The Future of Entertainment: Streaming, AI, and More

At the annual Variety Entertainment Summit held during CES in Las Vegas, top industry leaders discussed the latest trends in streaming, AI, and advertising. NBCUniversal’s Beatrice Springborn noted a shift towards producing fewer, higher-quality shows, while A+E Studios' Barry Jossen saw this as a positive. Sony Pictures’ Rahul Purini highlighted the growing interest in international content. Angela Russo-Otstot from AGBO emphasized the transformative potential of virtual production tools. Fox’s Fernando Szew and CTO Melody Hildebrandt explored AI’s role in content discovery and personalization.A panel debated the ethical implications of AI-generated content, with SAG-AFTRA’s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland stressing the need for consent and compensation. Webtoon Entertainment’s David Lee showcased the global impact of webtoons, highlighting their revenue generation. The Trade Desk and Spotify discussed maximizing ad revenue in streaming, while Amazon’s Carly Zipp highlighted the importance of personalized storytelling. Laika’s Michael Waghalter and AWS’s Samira Bakhtiar focused on the challenges and opportunities of live streaming events.