“What the future holds for Asterisk (and what’s overhyped)” The Community is familiar with IoT, AI, Blockchain, Robots, 3D-printing and other technologies on the list of “next big things” promised by futurists. But what do any of these mean for communications and IP telephony? This session explores the possible intersection-points between IP communications platforms, and emerging technologies and trends. Can blockchain be used for “data integrity protection,” to ensure anti-tamper controls on call records or even voice recordings? How can AI improve voice? Is it just about speaking home or mobile “assistants,” or can it be applied in contact centers or sales team applications? And what about IoT? Focusing on where machines or sensors can trigger actual human interaction, whether by voice or video, and the fact that all of this has to set against the real world of deployment – skills, costs, and regulation. What might happen when all these intersections bring contradictions, for example, when lawful intercept of calls clashes with medical confidentiality (and device certification) for telemedicine?