Tag: AI

Artificial Intelligence Key Theme at DEG’s EnTech Fest 2026 Feb. 25

Artificial intelligence will be a key theme at DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group’s Feb. 25 EnTech Fest 2026 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles.

The lineup includes a keynote conversation, “Telling Stories With More Power and Flexibility Through AI,” featuring Kartel CEO Kevin Reilly, who is known for reshaping network and streaming content over four decades, who will discuss with Empire House’s Rick Hack the opportunity to enhance storytelling with AI that extends human creativity. They will discuss how the future of advanced content creation and distribution will be built with more-efficient processes for integrated workflows, intelligent systems that support content creators, and frameworks that amplify marketing.

Also part of the program is a conversation featuring Quinn Favret of Tavus and moderator Ben Relles of the Office of Reid Hoffman, exploring what happens when content can respond, adapt and hold a conversation. AI-powered avatars and digital twins are turning passive viewing into interactive experiences, opening new possibilities for how audiences connect with talent and storytelling. This session will explore where AI avatars are already gaining traction, where interactive video is headed and why it matters now.

In a fireside chat with leading entertainment lawyer Ken Ziffren, known for his groundbreaking deals in film and television, Ziffren will share his views on how the use of AI in entertainment will develop over the next five years. The chat will be moderated by The Wall Street Journal‘s Ben Fritz.

A panel will discuss how AI might help consumers, overwhelmed by an explosion of choice and a maze of fragmented platforms, figure out what to watch — and where to watch it, as well as how streamers and platforms differ on where discovery should happen. Panelists include Justin Inman of Emberos, Andreas Hofmann of LG Electronics and Matthew Dominguez of Xperi.

A case study panel, “Adding AI Layers to Modernize Legacy Product Offerings,” will unveil how two companies are innovating their legacy offerings by leveraging AWS’s AI Prototyping Team to help make their customers’ workflows more efficient. Speakers include AWS’s Shane Madigan, Fabric’s Rob Delf and Nomad Media’s Adam Miller.

EnTech Fest 2026 is a one-day event that includes exhibits, conference programming, and the DEG’s annual reception. In addition to AI, focus exhibit categories include emerging technologies, the consumer experience, immersive storytelling, and advanced content delivery. The annual event is for content distribution and marketing executives, platform partners, technology enablers, trend trackers, connected device and display developers, and innovators in digital entertainment.

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AI Tech, Micro-Content Company Holywater Acquires VFX Outfit Jeynix

Holywater — the AI tech company with products including My Drama for vertical series, My Passion for books, and My Muse for AI streaming — has announced the acquisition of Jeynix, an AI-assisted production team specializing in hyper-realistic visual effects and performance preserving techniques for video.

Following the acquisition, Holywater has rebranded the company as Holywater Tech. The agreement brings Jeynix’s technical team and proprietary production expertise into Holywater Tech, significantly strengthening the company’s ability to deliver cinematic-quality visuals at scale, according to the company. These additional capabilities enable series produced on modest budgets to achieve the look and feel of significantly higher-budget productions, while also allowing for rapid localization across markets in a matter of days, Holywater notes.

Holywater recently announced its largest financing round to-date at $22 million to further its strategy of turning microdramas into mainstream entertainment in the United States. The round was led by Horizon Capital, with strategic participation from U.S. investors, Endeavor Catalyst and Wheelhouse, representing the largest single investment round in the sector outside of Asia.

In 2025, Fox Entertainment acquired an equity stake in Holywater and is in production on a robust slate of 200 original microdramas and vertical series for the platform.

In January 2026, Fox Entertainment and Dhar Mann Studios entered a multiyear partnership to create and produce an initial slate of 40 narrative-driven titles designed to debut exclusively on the Holywater platform, My Drama.

Founded in 2025 as a production-focused technical studio, Jeynix is known for its ability to integrate AI-assisted tools into professional VFX pipelines while maintaining natural detail, subtle movement, and the integrity of on-screen performances. Its workflows span facial animation and enhancement, performance-driven visual effects, and formats such as lip-sync, designed to feel indistinguishable from traditional, high-end post-production, according to Holywater.

