AI continues to transform the entertainment industry—but it also opens the door to unprecedented cybersecurity threats. This panel will explore the real-world impact of AI tools such as deepfakes and voice generation, with a focus on how entertainment professionals and business managers can take action now to protect their clients and organizations. Topics include identifying red flags, updating authentication protocols, educating clients, and preparing for security breaches. You’ll leave with practical strategies to strengthen your defenses in an evolving digital landscape. 

A comprehensive examination of state tax implications for entertainment professionals, including the realities of relocating to low-tax states, economic nexus considerations, and special challenges faced by athletes and performers working across multiple jurisdictions. 

As the entertainment landscape evolves, so do the revenue streams and intellectual property opportunities for celebrities, athletes, and digital-first talent. This panel will explore how the next generation of stars—spanning traditional media, social platforms, gaming, and alternative content—are capitalizing on brand partnerships, direct-to-fan engagement, and emerging business models. Industry experts will discuss key financial considerations, tax implications, and IP strategies that CPAs and business managers must navigate to maximize their clients’ earnings and long-term wealth. 

This session offers an overview of the One Big Beautiful Bill working its way through Congress, including discussion of each topic’s relevance to the entertainment industry (e.g., film/television, music, brand ambassador, talent management). Other discussion topics include proposed tariffs, taxation of copyright reversions, and security expenses.  

Video games have a unique and varied approach to generating revenue, with multiple streams such as sales, in-game purchases, and subscriptions, each contributing to a complex financial ecosystem. These revenue streams dictate how profits are shared between developers, publishers, and other stakeholders, and often involve contractual arrangements, from publishing deals to in-game monetization strategies. Additionally, evolving legal frameworks within the interactive entertainment industry add layers of complexity. Understanding the financial dynamics of video games is crucial for avoiding common contractual pitfalls, particularly when it comes to revenue splits, royalty calculations, and intellectual property rights.  

This critical session examines the entertainment industry's response to declining traditional TV metrics, evolving viewer habits, and post-strike economics. Industry leaders will analyze how these market pressures are driving M&A activity, restructuring efforts, and fundamentally changing how talent is valued and compensated. Discussion will focus on identifying sustainable business models as the industry adapts to these systemic changes. 

Comprehensive examination of tax, estate, and sales tax implications for art and memorabilia collections in the entertainment industry, including considerations for private art museums and collectible valuation. 

Discussion of the impact of the 2024 elections on the federal tax legislative environment, the prospects for the enactment of federal tax legislation of this year and an early preview of the 2026 mid-term Congressional elections.