AI has fundamentally transformed the OTT video industry through hyper-personalisation and smarter content delivery. AI and machine learning (ML) have become the backbone of the next-generation of streaming platforms.
Within the industry, AI is more than one single tool, it’s a stack of intelligent services that are actively enhancing the viewer experience and optimising operations.
While many broadcasters are focused on competing in saturated streaming markets, the real disruption is happening through AI-driven efficiency gains, creative automation, and new ways to keep audiences engaged.
The challenge is to effectively embrace this technology, as the high cost and technical knowledge that AI requires means that some broadcasters haven’t made the jump to AI adoption. This leaves broadcasters at risk of falling behind their competition, however, with the right knowledge and strategy, broadcasters of any size can harness AI to stay competitive and innovate in an evolving landscape.
Optimising OTT with the power of AI
The popularity of OTT platforms is booming, quickly rising to challenge traditional TV. The global OTT market size is estimated to reach $2.816 trillion in 2034 according to Precedence Research. This popularity is driven by shifting viewer preferences for on-demand content and increased internet penetration. AI and ML have provided broadcasters with the tools to enhance the viewer experience.
- AI-powered personalisation: One of the biggest strengths of AI is its ability to provide advanced analytics and insights. Platforms with AI integrations can track user searches, demographics, viewing history and interactions to develop personalised recommendations to users. This helps to keep viewers engaged by providing them with content that is relevant to them. In addition to that AI is also helping platforms deliver hyper-personalised experiences to customers and offer different tailored subscription bundles curated for specific users. On the churn reduction side, AI is also helping platforms predict user behaviour through their consumption consistency habits and mitigate churn through alerting platform owners of their at-risk customers allowing them to have a window to retain that customer before they cancel their subscription.
- Automated workflows: AI tools are optimising the speed and efficiency of workflows. These tools can insert ads, generate metadata, generate captions, create dubbed versions of content for international distribution all in real-time and more to reduce manual effort. By taking care of labour-intensive tasks on behalf of broadcasters, AI can cut down overtime and operational costs while maximising reach.
- Targeting and monetisation: AI algorithms can be utilised to optimise advertising strategies and boost viewer engagement. By using consumer data such as preferences and behaviour to create highly targeted ad campaigns. This increases the likelihood that viewers will engage with ads as they are more relevant.
Costs and complexities
AI has provided broadcasters with measurable benefits, but integrating the technology isn’t always easy. High costs, technical complexity, and lack of specialised expertise remain significant barriers to AI adoption. Implementing AI can be incredibly costly, and broadcasters may have to make significant upgrades to their existing systems to make the switch.
Broadcasters risk losing their audiences to competitors if they don’t integrate AI, making the switch to AI crucial. However, these barriers are particularly difficult for smaller broadcasters to overcome as they have fewer team members and tighter budgets.
It is also important that broadcasters manage and use consumer data responsibly. Users are more cautious than ever of how their data is being used. While this data is key for content recommendations, it should be handled with care to avoid breaches of privacy.
Breaking down barriers to success
Integrating AI into an OTT platform can seem costly and overwhelming at first glance, but setting out a detailed roadmap and strategy can help broadcasters along the process. Technology has also been developed to remove the complexity of adopting AI and democratise the tools for broadcasters of any size and level of expertise.
Broadcasters can now directly embed AI into their product with cloud-based solutions. With AI as a built-in service to their platform, broadcasters can benefit from services like personalisation, automation, analytics and subtitling without the need for new engineers or extra vendors. This can also drastically reduce time to market by cutting down long setup cycles.
Smaller broadcasters can also leverage the experience and skills of a trusted partner to overcome the complexity of adopting AI. A partner can reduce technological obstacles and provide ongoing support to make the transition seamless.
When it comes to addressing data privacy concerns, it’s integral that broadcasters are transparent about their data collection practices. Users should be made aware on how AI systems operate and utilise their data. Content creators operating on the platform should also have processes in place to hold them accountable for users’ data.
Taking on the competition
To keep up with the biggest players and engage new audiences, broadcasters need to be ready to embrace AI and ML. The switch to AI is complex and costly, but broadcasters can’t afford to wait.
These technologies have become a cornerstone of the next-generation of OTT, offering broadcasters the ability to seamlessly automate processes and personalise their platforms. With the right tools and strategy in place, broadcasters can embrace change and drive the growth needed to take on the OTT giants.
Wissam Sabbagh is CEO & founder of Mangomolo. Sabbagh has over 19 Years of technology experience launching several technology start-ups across different verticals and markets. He is Group CEO at Alpha Technology where he founded Mangomolo in 2010. With Mangomolo, Sabbagh is on a mission to disrupt the OTT video and broadcast space. They make it simple for the largest broadcasters through to niche content creators to automate processes, monetise content and grow their audiences.
