Guest contributors |
The media and entertainment industry is fiercely competitive, but Microsoft is at the forefront of empowering organisations to excel. The rapid evolution of AI is unlocking limitless opportunities for innovation and efficiency, driven by the ever-growing demand for digital content and AI-powered streaming services. As the landscape continues to transform, Microsoft’s cutting-edge solutions are enabling media companies to not only keep pace but to set new standards in creativity and operational excellence.
The AI market within the media and entertainment sector is experiencing remarkable growth. According to IDC, global spending on AI, including AI-enabled applications, infrastructure, and related IT and business services, is projected to reach $632 billion by 2028, with a compound annual growth rate of 29 per cent from 2024 to 2028. Continuing this momentum, the drive to incorporate AI across the industry is set to revolutionise how media companies operate, innovate and engage with their audiences.
Microsoft is leading this transformation with its suite of innovative solutions. By harnessing the power of AI and cloud computing, we enable media companies to streamline content production, enhance creativity and transform audience insights. Our products, such as Microsoft Azure AI and Azure Video Indexer, are pivotal in automating and optimising content production processes. These tools allow media companies to extract meaningful insights from audio and video files, facilitating the efficient creation and management of large volumes of content.
AI-driven transcription and translation services significantly reduce the time and cost associated with manual processes, allowing creators to focus on producing high-quality content. Generative AI is transforming traditional creative processes, making tools like Microsoft Copilot a game-changer for the industry. Microsoft remains committed to driving innovation and efficiency in the media and entertainment industry, empowering companies to excel in this dynamic market alongside our partners.
Our AI tools are revolutionising the creative process by assisting in generating scripts, storyboards and visual effects. This accelerates production timelines, allowing creators to experiment and innovate in unprecedented ways.
Simon Crownshaw, worldwide media and entertainment strategy lead at Microsoft, says: “Copilot revolutionises media and entertainment by streamlining production, enhancing storytelling and enabling automation with AI-driven tools. It supports both out-of-the-box AI queries and custom workflows for innovation.”
Understanding audience preferences and behaviour is crucial for media companies aiming to deliver highly personalised experiences. Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights unifies data sources to provide a comprehensive view of audience behaviour. This enables media companies to tailor their content and marketing strategies to meet the specific needs of their viewers, driving both engagement and loyalty.
By integrating AI capabilities into everyday workflows, it enhances productivity and collaboration across teams, offering media workers increased efficiency and greatly enhanced decision-making abilities.
The media and entertainment sector stands at the threshold of unparalleled growth and innovation, propelled by Microsoft’s comprehensive suite of tools and solutions. By streamlining content production, enhancing creativity and delivering audience insights, Microsoft empowers media companies to dominate in a fiercely competitive market. As AI continues to evolve, the potential for groundbreaking advancements and heightened efficiency in the media and entertainment industry is limitless.
Learn more about Microsoft’s work for the media and entertainment industry
Parul Bhandari leads the partner strategy for telecommunications, media and gaming worldwide at Microsoft
The power of partnering: Cognizant and Microsoft
Cognizant has harnessed the power of Microsoft 365 Copilot to craft tailored experience journeys for various use cases within the media industry. This partnership has led to groundbreaking solutions that enhance user engagement and drive notable efficiencies in both cost and process management.
We found that one of the key benefits of deploying Copilot in the media sector is its ability to automate and optimise essential processes. Tasks such as content tagging, metadata extraction and quality control can be dramatically accelerated through AI-powered automation, saving time and improving the accuracy and consistency of media asset management. Additionally, Copilot’s advanced analytics provide deep insights into audience behaviour and content performance, empowering media companies to make data-driven decisions, and to adapt their strategies to meet evolving viewer needs.
Copilot’s features also extend to enhancing security and compliance within media operations. Tools like deepfake detection, content authenticity verification and digital rights management help protect assets from unauthorised use and ensure content integrity – critical safeguards in a digital landscape vulnerable to manipulation.
These experience journeys highlight how Copilot’s sophisticated AI capabilities can seamlessly integrate into daily workflows, enabling media professionals to focus on strategic and creative initiatives by automating routine tasks and delivering predictive insights. By optimising operations and enhancing content experiences, Copilot empowers media organisations to elevate their offerings.
Looking ahead, Cognizant aims to further leverage Copilot to drive ongoing innovation within the media industry. With anticipated cost savings and operational efficiencies, this partnership underscores Cognizant’s commitment to utilising cutting-edge technology to add value and foster transformation across the media landscape.
Read more about Cognizant’s alliance with Microsoft and the AI-driven solutions available to customers
Beth Adamo Lenhoff is principal consulting partner for communications and media technology at Cognizant