As we enter 2025, the world of audio and creative media continues to evolve at a rapid pace. From cutting-edge advancements in immersive sound technology to the growing impact of AI-driven tools, new trends are shaping how teams and creative professionals work.
In this special interview, we’ve brought together industry experts, award-winning sound artists, and audio educators to share their insights into the current state of audio and what lies ahead. Here’s our esteemed panel:
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Mark Mangini | Supervising Sound Editor Dune, Mad Max: Fury Road |
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Scott Sorenson | Director of Audio, Headspace |
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Mark Kilborn | Audio Director, Certain Affinity Call of Duty, Forza Motorsport |
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Patrick Magee | Audio Post Director, Scripps Networks |
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Christa Giammattei | Post Production Audio Engineer Host, Audio Industry News |
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Dallas Taylor | Creative Director, Defacto Sound Host, Twenty Thousand Hertz |
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Mike James Gallagher | Emmy-Nominated Sound Designer Creator, INDEPTH Sound Design |
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Rodrigo Meirelles | Sonic Artist, Educator Arizona State University’s Sidney Poitier Film School |
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Mark Mangini: The continued belief in and reliance on modern, fresh recordings as an indispensable part of a good sound track and a growing awareness in the filmmaking community of the vital narrative contribution sound makes to cinema, finally dispelling the antiquated notions that what we do is “technical”.
Scott Sorenson: AI - Key word searching to find and narrow down the sounds we are looking for. XO Drums by XLN for instance uses an AI algorithm to search “like” items. If you find a snare you might like or SFX you can find other options that sound similar. Ableton has a search function that “finds similar” as well. Very useful.
Mark Kilborn: I’m loving the focus on headphone playback, especially with customized HRTFs. Whether we audio folks like it or not, the reality is that the majority of our players are playing our games in headphones. We need to be prioritizing them. So tech like Sony’s Tempest 3D audio playback, Dolby Atmos for Headphones, the Embody headphone tech, etc. is all a great movement in my mind.
Dallas Taylor: I love the trend of audio becoming more accessible to everyone. Just like the saying, “the best camera is the one you have with you,” we’re now seeing a similar shift in audio. Tools like dialogue enhancement are leveling the playing field, giving people who don’t have access to high-end audio setups a solid foundation to make their sound clearer and more professional. This accessibility has the potential to amplify underrepresented voices and empower individuals to share their stories more effectively.
Take the iPhone, for example. Apple is building tools directly into their devices that make dialogue sound great on video, which is huge for everyday creators. On top of that, I’m really excited about advancements like clinical-grade hearing aids in AirPods. It shows a broader shift in recognizing the importance of sound in our lives. I’ve always believed that as we strive to connect more deeply as humans, hearing and sound will play an increasingly vital role. It’s inspiring to see companies and creators prioritizing sound and helping people hear, and be heard, better than ever.
Christa Giammattei: There’s been more of a push lately into immersive audio, and it’s really cool to see the rise in popularity of different audio formats. Music is also doing this really interesting ‘genre-crossing thing’, where pop sometimes is rock and techno is sometimes rap? The musical fusion that’s been happening as a result of more connection from social media throughout the world is fascinating. I love listening to all the new styles that have been emerging.
Mike James Gallagher: I might be biased, but I’m loving how videos I’ve created for INDEPTH Sound Design and platforms like Soundworks Collection are reaching broad audiences and going legitimately viral. It’s incredible to see people outside the industry engaging with and appreciating the artistry of sound design and the behind-the-scenes stories. In a world increasingly saturated with AI-generated content, this trend reassures me that people still value real art created by real people. It’s a hopeful sign for the future of the craft.
Patrick Magee: One major trend that has been developing over time, and that is very prominent today is the “All in One” audio post professional. The need for audio professionals to develop or bring secondary skillsets to a client or project is growing. Some of this has to do with budgets, … maybe a lot does, but in this highly competitive industry, bringing abilities like music production/composition, sound design, licensing experience, and even a basic knowledge of editing and graphic design alongside your abilities as an engineer can be the determining factor in gaining clients/work and longevity in this industry. I personally see this trend/shift as a net positive for creativity, future opportunities and enhanced communication with peers.
