NAB 2026: AI Will Make Its Presence Felt in Audio Offerings, Presentations

Here's a look at some of the new products and updates, along with audio-centric conferences, that attendees will find next week at the show

When the 2026 NAB Show opens on April 19, dozens of audio-technology companies will be on hand to remind us that, without sound, a broadcast is just a silent movie.

On the educational side, the NAB Convention will offer an array of tutorials, panels, and presentations reflecting the impact of artificial intelligence on all aspects of broadcast and streaming, including sound. Some will focus on seminal issues, such as capturing quality audio and using it for compelling narratives.

This NAB Show comes at a time of generational, technological, and financial upheaval in the media sector. In the course of barely a year, Hollywood studio Skydance and its tech-heir owner David Ellison, powered largely by his father Larry's Oracle empire, acquired both Paramount Studios and - regulatory approvals pending but all but guaranteed - Warner Discovery. In the process, it also inherits those brands' huge sports-media rights, which rival those of Disney's ESPN, as well as sound departments that are truly world-class. That's especially notable as sports and entertainment media continue to converge, sometimes even sharing sound effects.

Those titanic external forces have already impacted audio: NAB 2026 will open about a month after CBS, a media giant in its own right and part of the Paramount acquisition, announced the shuttering of its century-old radio division, an avatar of broadcast's quintessential medium: audio. CBS News Radio served as the foundation for everything we have built since 1927, CBS News President Tom Cibrowski wrote in a memo noting the approaching centennial.

But audio is a dominant presence in the Las Vegas Convention Center's newly renovated Central Hall, which will also house the show's TV and Radio HQ, whose remit includes audio-heavy podcasters and creators. (The HQ area had been in the West Hall for several years.)

So enjoy the new environment as you parse how the new paradigm is going to sound. Below are a few of the excellent audio-centric presentations on tap, as well as a curated list of new and updated offerings from key exhibitors.

On the Conference Calendar

Getting Great Audio to Your Camera (Saturday, April 18, 1:00-2:45 p.m., N240/N242): Explaining how to capture clean, professional-quality audio directly to your camera and ensure the video sounds as good as it looks, it will discuss microphones, boom technique, on-location recording, and the essential hardware and software needed for reliable, high-quality sound.

AI in Broadcast Audio: From Sound Isolation to Intelligent Coverage (Sunday, April 19, 2:00-2:30 p.m., N261): Fireside chat will explore how AI-driven sound isolation highlights gameplay action, dialog, and commentary with greater consistency while keeping crowd and venue noise natural and controlled. It will also look at how array-microphone technologies and software-defined coverage are expanding how sound can be captured and shaped in live production.

The AI Audio Revolution: Intelligent Broadcast Workflows and Creative Production Reimagined (Sunday, April 19, 2:00-3:00 p.m., N261) - Two complementary panels will explore how AI is transforming audio, from live broadcast to music and spoken-word creation. Featuring experts from Shure, the first will examine AI-driven sound isolation, array-microphone technologies, and emerging agent-based workflows that simplify complex live mixes and elevate coverage. The second panel will expand the lens to creators and media companies, showcasing how AI accelerates music production, voice generation, localization, and spoken-word workflows while reshaping licensing and business models. Together, the discussions will reveal how intelligent audio tools are redefining production speed, creativity, and storytelling.

Sound On: How Audio Drives Storytelling (Monday, April 20 11:30 a.m.-noon, C9226 Creator Lab Theater): Sound plays a critical role in how content is experienced. Hear how creator and enterprise teams are prioritizing music to elevate storytelling and support content at scale.

Professional Audio Workflows in Premiere Pro (Monday, April 20, 2:45-3:45 p.m., N235/N237): Featuring independent artist Luisa Winters, the session will discuss delivering a practical, editor-friendly workflow for mixing, repairing, and enhancing audio directly in your timeline so your projects sound polished, consistent, and delivery-ready without slowing down your edit. It will also explore how AI can accelerate audio cleanup, generation, and mixing while keeping you in full creative control.

Smarter Sound: Using AI in Your Audio Post-Production (Tuesday, April 21, 2:45-3:45 p.m., N235/N237): Exploring how AI can significantly enhance workflows, improve sound quality, and save time, the presentation will cover the latest tech and smartest workflows.

Improving AM Coverage and the Future of Digital Radio Listening (Tuesday, April 21, 4:15-4:45 p.m., C2450 TV and Radio HQ) - NAB VP, Advanced Engineering, David Layer will share updates on NRSC research exploring AM single-frequency networks to strengthen reception and expand coverage, plus what today's hybrid deployments reveal about metadata and user experience. The session will conclude with the key takeaway: why broadcasters should be deploying and fully utilizing HD Radio.

On the Show Floor

AudioShake (Booth 3217) will demonstrate its real-time dialog-isolation technology, which processes audio in under 11 ms while maintaining broadcast-quality output. The tool integrates directly into existing broadcast chains, isolates clean dialog from a single mixed-audio track, and enables live isolation of commentator, sideline, or field-reporter audio; real-time cleanup for international distribution and access

LINK:	https://www.sportsvideo.org/2026/04/13/nab-2026-ai-will-make-its-prese...
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