“Holywater Tech aims to build a category-defining entertainment company that brings together creators’ imagination and cutting-edge technology, especially AI, to unlock new creative possibilities at scale,” Bogdan Nesvit and Anatolii Kasianov, co-founders and co-CEOs of Holywater Tech, said in a statement. “Jeynix demonstrated a level of visual truth and performance preservation like face matching, that we simply couldn’t find elsewhere. Bringing this expertise in-house allows us to reinvest our production budgets into significantly higher quality, faster iteration, and more consistent results across our slate.”

“We’re thrilled to keep building with Holywater Tech,” Nemir Yevhen, Jeynix founder said in statement. “By bringing Jeynix’s AI-assisted creative tools to a larger platform, we’re giving audiences new ways to jump into the content and make each scene their own.”

Holywater Tech’s content platforms reach more than 85 million users and include My Drama, what it bills at the No. 1 vertical streaming app among American and European companies; My Passion, which it bills as the No. 1 independent digital book publishing platform among American and European companies; My Muse, a leading platform for vertical series produced with the support of generative AI; and Freebits, an ad-supported vertical streaming service offering content for free.

The Jeynix team specializes in facial animation, face replacement, de-aging, and lip-sync. All technologies are powered by various artificial intelligence systems, allowing companies to achieve realistic results without the “uncanny valley” effect, according to the company.

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Hub: Strong Consumer Interest in AI for Discovery and When Use Is Transparent

As Hollywood studios embrace more artificial intelligence in entertainment, consumers say they would like AI technology to be transparent when used in content, and they are excited about its use to improve content discovery, according to new data from Hub Entertainment Research.

A new study, based on a survey of 2,500 U.S. consumers age 16–74 conducted in November 2025, found that 72% of respondents feel at least somewhat familiar with generative AI and how it works. Another 73% say they have used generative AI tools online, up from just 57% a year ago.

Almost half (49%) think that generative AI will be good for society — twice the number who think it will be bad, and up from 44% last year.

The strongest excitement centers on AI-powered content discovery, such as smarter recommendations or conversational tools that help viewers decide what to watch next. These uses position AI as a guide that makes entertainment easier to navigate, rather than a tool that fundamentally alters creative output.


On the flipside, survey respondents said their biggest misgivings about AI revolve around being misled by AI-generated content or losing the ability to distinguish what is real from fake.

About 72% of respondents said that media companies should always disclose if AI was used in any way to make content they’re watching, and another 21% said studios should disclose if AI played a major role in content creation. Only 7% feel like no disclosure about AI is necessary.


Hub found that 40% of respondents said they are “completely comfortable” with AI being used by “regular people for personal reasons.” That’s roughly twice the number of respondents who feel the same about influencers or companies using AI for commercial purposes.

Hub asked respondents if they’d be interested in an AI application that enables them to create their own stories and videos using Disney IP and characters.

Among respondents who consider themselves familiar with AI, 44% said were “definitely” or “very likely” to use this feature. Another 24% said they might try it.

“Consumers have shifted significantly since last year when it comes to familiarity, usage, and optimism for AI,” Jon Giegengack, principal at Hub and one of the study authors, said in a statement. “The positive reaction to user-generated content using Disney IP reveals maybe the biggest opportunity: enabling media companies to turn audiences into participatory communities. Until now, this has been the domain of companies like TikTok, Roblox or Fortnite.”

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CES 2026 Opens in Las Vegas With All Eyes on AI’s Real-World Impact and Deployment

LAS VEGAS — CES 2026 officially opens Tuesday (Jan. 6) at a time when AI is no longer a shiny new toy, but, rather, an integrated — and integral — part of every day life.