Rodrigo Meirelles: I’m particularly excited about the expansion of immersive and spatial audio technologies across a more diverse array of media and narratives. This trend enables creators to craft richer, more engaging experiences that resonate on a deeper emotional level. While widespread and meaningful adoption is still on the horizon, the increasing accessibility of these tools for artists and media makers is a promising development. Additionally, the advancement of personalized Head-Related Transfer Functions (HRTFs) is noteworthy. By tailoring audio experiences to individual listeners, these technologies not only enhance immersion but also hold potential for addressing auditory impairments, making immersive audio more inclusive. And we’re just scratching the surface when it comes to more customized and empathetic technologies.
Mark Mangini: Using the Wilhelm.
Scott Sorenson: Make audio great again! I'm tired of these low bit rate compressed audio formats we find on Spotify. What’s the point of recording at 96k where people listen to 128kpbs mp3s?
Mark Kilborn: The super up-front, very clean, underwater-esque/disperser-y, heavily processed sound. It is cool, but it’s so widely used that I really feel it’s overstayed its welcome. Too many games have this aesthetic and so games all start to sound alike
Dallas Taylor: An audio trend that needs to stop is the over-reliance on music in short-form content like advertising, trailers, promos, short documentaries, and YouTube videos. So often, these pieces are built entirely around music, with the soundtrack being approved by committees long before sound design is even considered. This creates a narrow mindset where “soundtrack” is equated solely with music, leaving no room for sound to take the lead in storytelling.
Don’t get me wrong, I love music, and it’s an essential tool. But when it’s blanketed over everything from start to finish, it disregards the rich diversity of sounds that can also tell a story. Most of the world we live in isn’t music-driven, yet 99% of short-form stories lean heavily on music to spoon-feed emotion to audiences. This not only makes the storytelling predictable but also embeds the creator’s unconscious biases into the piece, signaling who it’s “for” in a very narrow way.
The assumption that every story needs constant music limits the creative potential of sound design. It’s time to recognize that sound, beyond music, has the power to connect with audiences in deeply human and visceral ways. By giving sound a more prominent role, we can create richer, more dynamic stories that resonate on multiple levels.
Christa Giammattei: I think hyper cleaned dialog is becoming more normalized, especially with the newest noise reduction plugins on the market. In a way it’s helpful; there’s been so much talk about dialog in films needing to be louder and front and center, and clean audio gets you most of the way there in some instances. But I think there is such a thing as too much cleaning, and some dialog starts to lose its life at a certain point. I don’t really want to listen to a podcast or TV show that sounds like a robot.
Mike James Gallagher: Never-ending walls of sound design and over-reliance on constant musical score. There can be a lack of contrast and nuance, with overused LFE dominating mixes. Sound Designer Ren Klyce once gave a fantastic tip about avoiding overindulgence and embracing restraint, which I think more sound designers should revisit. A more recent example of this philosophy in action is the racing scene from Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. Despite the chaotic, balls-to-the-wall visuals, the mix is incredibly focused and sparse. A different (less secure) creative team might have filled the scene with relentless sound and music, but this restraint allows the audio to breathe and gives the audience room to engage more deeply.
Patrick Magee: Fully AI generated music being sold and distributed for profit. While there is technique and creativity in prompting, … removing the musicianship from music creation is a negative. We need a collaborative relationship with AI generated content. It will spark new ideas, genres, sounds. That human input is what we love about music. Some elements of that need to be there in my opinion.
