AI in M&E: Overcoming Obstacles and Embracing Change
Source: Alex Vaughan, Senior Director, International at ConvergentDS
The Media & Entertainment industry breathes life into creative ideas, serving as a conduit for expression and storytelling, whether on the silver screen or today’s home TVs and mobile devices. Content creation and innovation are deeply intertwined, each driving the other forward. The journey from the inception of moving pictures to sophisticated computer-generated visual effects has been marked by many technological advancements that foster increasingly immersive experiences that captivate and engage audiences. As innovation persists and evolves, we confront the implications and advantages of advanced automation, machine learning, and Artificial Intelligence. How will these technologies reshape traditional postproduction workflows and the extensive vendor and Service Provider community? They are already ushering in efficiencies across various stages of the content supply chain, and time will tell how these advancements will drive efficiencies in delivering on-demand and live content to audiences more affordably and swiftly.
The swift pace of innovation in technology has sparked both excitement and apprehension. Like any technological leap, AI necessitates careful oversight to ensure accuracy, quality, rights management, and the safeguarding of intellectual property. While embracing AI tools, numerous uncertainties concerning security and confidentiality persist. These uncertainties highlight the need for a cautious and well-informed approach to raise standards for the global media and entertainment community.
As Tom Graham, Co-founder of Metaphysic, aptly said: “AI is fundamentally changing the way we create content, period. Using generative AI is significantly cheaper than traditional methods, allowing us to focus resources on more creative aspects of production.” This inevitable transformation frees up resources, enabling creators to concentrate more on the creative aspects of storytelling, artistic expression, and innovation.
We can acknowledge that while certain tasks – even those deemed creative or artistic – may be automated, this does not signal the obsolescence of human involvement. Rather, it signifies an evolution of technology marked by significant breakthroughs in machine learning, deep learning, NLP, and computer vision. Within the M&E content security community, we embrace and advocate for building awareness, contributing to solving industry challenges and cultivating new skills to remain pertinent in this ever-evolving landscape. By embracing AI, professionals can explore new avenues to leverage their expertise, enhance their creative output, and ensure they remain at the forefront of content creation and innovation. As we all approach our industry’s transformation, we should consider doing so with a comprehensive understanding of the security ramifications and collaborate as a global community to formulate robust safeguards, guidelines, and best practices
Collaborating on a transparent and robust set of security standards as we navigate AI together is crucial. We can tread carefully and responsibly without compromising our mandates for content and information security. The Trusted Partner Network (TPN) prioritizes content security preparedness across the industry supply chain. It facilitates collaboration, best practices, and information sharing among the industry to address common security challenges and promote continuous improvement in content security practices.
As an industry, innovating and adapting is what we do well. We can align with the industry’s rapid pace by working together to enhance our ability to secure content and intellectual property. Adopting proactive strategies and implementing robust security measures is a global commitment for anyone involved in content creation and distribution. Our collective efforts of prioritizing the development of security protocols, educational materials, and assessment methods will ensure that Content Providers and Service Providers can confidently navigate the digital landscape while safeguarding valuable content assets. As trusted advisors and participants in the TPN program, we see this as an exciting, global, and community-driven opportunity to operate at the intersection of content creation, technological innovation, and content security.