FEATURE it a necessity. It’s a big reason why our recent earnings showed the number of Microsoft Azure AI customers also using our data and analytics tools grew nearly 50 per cent year-over-year. And customer growth for Microsoft Fabric – our AI-powered data platform – was up 20 per cent quarter-over-quarter.” Businesses should also carefully consider the ways in which they apply AI given the extensive range of possible use cases, suggests Hawk. “It’s not uncommon for a company to look at its strategic objectives to see where generative AI can accelerate time to value and come up with a long list of use cases,” she says. “It is a broadly applicable technology, so it’s important to prioritise the list from what we can do down to what we should do.” Among the priorities for media companies when evaluating their AI strategy will be finding a way to alleviate the significant pressure they are facing to retain existing viewers in a fiercely competitive market. AI can be a useful tool in these efforts, says Hawk. “Some exciting use cases we’re seeing include AI-driven content that allows media organisations to gain deeper insights into audience preferences and behaviours,” she says. “For instance, the NBA App, built on Azure services, uses AI to analyse vast amounts of fan data. This analysis drives the delivery of highly personalised content tailored to individual fan preferences. This approach enhances the direct-to-consumer experience and significantly boosts engagement and loyalty.” Media organisations can also use these enhanced insights into audience preferences to increase personalisation in advertising, helping them to grow and diversify their revenue streams. “By ensuring adverts are relevant to viewers, AI enhances the viewing experience and increases advertising effectiveness,” explains Hawk. “This targeted approach results in higher engagement rates and boosts the value of advert placements, ultimately driving greater revenue.” Media companies are also under pressure to change the way they create content, with the focus now on reducing costs and accelerating time to market after a long period in which the volume of new content increased exponentially. “AI can play a crucial role here by assisting in ideation and development,” says Hawk. “By analysing data like audience preferences, market trends and performance metrics, AI generates valuable insights that inspire creative ideation. Additionally, in pre-production, AI-powered tools streamline processes such as script analysis, storyboarding, visualisation and location scouting, making content creation more efficient and cost-effective.” 136 The NBA app, powered by Microsoft Azure AI services, delivers personalised content tailored to fan preferences “ We see business leaders in all industries, not just media, embracing AI as a powerful tool”
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