Rodrigo Meirelles: The persistent trend of excessive loudness in audio production and reproduction, commonly known as the “loudness war,” remains a significant concern. Despite notable progress over the past decades—such as the implementation of loudness standards and best practices across multiple continents, including initiatives in Brazil that I was gladly part of—this issue endures. The European Broadcasting Union’s PLOUD group has been instrumental in developing the EBU R 128 loudness recommendation, which provides a common, vendor-independent, and relatively simple way to measure loudness.
However, an over-reliance on compression and a lack of dynamic range continue to characterize much of today’s industrial audio content, often driven by tight production deadlines and oversight of the importance of sound in production flows. This approach prioritizes higher volume levels at the expense of audio quality, leading to listener fatigue and diminishing the emotional impact of the content. Moreover, it can establish a new sonic aesthetic for younger generations, where these issues are sometimes embraced as creative choices and new sonic references, turning it into a more complex conversation than a basic technical trend. To enhance the overall listening experience, it is crucial to emphasize clarity and preserve the natural dynamics of sound over sheer loudness, at least as an existing and major option for creatives.
Mark Mangini: An obstinance or fear of AI as a tool to embrace.
Scott Sorenson: Steaming Royalties. Artists and creators at the bottom and middle are getting pounded. The respect for people being able to create something has been funneled up to the biggest artists who receive the lion's share of the royalty pot. Which in turn is just the big Labels who do back door deals with streaming services to maximize profits. I'm all for companies making money but we need to protect those who are rising as well. Otherwise we will be caught in a vacuum of redundant art. People toiling away at making “what sells” and not that which is great, unique and new.
Mark Kilborn: I’m in game sound, so I feel like I must comment on the state of our industry. The layoffs have been relentless in the last couple of years. I’ve seen some experienced folks leaving the industry, and I know it’s starting to scare off some young talent. We need to turn the corner. I’m hopeful that’s right around the corner, it seems like it is, but I know we’ve lost some very experienced folks as a result of all this chaos.
Dallas Taylor: One thing that could hold the industry back is the overly siloed mindset within the craft. Over the past decade, tools have become so accessible that hyper-specialization, whether in sound design, editing, or any creative field, can sometimes feel isolating. While deep expertise is valuable, it’s critical for sound professionals to adopt a broader, more collaborative approach.
For example, sound designers need to understand how an edit is constructed and think about how their work can enhance the storytelling. They should also embrace perspectives from copywriting, producing, and other disciplines to contribute earlier and more effectively in the creative process. Equally important is the ability to communicate the value of sound design to the layman. Often, sound professionals focus on advancing the craft internally, which is essential, but we also need to be skilled at conveying simple, broad ideas that resonate beyond the industry. This is how we can shift culture and elevate sound design’s importance in the creative process. Without that outward communication, the craft risks remaining undervalued and misunderstood.
Christa Giammattei: This could be me coming from an “Audio Industry News” biased viewpoint, but companies refusing to listen to their customers is a big issue that I think could impact the audio industry as a whole. You have customers begging for basic feature upgrades for years, only to just get offered another subscription option. I feel like it’s limited us as creatives, and is making things feel less like a community and more like an echo chamber.
Mike James Gallagher: Shrinking budgets. Tight turnarounds and smaller crews are drastically reducing opportunities for creativity and experimentation, especially in the lower and mid-budget projects that need innovative sound design the most. There’s often a lack of understanding about how vital sound is to storytelling, which leads to sound being deprioritized. Educating directors and producers about the impact of great sound design is crucial. It’s not just a finishing touch but a core element of how stories engage audiences.
Patrick Magee: We need to clarify and implement additional rules/laws/regulations for AI as it relates to licensing, ownership of assets and distribution/usage of creative. Like how Spotify and streaming developed out of Napster, we need a consensus across the industry sooner rather than later. As imperfect as streaming royalties are vs terrestrial radio, the industry did establish the core of how it would function and came to an initial consensus. Same goes for AI.
