scte PRESENTS The CHANGING FACE OF STREAMING Panel 3: Tech Depends on People
critical thinking. “Critical thinking and emotional intelligence are the pieces that we, as leaders, have to start thinking about. To be an effective leader today, you have to be willing to lean in.” She also stressed the importance of providing clear career progression, saying younger employees want to understand how they can develop within an organisation.
Technology is only one link in the chain; finding, training and retaining a skilled workforce to innovate, operate and maintain our sector is critical to its success. The afternoon session shifted the focus from technology to people, arguing that while AI, streaming and automation are transforming the media industry, success will ultimately depend on leadership, skills and human development.
Narsika said too many conversations focus on AI investment without considering the workforce that will ultimately determine its
Moderated by leadership coach Sarah Golley, the panel featured Stuart
Rae, Head of Skills and Development at IAMT, Carrie Wootton,
success.
founder of the Media Talent Manifesto, Camilla Formica, Chief Programme Officer at the Cable Center and Syndeo Institute, and Deepali Narsika, board member of Women in Streaming Media.
“I haven’t met a leader who says, ‘AI is here, but I’m going to invest more in the humans in my team.’ It’s not about the choice of AI or human. It’s about how we can work together.” She argued that AI should be used to remove repetitive tasks, allowing employees to focus on creativity, collaboration and problem-solving. Wootton said AI presents particular challenges for new entrants, with traditional career pathways changing rapidly. “If you’re a young person entering the industry, it can feel super scary. We need to think about the pathways into our organisations and how we support those new entrants.” The discussion also highlighted continuing skills shortages across the media technology sector, particularly in engineering and technical roles, with panellists calling for stronger links between education and industry, better mentoring, and greater investment in leadership development.
Opening the discussion, Rae
encouraged delegates to view AI as another tool rather than a replacement for people. “It’s just a tool
that hopefully will improve things. Are there going to be job losses? Yes, of course there are. Are there going to be other new jobs created as a result of it? Yes, of course there are.” He warned that organisations often reduce staff development budgets during difficult financial periods, despite training being essential to long-term success. “Be brave enough to invest your time in your people. Support them, train them and invest in the development and support of your teams.”
Formica argued that AI is increasing, rather than reducing, the importance of human skills such as emotional intelligence, communication and
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SEPTEMBER 2026 Volume 48 No.3
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