This year the world’s largest technology show will present AI not as a trend, but as a foundational technology that is revolutionizing industries by becoming embedded in everything from TVs, autonomous vehicles and advanced robotics to energy management and personalized healthcare. Even more so than at last year’s show, the focus has shifted from hype to real-world deployment, with keynotes, new product launches, and dedicated zones such as the “CES Foundry” highlighting AI’s pervasive deployment.

“CES is where innovators show up, and this year AI is at the center of nearly every conversation,” Gary Shapiro, executive chair and CEO of the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), owner and producer of CES, told Media Play News. “From the show floor to the keynote stage, leaders from across industries are demonstrating how these innovations move into the real world and how together we solve the world’s biggest challenges.”

Independently audited data for last year’s show, CES 2025, revealed a total of 142,465 participants from across the globe. This year, Shapiro said, “all signs point to a phenomenal CES, with thousands of exhibitors, a record 3,600+ Innovation Award submissions, and innovation across 13 venues and 2.6 million net square feet.”

New this year is the CES Foundry, located at Fontainebleau Las Vegas and aimed at uniting innovators, entrepreneurs, investors, government officials, and media to explore how AI and quantum technologies are defining the next era of innovation.

“This year, AI is accelerating innovation across every sector,” Shapiro said. “CES Foundry will serve as a hub for the innovators leading that charge, and I’m looking forward to the ideas that will emerge.”

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The CES Foundry will feature two stages, the Breakthrough Stage and the Discovery Stage. Programming will alternate between the two, including panel discussions, fireside chats, and thought-leader conversations featuring influential voices in technology.

Entertainment hasn’t been in the CES spotlight since the heyday of DVD and Blu-ray Disc, but the rise of streaming — and the growth in ad-supported models — hasn’t gone unnoticed. At the Jan. 4 Tech Trends to Watch presentation, Melissa Harrison, VP of marketing and communications for CES producer the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), called out “the rise of ad-supported streaming” as a primary driver in a projected 4.2% uptick for 2026 in consumer spending on software and services.

Accordingly, the cluster of streamers and their enablers typically holed up at the Aria-Cosmopolitan-Vdara complex in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip includes Amazon Prime Video, Disney Advertising Sales, Netflix, Xumo, and NBCUniversal Media (parent of Peacock), along with Meta, Reddit, Roku and X.

Netflix’s presence isn’t as showy as it was two years ago, when it took out a massive booth on the CES 2024 show floor for an immersive activation to promote the series “3 Body Problem.” But the top streamer promises a raft of private meetings, many of them centered around its pending acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery’s studio and streaming assets. Netflix is also focusing on emerging technologies such as AI, gaming and metaverse experiences, leveraging its recent acquisition of avatar AI technology company Ready Player Me.

CES 2026 will also feature more than 350 conference sessions and over 1,300 speakers. Sessions will focus on the pervasive integration of AI and robotics across various industries. Other major topics include digital health, advanced mobility, smart homes, energy, and the creator economy.

Keynote addresses at CES 2026 will be delivered by such high-powered business executives as Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO of AMD; Siemens president and CEO Dr. Roland Busch; Havas CEO and chairman and Vivendi chairman Yannick Bollor; Lenovo chairman and CEO Yuanqing Yang; and Caterpillar CEO Joe Creed.

In addition, an assortment of celebrity guests will participate in conference programming, sponsored sessions and special events throughout the show. Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian will participate in the Great Minds session “Back to the Future: Tech’s Nostalgic Revolution.” Hank Shocklee, a member of the hip hop group Public Enemy, will speak on an “Innovation for All” panel. RZA (Bobby Diggs), rapper, producer, actor, filmmaker and leader of the Wu-Tang Clan, will speak on the panel “From Concept to Reality: Creatives Using AI to Bring Big Ideas to Life.” And Serena Williams, entrepreneur and 23-time Grand Slam champion, will speak on the “Insights to Action: The Power of Biowearables” panel.

Policymakers from across the world will discuss domestic and global tech policy issues including privacy, trade, competition, and more. More than 200 international, federal, state and local government officials and staff participate in the Leaders in Technology Program and attend the Innovation Policy Summit (IPS) at CES.

