we can use Unreal so our tracking data can create a smooth look for projects in stadiums or volumetric shoots with players and things like that.
It seems like, at some point, we'll be seeing voice commands to create a virtual-studio environment.
I think so. I've seen a couple of CAD design tools that can create a CAD with voice prompts. Right now, we have the ability for on-air talent to interact with a virtual touchscreen in the virtual studio without the need to buy a physical screen. It uses hand gestures, but we're probably closer than we think to being able to use voice commands to change virtual assets.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
06/12/2025
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. A new survey from Pixitmedia by Datacore revealed a major shift in the Media & Entertainment industry in media archiving, with 85% of resp...
06/12/2025
HACKENSACK, N.J. LiveU has announced that the national public broadcaster Czech Television has completed one of the largest LiveU live production deployments fo...
06/12/2025
NEW YORK The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presented the Excellence in Production Technology Emmy Award to NASA+ and Dr. Tom Leight...
05/12/2025
2025 Sports Broadcasting Hall of Fame: Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nati...
05/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Veritone's Sean King on the Power of Mining Video, Audio DataThe company's Data Refinery offers users total control and governance over da...
05/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: Inside the Nashville Predators' Unified, Flexible, Sca...
05/12/2025
Netflix Reaches Agreement To Acquire Warner Bros. Following Planned WBD SplitThe deal does not include WBDs sports assets like TNT Sports (US, UK, LatAm), Euros...
05/12/2025
FOX Sports Returns to Indianapolis for Primetime Broadcast of Big Ten Championsh...
05/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Digital Engagement & Monetization Workshop Tackles the ...
05/12/2025
Atlanta United Lights Up New Emory Healthcare Studio With First Live Broadcast f...
05/12/2025
As Messi Takes the Pitch, MLS, Apple, NEP Roll Out Largest MLS Cup Production Ev...
05/12/2025
ESPN Enters College Football's Most Intense Month With Elevated Workflows fo...
05/12/2025
It's about that time! Awards season is in full swing, and the Film Independe...
05/12/2025
Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers a personalized look back at the audio that defined your year. It's a snapshot of your listening habits, designed to tell ...
05/12/2025
In 2025, Spotify's EQUAL, GLOW, and RADAR programs celebrated women, LGBTQIA , and emerging artists who turned moments into milestones. From breaking record...
05/12/2025
In our latest blog, we explain how Wi-Fi 7 rollouts can drive consumer loyalty with value-add services such as consumer cybersecurity. We also explore how this ...
05/12/2025
LOS ANGELES Netflix announced it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Nielsens Gracenote has launched Gracenote Content Connect, a new ad platform that provides agencies, brands, supply-side platforms (SSPs) and demand-si...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK In an most important update to the workings of deal-based programmatic advertising, IAB Tech Lab has released version 1.0 of its Deals API for public c...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Pass the turkey. Pass the stuffing. Pass the cranberry sauce. All are common requests of Americans celebrating Thanksgiving Day with family and f...
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
HOLLYWOOD, Calif. Netflix announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the assets of Warner Bros. for $82.7 billion....
05/12/2025
NEW YORK Iris, the new cloud-connected camera control platform, has officially launched with features that turn virtually any PTZ camera into a software-connect...
05/12/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission has approved AT&T's $1.02 billion acquisition of spectrum from UScellular in a decision that was issued sho...
05/12/2025
The Best Coldplay Songs: 21 Tracks That Shoot for the Stars From Yellow to Viva La Vida, Fix You to Paradise, this playlist goes back to the start.
December ...
05/12/2025
Zafris Lecture Series Brings Nabil Ayers to Berklee The 32nd annual James G. Zafris Distinguished Lecture series was held on Thursday, November 13, with guest...
05/12/2025
Friday 5 December 2025
A new Game of Thrones Tale: Official trailer for Sky Exc...
05/12/2025
Back to All News
Don Lee, Lee Jin-uk, and Lalisa Manobal to Star in Netflix Act...
05/12/2025
Tis the season of giving once again and this year we've taken our Give Back Fridays' concept and turned it on its head.
In the autumn we were approach...
05/12/2025
Brayden Gogis doesn't remember a time when he wasn't completely fixated on games in all forms. In preschool, when they asked us to dress up as what we ...
05/12/2025
The Grinch steals the spotlight as the theme for The Late Late Toy Show 2025
Tune in tonight at 9:35pm on RT One and worldwide on RT Player
#LateLateToyShow...
05/12/2025
RT Announces New Presenters of Flagship News Programmes
New RT Six One News co-presenter Tommy Meskill
Sarah McInerney & Justin McCarthy join Morning Ir...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & ...
04/12/2025
ToolsOnAir AJA Ki Pro Event Presets for just:in mac pro 2025 & just:in linux
More Details:Starting with version 5.5, both just:in mac pro and just:in linux sol...
04/12/2025
Wangu Kanuri from Kenya and Godwin Asediba from Ghana are two of this years finalists for Thomsons Young Journalist of the Year Award. The pair are runners-up i...
04/12/2025
SVG Sit-Down: ProximaVision's Claudio Lisman on Why Tethered Drones Could Be...
04/12/2025
SVG Campus Shot Callers: Imry Halevi, Senior Associate Director of Athletics, Co...
04/12/2025
Platinum White Paper: LiveU Lightweight Sports Production: A Step Change in Spor...
04/12/2025
London to Riyadh: DAZN brings the boxing glamour to new production levels for Be...
04/12/2025
Analysis: Paramount bets on the battering ram' with Champions League play By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, December 2, 2025 - 10:12
Print ...
04/12/2025
Space City Home Network Launches SCHN DTC App for Astros and RocketsThe Rockets and Astros were previously the lone NBA and MLB teams without a DTC appBy Jason...
04/12/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: Content Workflows Workshop Spotlights Evolution of Spor...
04/12/2025
New Sponsor Spotlight: Geotech's Patrick Wambold On the Unreal Engine Revolu...
04/12/2025
Curt Gowdy Jr. - Master Storyteller, Nationally and RegionallyBy Jason Dachman, Editorial Director, U.S.
Thursday, December 4, 2025 - 1:52 pm
Print This Sto...
04/12/2025
(L-R) Rebecca Lichtenfeld, Mohammadreza Eyni, Sara Khaki, and Judith Helfand att...
04/12/2025
SBS launches Future Frames initiative to support emerging First Nations video ed...
04/12/2025
Coronal mass ejections caused by eruptions on the surface of the sun can have fa...
04/12/2025
Gracenote Content Connect enables media ecosystem to precisely align ad campaigns and programming based on rich content signals
NEW YORK - December 4, 2025 - N...
SVG Sit-Down: Vizrt's Nicholas Jameson on AI in Workflows, Pushing Boundaries With XR/AR Virtual assets may someday soon be changed by voice command By Ken Kerschbaumer 
