The NAB has unveiled the live schedule for the 2026 NAB Broadcast Engineering and Information Technology (BEIT) Conference, which places a spotlight on the future of broadcast and digital media. Getting one of the bigger platforms is a Ph.D. who will examine in a keynote address how broadcast media technology is redefining media creation, distribution and scale.
The keynote is to be offered by Poppy Crum, and her discussion is poised to touch on cloud-native architectures, IP-based infrastructures, AI-driven workflows and NextGen TV.
“As media infrastructures modernize through virtualization, cloud-native workflows and AI, innovation must remain anchored in how people perceive and interact with technology,” said John Clark, Chief Innovation Officer at the NAB. “BEIT creates space for the technical community to share breakthroughs, strengthen standards and shape a more resilient and future-ready media ecosystem.”
The BEIT Conference Opening takes place on Saturday, April 18 from 9:30am–10:45 am Pacific in the North Hall, with remarks from BEIT Conference Committee Chairman Sun Sachs, Sr. VP of Digital Products at Townsquare Media. That’s followed by the presentation of the “Best Paper Award” and “Best Student Paper Award,” co-sponsored with IEEE BTS.
Crum will then take the stage for her presentation “From Data to Mind: How Technology is Reshaping the Minds of Storytellers and Media Consumers,” which will touch on research in neuroscience and immersive systems. “The keynote will also explore how emerging tools—from empathetic interfaces to AI-driven experiences—are beginning to understand human intent and behavior, transforming how audiences engage with broadcast and digital media, as well as advertising,” the NAB said.
Crum is Managing Director at Giant Step Capital and an Adjunct Professor at Stanford University. She previously served as Chief Scientist at Dolby Laboratories and Chief Technology Officer at Trimble Inc.
“Crum is a recognized expert in designing advanced technology and AI systems that are grounded in human physiology and cognition, with a focus on how data-rich environments and immersive, augmented sensory systems can expand human capability and experience,” the NAB says.