Exhibits in the Las Vegas Convention Center are, as usual, grouped by industry segment. The LVCC Central Hall will showcase the latest innovations in home entertainment and living. This is where the big CE companies set up their massive booths to showcase the latest innovations in televisions. The Central Hall is also home of the CES Creator Stage.

Exhibits in the North Hall focus on smart communities, IoT, AI and robotics. The South Hall is home to accessories and gadgets. And the West Hall is devoted to mobility, from self-driving cars to construction, agriculture, boating and advanced air travel.

The C Space at the Aria, Cosmopolitan and Vdara hotels is where top brands, advertisers, media platforms, and content creators meet to forge deals, explore trends and unveil the latest technologies.

The Venetian is home to smart living, including digital health, smart home, energy management, security, education, lifestyle and food tech. The Venetian is also home to the CES Innovation Awards Showcase.

And Eureka Park at The Venetian is CES 2026’s Startup Hub, with global pavilions and emerging companies from the United States, the European Innovation Council (EIC), France, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine and others.

 

Samsung Unveils Teaser Video Ahead of Its CES 2026 ‘The First Look’ Presentation

Samsung Electronics on Dec. 23 unveiled a teaser video revealing the theme of its “The First Look 2026” presentation at CES 2026: “Your Companion to AI Living.”

The teaser underscores Samsung’s intent to integrate AI across its products and services.

The video uses vibrant lights and lines to form silhouettes of new innovations set to debut at The First Look. In the final scene, the light flows into Wynn Las Vegas, where the event will be held, revealing the theme.

The First Look 2026 will kick off on Jan. 4, 2026 at 7 p.m. PT — two days before the opening of CES 2026 — with a media event at Wynn Las Vegas, followed by four days of exhibitions, tech forums and other events through Jan. 7.

The media event will feature key Samsung executives, who will outline customer experience innovation strategies across their respective areas.

The tech forums will be held from Jan. 5 to 6, with four sessions covering topics including AI, home appliances and design.

Prime Video Scuttles AI Recap Feature Following Inaccuracies

Prime Video has quietly suspended use of an AI-generated content recap feature after errors surfaced involving the pending season two release of the sci-fi drama “Fallout,” which bows Dec. 17.

Specifically, the software, launched in November, gives viewers a quick video recap of select Prime Video original programming, including “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan,” “Upload,” “Bosch” “The Rig” and “Fallout,” the latter starring Ella Purnell and Walton Goggins, among others.

But complaints soon surfaced on social media from viewers who alleged the recaps erroneously summarized scenes in the show, character relationships and other information.

“Video Recaps marks a groundbreaking application of generative AI for streaming,” Gérard Medioni, VP of technology at Prime Video, said in a statement in November announcing the feature. “This first-of-its-kind feature demonstrates Prime Video’s ongoing commitment to innovation and making the viewing experience more accessible and enjoyable for customers.”

Earlier this year, Prime Video ended AI-generated news headlines after receiving complaints from news sources, including BBC News.

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DEG Announces Launch of New DEG.AI Alliance

DEG: The Digital Entertainment Group has announced the launch of DEG.AI, a new alliance dedicated to helping guide the media and entertainment industry through its artificial intelligence transformation, with a core mission to amplify human creativity.

The alliance will be chaired by Ian Fried, a media and technology executive who will also continue to serve as DEG’s general counsel.

“Our vision is to build the essential community where creators, technologists, and media leaders can collaborate, research, and educate,” Fried said in a statement. “We want to have a positive impact as our industry navigates this transition, ensuring AI serves to support, not supplant, human ingenuity.”

The new alliance will be open to the DEG’s 80-plus member companies, applying this trusted, collaborative process to AI’s transformation of content creation, distribution, and consumption pipelines. Given the rapid pace of development, coupled with uncertainty around rights and regulation, there is an urgent need for the trusted collaboration and shared learning that DEG.AI will provide, according to the DEG.