Rodrigo Meirelles: The persistent lack of diversity in the audio industry remains a significant issue. Despite some positive developments, substantial barriers to entry continue to exist for underrepresented populations, limiting their participation and influence. Additionally, there is a notable lack of equitable access to well-compensated positions and leadership roles. This ongoing disparity not only stifles the richness of diverse perspectives but also hinders the industry’s growth and innovation. Addressing these systemic challenges is crucial for fostering a more inclusive and dynamic audio landscape.
Mark Mangini:
Scott Sorenson: Voice modeling using AI tools is the future for sure. Expedited search features streamline production and work flows. Descript uses a very cool tool that allows you to import audio that then transcribes the VO to a text doc. You can search the text doc like in word but it will also highlight the audio in the file. Super useful when digging around long format VO recordings.
Mark Kilborn: It’s hard to predict. I want to say that we’ll see more tools that will help us work faster. I’d love AI-powered search engines that help me find stuff in my library faster. Or a generative AI tool that will take three variations of a recording I have and give me ten more, so I can make more variations of a sound for a game. But it seems like all the developers out there are focused on creating generative AI algorithms to (very poorly) create sound effects entirely. I’m hoping they’ll shift their focus to tools that will enable sound designers soon, because I think there’s a lot more positive impact to be made in that realm.
Dallas Taylor: Next year, I’d love to see AI integrated more deeply into sound effects databasing apps. Imagine typing in keywords and having the system automatically generate related terms or alternative descriptors, removing the limitations of vocabulary and expanding the creative possibilities. This could speed up workflows and enhance sound design by making it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for.
While AI-generated music and sound effects are interesting, most of them still sound pretty bad. The uncanny valley in sound is both deep and wide, and just because AI can technically create something doesn’t mean it has the storytelling soul or taste that makes it meaningful. Taste and context are incredibly hard to train a machine on.
That said, where AI shines, and where I’m already finding it useful, is in automating repetitive tasks and streamlining workflows. I expect those capabilities to get even better, giving us more time to focus on the creative aspects of the work. It’s not about AI replacing us; it’s about using it as a tool to enhance efficiency and free up space for what we do best: storytelling through sound.
Christa Giammattei: I’m always keeping my eye on AI, trying to see what tools will impact my workflow in a positive or negative way. There are certain programs, like Krotos, or noise reduction plugins, that speed up work in some areas to leave time for others. I’ll likely be managing my setup to utilize AI to automate repetitive tasks, like removing mouth clicks or hum, so that I can try to focus more time on the creative side of a project. I’m hesitant to rely too much on AI in general, as I feel it can stifle creativity and cause media to lose its human touch- which is what I think makes art interesting. Next year for me with AI will be about balancing creativity with workflow.
Mike James Gallagher: AI has the potential to eliminate time spent on mindless audio tasks and housekeeping, allowing for more focus on creative work. AI could also extend sounds like ambiences with greater depth, generate fresh new variations of sounds, or up-rez old recordings. One hope I have is for there to be a way for my sound effects library to be intelligently analyzed, enabling search through prompts rather than relying solely on metadata, which sometimes falls short. Many hidden gem sounds in my library could be unearthed.
Patrick Magee: AI tools and plugins will continue to enhance workflow efficiency and creativity. Plugins/Tools like Accentize dxRevive pro, Vocalist.ai, Suno, SoundID VoiceAI, and many others are contributing to a more efficient, creative and fast workflow. They will continue to be the “power tools” in our toolkit. But we will continue to use our other tools alongside them. Sometimes you don’t need the “power-tool” and the job calls for the go to tools we have been using for years. I relate it in a way it to the Analog vs Digital transformation. If you look at most professional setups now…. They are a hybrid of both worlds. There was a fear early on that analog would be totally replaced by digital. We did fully replace 2 inch tape, but that was due to efficiency and time. AI’s impact, in my opinion will be similar. Some processes will be replaced, but for the most part a hybrid workflow will develop, and we will integrate the tools that make sense.
