As the custom integration industry gears up for CEDIA Expo 2026, the last one in Denver at least for a few years, we speak with Jason McGraw, group vice president for Emerald, about what custom integrators can expect from this year’s event.
RESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS: Let’s talk about my favorite part of the show: the high-performance audio and home theater demo rooms. How is the show expanding these areas to give integrators an experience they can’t get on a website or a webinar?
JASON MCGRAW: That hands-on aspect is our biggest differentiator. You can do all the digital searching and AI-assisted pre-show planning you want, but the on-site experience cannot be replicated.
The demo rooms are a perfect example. Many of these environments feature multiple brands collaborating on complete, working turnkey systems. You are experiencing home theater and audio-video setups at full volume, with deep low-end frequencies and immersive surround sound. Manufacturers make significant investments to showcase their components in actual working applications. You aren’t going to find so many detailed, custom-built showrooms lined up in a row anywhere else. Between the show floor and in the meeting rooms, we’ll have 20-plus live demos. Last year, Seymour Screen had a million-dollar tiered theater that kept people queued up the entire show.
I was in that line! You can’t miss it. The same goes for the video walls, which are growing every year as prices start to become more attainable. Seeing those refinements in person is vital for comparison shopping.
Absolutely. Whether it’s a scalable video wall display or Sony’s Crystal LED display for the luxury market, these are premium visual solutions. How are you going to evaluate them or confidently recommend them to a high-net-worth client if you haven’t seen them firsthand?
Beyond audio and video, look at the Lutron booth over the last few years — they’ve built walk-through immersive experiences focusing on lighting control, motorized shades, and biophilia, demonstrating how to blend natural and artificial light to set a mood. You can talk directly to the manufacturer’s subject matter experts, get the specs, and then head down to a classroom for a 90-minute manufacturer product training session to do a deep dive into a new line.
Speaking of education. Workforce development and the shortage of skilled labor are massive topics right now. What is the show doing to help integration firms train the next generation?
CEDIA provides a wealth of training at the show, including workshops and certification classes for everyone from startups to executives. Because so much of this industry relies on on-the-job training, we highly encourage business owners to bring their staff. Bring your operational managers, but also bring your young, up-and-coming installers so they can get hands-on experience with the tools and techniques displayed in the booths. We also welcome students and continue to support diversity initiatives, such as Women in Consumer Technology’s annual luncheon and awards ceremony.
Let’s shift to technology. AI is the buzzword everywhere. How will it manifest at the show this year?
We have a major push for AI this year. We’ve partnered with IMCCA to host their AI Lab featuring the “AI Chefs,” Kevin Keeler and David Maldow, who are running hands-on workshop sessions directly on the show floor. They will have computer stations set up to train integrators on how to leverage AI software to increase productivity and efficiency in their day-to-day business operations.
Beyond business tools, AI is proliferating across products. Control platforms like URC’s Automation Engine are getting smarter, and project management and bidding platforms like D-Tools and Jetbuilt are becoming heavily AI-powered. We are also seeing it dominate security systems via advanced facial and pattern recognition. You can’t bury your head in the sand; you have to keep abreast of this wave.
What programs do you have in place to bring architects, builders, and interior designers into the fold?
We are continuing our partnership with Technology Designer’s “Day of Discovery” program. This offers a curated experience for builders, designers, and architects to learn about smart technology and, crucially, how to partner with an integrator. CEDIA also has a Design-Build track in their education program.
Designers want to understand smart technology for their clients’ sake, even if it’s just at a rudimentary level. They don’t need to be technical experts — much like a car owner who understands what the parts do without being an auto mechanic — but they need to know what resources are available.
We have curated show floor tours and a dedicated luncheon on Thursday for design professionals. For integrators, the code words to look for on booth signage are “architectural” and “design-centric.” Brands like Origin Acoustics, Crestron, and Lutron excel at this because they know these specifiers often control the purse strings for luxury clients.
Integrators are generally very generous about sharing business advice and troubleshooting tips with peers from different markets. What networking opportunities should they look out for?
Networking is easily the number two reason people attend, after seeing new products. We have the CE Pro All-Star Band opening party on the first night, the CEDIA member reception, and the Destination Outdoors space sponsored by Coastal Source. New for Friday night, we are introducing an official Bar Crawl hitting several local downtown spots.
We also have a formal matchmaking tool built into our mobile app so attendees and manufacturers can schedule specific meetings at the show, though a lot of interactions are pure serendipity.
What is your best advice for finding the hidden gems on the floor?
Leave yourself dedicated time to explore the “back nine” of the show floor. Once you visit the massive anchor booths, use the show mobile app to search our exhibitor product directory, which lists more than 50 new exhibitors.
The Launchpad area is specifically designed for new-to-market companies. In fact, Josh.ai started in that exact pavilion years ago. If you only concentrate on your primary vendor lines, you miss out on the simple, clever tools or cable management solutions that solve daily installation headaches. Look for where the crowds are gathering around a small booth — that’s usually where the unexpected “surprise and delight” happens.
Denver has a fantastically efficient convention center layout because it’s a single hall stacked directly above the meeting rooms, with hotels just blocks away. If you plan your calendar and leave a few hours open for pure discovery, the return on investment from just one big job will recoup your travel costs many times over.
For more information and to register, visit cediaexpo.com.