DEG.AI will offer multiple layers of member engagement:

  • DEG.AI Steering Committee: A high-level steering committee composed of key industry leaders will be formed to guide DEG.AI’s strategic direction, set priorities for research, and oversee the creation of educational programs and working groups. 
  • Dedicated Working Groups: Focused working groups will convene regularly to address high-priority topics, including AI in production workflows, standards development, localization, accessibility, distribution, and compliance. These committees will provide a trusted forum for members to share challenges, surface concerns, and collaboratively develop industry best practices. 
  • Authoritative Industry Research: DEG.AI will commission objective studies on critical topics such as AI adoption patterns, economic impacts, and consumer attitudes. This proprietary, data-driven research will provide a foundation of shared facts to help member companies make confident decisions. 
  • Executive Education and Demystification: A comprehensive educational program will be developed to demystify AI and its applications across the entertainment value chain. By addressing technical fundamentals, business implications, legal considerations, and practical strategies, these initiatives will build confidence among executives and creators, creating a common language for industry-wide collaboration. 
  • Community and Event Integration: DEG.AI will integrate into DEG’s event portfolio (Membership Meetings, EnTech Fest, EnTech Fest Summer Symposium, Breakfast with the Board series) and recognition programs (EnTech Awards, Hedy Lamarr Awards). These gatherings strengthen relationships beyond formal committee work, building personal connections that enable frank conversation and mutual support. This integration will showcase innovations while celebrating responsible implementation. 

 

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Zoo Digital Releases White Paper on Artificial Intelligence

Zoo Digital Group, the tech-enabled localization and digital media services company, has published its second edition AI white paper, “Beyond the AI Revolution: The Future of Media Localisation.”

Building on the findings of its 2024 report, the new paper explores how next-generation technologies, shifting consumer habits and new business models are reshaping the future of localisation, according to Zoo Digital.

Key findings include:

  • AI is best deployed as Artificial Assistance: AI delivers greatest value in media localization when enhancing traditional practices rather than replacing them. New technologies are accelerating subtitling, dubbing and transcription, yet premium entertainment still depends on human creativity to ensure cultural authenticity, emotional impact and creative nuance.
  • Industry use cases are expanding: Applications of AI for media localization, from transcription to machine translation, are already offering significant productivity benefits and enhancing the end product. However, fully automated subtitling and dubbing are only useful for lower-value user-generated content or factual and literal content without conversational dialogue. Other use cases such as synthetic voices and picture manipulation come with careful ethical considerations due to their use of personal data.
  • Innovation creates new opportunities: Workflow efficiencies are rapidly accelerating turnaround times, making it possible to localise new and growing forms of content more quickly. This is aligned with the strategy of streaming companies to expand into live and near-live content where localization was not previously feasible in the required timeframes.
  • Ethics and regulations make responsible adoption essential: With the EU AI Act now in force and SAG-AFTRA securing consent-based protections for performers, transparency, consent and governance are essential to responsible AI adoption. The legal framework now emerging favours responsible vendors with strong ethical standards and robust governance processes.
  • Innovation supports growing market demand: The global language services industry is projected to reach $75.7 billion in 2025 (source: Nimdzi), with media localization accounting for $5 billion (source: Slator). Studios, platforms and vendors are seeking faster, more scalable solutions that meet rising consumer demand while safeguarding creative integrity.
     

“Over the last year, AI in media localisation has moved beyond promise to a practical reality,” Stuart Green, CEO of Zoo Digital, said in a statement. “This is creating opportunity for companies with the expertise to apply AI effectively to accelerate delivery without compromising on quality or security.

“Zoo is well placed in our market as the only end-to-end vendor that I believe combines a truly tech-first approach with the production expertise demanded by our clients. Overseen by skilled linguists, this is dramatically reducing time-to-market for content and unlocking new possibilities such as Fast Track, our premium offering for localising live and near-live content on streaming platforms.

“As the original pioneer in an industry becoming more dependent on technology, the market is moving in ZOO’s direction. Our technology background makes us the natural partner for the media industry’s future as we expand our share of a structural growth market.” 