Rodrigo Meirelles: In the short term, I believe AI will continue to bring positive changes. It has become an incredible tool for brainstorming, optimization, and workflow innovation, significantly improving efficiency. AI allows us to think faster and focus more on the creative aspects of projects, fostering deeper exploration and innovation. However, as AI automates some of the tasks traditionally handled by entry-level roles—often key entry points into the industry—it could create new barriers for emerging talent. Addressing these challenges quickly and openly is essential to ensure equitable opportunities.
Even with these challenges, I remain optimistic. Markets and workflows continuously evolve, and AI feels like a natural part of that evolution. By fostering proactive discussions about ethics and inclusivity, we can ensure AI contributes positively to the industry’s future while driving innovation. I’m fortunate to conduct creative work and research at ASU's Media and Immersive eXperience (MIX) Center, where interdisciplinary explorations allow us to investigate the many avenues where sound plays a critical role, opening new paths for discovery and connection. I hope that through collaborations with the broader audio community, we can all become part of this promising future.
Mark Mangini: More work than 2024.
Scott Sorenson: More analogue! I think while all these digital tools definitely help certain aspects of audio I do think people connect with “real” things. There are a slew of examples in this. I went from recording on A-DAT and Reel to Reel machines as a kid to Protools. Then 20 years later people are selling old Tascam 32s on Reverb for thousands of dollars. These machines were paper weights at one point. Record shops are back! People want tangible, physical, organic things. That's not to say there isnt a world where one of these formats outlives the other in some fashion, but I think for now the pendulum will swing back and forth between the 2.
Mark Kilborn: I don’t think there are any major changes around the corner. I feel most of the changes we see are evolutions rather than dramatic shifts. I expect that, once the charm of AI wears off a bit, we’ll see more of a focus on tools that will actually speed us up rather than trying to poorly replace us. I’m excited for that to happen in 2025.
Dallas Taylor: If I had to predict one major change for the audio industry in 2025, it’s that dialogue enhancement tools built into editing programs will usher in a phase of “good enough” audio. These tools are incredibly accessible and will empower creators, especially in social and independent spaces. But as any sound professional knows, editors and the video side of production often suffer from “demo love”—getting attached to what’s already there and struggling to hear what they’re missing. This means the adoption of these tools could lead to a cultural step back in audio quality, as many projects will settle for “good enough” instead of pushing for excellence.
However, I don’t see this as a permanent decline. Instead, I think this is part of a larger cycle. Just as YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram have shifted attention away from traditional media, we’re also seeing hyper-competition within these platforms. Initially, “good enough” will dominate, but it won’t be long before creators and brands realize that to stand out, they’ll need to elevate their production quality significantly.
In the short term, we’ll see a wave of accessible, lower-effort production. But soon after, I expect a surge of elite-level work to emerge, even on platforms we associate with casual content. High-end sound design and production will become the key to standing out in a sea of mediocrity. This shift will drive innovation and re-emphasize the value of exceptional audio craftsmanship, even in spaces traditionally considered “low effort.”
Christa Giammattei: I’m hopeful we’ll be seeing some competition for streaming services like Spotify. With the rise of podcasts, audio dramas, and music in general, I think it’s only a matter of time before an alternative rolls around.
There will also be a huge shift when it comes to audio post production for a project and what that entails, brought about by the rapid advancement of AI. Expectations for audio are moving, and it will be up to all of us to adapt as best we can.
Mike James Gallagher: Call me an optimist, but despite vast improvements in technology, I think many will come to realize that "one-button-press" WYSIWYG AI-generated sound design isn’t as easy or effective as they thought…
Patrick Magee: I wouldn’t expect to see any major changes in 2025. We may start to clarify the copyright/ownership/regulation questions around AI generated content though.
Rodrigo Meirelles: While making precise predictions is challenging, especially given the unpredictable global events that have reshaped industries like audio, it seems likely that AI will continue to drive innovation and redefine creative possibilities. The coming years may also see advancements in how audio is personalized and made immersive across platforms, deepening audience engagement and transforming how we experience sound.