The full white paper is available for download here.

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Nominations Open for MPN’s ‘Smart Moves: 20 Game-Changing Uses of AI in Entertainment’

Media Play News is now taking submissions for inclusion in its second annual special section spotlighting the groundbreaking ways artificial intelligence and machine learning are reshaping the entertainment landscape.

Nominations for the feature, “Smart Moves: 20 Game-Changing Uses of AI in Entertainment,” can cover anything from revolutionizing content creation and the supply chain to enhancing viewer experiences to predicting what makes content resonate.

Media Play News is inviting nominations that recognize the most inventive applications of AI across digital media. The top 20 selections, chosen by our editorial team, will be featured in our December issue — celebrating those who are setting new standards in entertainment with AI.

The deadline for nominations is Nov. 14. The December issue of Media Play News will be available Dec. 15.

Enter nominations here.

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Amazon, NBA Partner for AI-Powered In-Game Streaming Basketball Stats

The National Basketball Association and Amazon Web Services Oct. 1 announced a multiyear partnership that will incorporate AI-powered technology into league games streamed on Prime Video and other digital channels.

With the launch of “NBA Inside the Game, powered by AWS,” the new platform that will provide AI-powered stats to help fans dive deeper into the games, teams, and players they follow. The platform will be available across all NBA digital channels, including the NBA App, NBA.com, and the league’s social platforms. 

As part of the agreement, AWS becomes the official cloud and cloud AI partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League and NBA Take-Two Media.

“Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years to come,” Ken DeGennaro, EVP and head of media operations and technology at the NBA, said in a statement.

The advanced statistics platform processes the league’s player tracking data, analyzing the movements of 29 body parts to contextualize in-game developments and generate real-time insights.

Fans can access these statistics via the NBA App, NBA.com, and during live NBA games, including during NBA on Prime broadcasts.

“This partnership will showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball — from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love,” added Francessca Vasquez, VP of professional services and agentic AI at AWS.

New AI-powered stats include “Defensive Box Score,” which uses AI algorithms to track which defender is responsible for each offensive player in real-time. This enhances the traditional box score by identifying the primary defender when each stat is recorded. Fans can also see metrics like ball pressure, double teams, and defensive switches.
 
“Shot Difficulty” assesses the difficulty of attempted shots with “Expected Field Goal %,” which accounts for various factors such as the shooter’s orientation and setup, court positioning, and defensive contest details related to pressure, interference and positioning. This statistic gives fans a deeper appreciation for the skill and strategy behind every scoring attempt.

“Gravity” showcases how certain players create advantages for teammates simply by being on the court, even without touching the ball. This stat measures the level of attention a player receives from the defense, including how closely they’re guarded with or without the ball, to quantify the space they create for teammates.

This system processes optical tracking data 60 times per second, using neural networks to analyze how defenders react to specific players, while factoring in game context and historical data.

The platform will also feature “Play Finder,” a new tool that uses AI to analyze and understand player movements across thousands of games.
The technology aims to help fans and broadcasters identify common offensive strategies by combining play outcomes with advanced analytics.

A real-time alert system will allow commentators to provide historical context and strategic insights during broadcasts, making games more engaging and educational for viewers.

NBA teams will also leverage “Play Finder” capabilities throughout the season to improve their front office and coaching workflows and enhance their abilities to analyze film.

Future iterations of the software will allow fans to explore basketball strategy on the NBA App. This technology lays the foundation for future generative AI integrations built on player tracking data, moving beyond technical capabilities to deliver tangible insights fans can use to deepen their understanding of the game.

This partnership expands the NBA’s existing relationship with Amazon. This season marks the start of Prime Video’s 11-year media rights agreement, with 66 regular-season NBA matchups streaming on Prime Video globally, and a suite of new interactive features set to debut. Prime Video will also serve as the strategic partner and third-party global subscriptions store destination for NBA League Pass, offering streaming of live and on-demand games in the U.S. and internationally.

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