ATxSG's BroadcastAsia 2026: Is AI the future of media innovation?

The media and entertainment industry is undergoing a profound transformation as AI, changing audience behaviors, and digital platforms reshape how content is created, distributed and consumed. This was a key theme across sessions at Asia Tech x Singapore's BroadcastAsia 2026, held May 20-22 at the Singapore Expo. Industry leaders explored the rise of creator-driven ecosystems, the evolution of broadcasters into multiplatform content networks, and the growing role of strategic partnerships in an increasingly fragmented Asia Pacific media landscape. While AI is accelerating innovation and personalization, speakers consistently emphasized that authenticity, trust and human oversight remain critical to sustain audience engagement and long-term industry growth.

The Take

• Content creation is shifting toward immersive, personalized storytelling, with AI and user-generated content playing key roles, emphasizing authenticity and audience connection.
• Traditional broadcasters must evolve into content vertical networks, balancing AI efficiency with human oversight to maintain editorial integrity and serve local communities.
• Future media collaborations will focus on value-driven partnerships, co-ownership of content, and leveraging data and ecosystem partners to adapt to a fragmented, on-demand landscape.

The Future of Content Creation and Video Platforms in a Hybrid World

Industry leaders from traditional TV and technology shared insights on how content creation is evolving. At the "Future of Content Creation and Video Platforms in a Hybrid World" session, the conversation highlighted the shift from passive content publishing to immersive, experience-driven storytelling, where brands and creators now operate as always-on media entities, while maintaining authenticity. Emerging technologies, such as AI and personalization tools, are key to delivering relevant, localized content to diverse audiences, especially in Asia, where local content is increasingly prioritized. The rise of user-generated content, accelerated by COVID-19, forced traditional media companies to rethink their relationship with independent creators, moving from competition to coexistence and co-creation. Platforms are now integrating interactive features such as polls, quizzes, and agentic avatars to sustain viewer engagement and drive smarter monetization. In addition, the panel addressed the ethical dimensions of AI-assisted content creation, emphasizing that while AI accelerates production and personalization, human oversight remains nonnegotiable. Across all perspectives, the consensus was clear: collaboration among traditional media, content creators, and technology platforms is no longer optional but essential for sustainable growth in an increasingly fragmented, on-demand content landscape.

Alisha Coelho, senior vice president, Zee Entertainment Studios – Content may be "AI-generated, but it has to be human-finished."

Oren Ben Kohav, senior vice president of Program Management, Kaltura Inc. – "We need to make sure that we are not over-polishing the content because today, the youngsters can immediately detect that something is wrong. You need to keep the balance because the content has to stay authentic enough."

Nikhil Kharoo, global head of partnerships, Razer Inc. – "The platform doesn't matter. What matters is where is the interest the audience is moving; we have to just move there and serve them what they're interested in."

Myeong-Hwan Kim, COO, High Stranger Co. Ltd. – "It's now more important to create content that connects to audiences, because they want to be connected, they want to feel engaged to the content."

Broadcast Leadership in Today's Multi-Platform Environment

The panel discussion "Broadcast Leadership in Today's Multi-Platform Environment" addressed the challenges facing modern broadcasters. The session emphasized that broadcasters are no longer competing solely with traditional competitors but must contend with YouTube creators, TikTok influencers, and AI-generated content. Panelists agreed that survival requires fundamental repositioning from broadcasters to content vertical networks that prioritize solutions-oriented journalism over just news reporting. All panel members agreed on the importance of finding a balance between leveraging AI for operational efficiency while maintaining human oversight to preserve editorial integrity and public trust. The speakers highlighted that AI should be treated as a tool, not a replacement and that human editorial boards remain essential for content validation and ethical gatekeeping. Public service broadcasters, particularly in diverse markets like Indonesia, face the unique challenge of serving rural and border communities where they remain the primary trusted information source. The panel stressed that journalists' roles must evolve, moving closer to communities to uncover local problems and solutions in ways that AI cannot replicate.

Abu Toha Md Anowarul Azim, vice president, Beximco Communications Ltd. – "AI is a mandatory feature now, but the evolution of AI controlling the human is very wrong. We have to balance this in three pillars: trusted infrastructure, AI governance, and human-driven policy. Any output of AI must go through human validation; this is very important."

Satriyo Dharmanto, CTO, TVRI Nasional – (Asked who decides, whether human or AI) "The answer is human. AI is just an engine, just the relative language model. For public service broadcasters, the editorial board is the most important team to make sure the content will be distributed correctly. There is no disinformation. The human is still in control.”

Virgilio Hernando San Juan, first vice president, Central Luzon TV 36 – "We are no longer broadcasters. The real strategy should be in building content verticals and becoming a content vertical network. We should shift from merely reporting news to a solutions-focused media organization, leveraging institutional resources to identify, investigate and scale up solutions of the community. In this way, AI cannot take journalists' jobs because AI cannot go to the community level and find the nuanced local questions, local problems.”

Future of Collaboration: Strategic Partnerships in Media, Broadcast & Entertainment

Speaking at the "Future of Collaboration: Strategic Partnerships in Media, Broadcast & Entertainment" session, Billups Limited global CSO Ranganathan Somanathan said the industry must shift its focus from the volume of partnerships to the value they create. He highlighted three key trends shaping the future of media collaborations: content ownership, ecosystem-led distribution, and data-driven partnerships.

Somanathan noted that content is increasingly becoming a strategic asset, with partnerships evolving beyond licensing toward co-ownership of intellectual property. He also emphasized that telecom operators and pay TV providers are emerging as ecosystem partners, contributing audience intelligence, customer relationships, and distribution capabilities. Describing data as the “new deal glue,” he said future collaborations will be driven by shared audience insights, first-party data, and measurement frameworks. The session also highlighted the growing importance of Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising as a channel that bridges physical and digital engagement, enabling brands and content platforms to connect with audiences in real-world environments.

Ranganathan Somanathan, Global CSO, Billups Limited – “The future is not about more deals, but better deals.”

The discussions reflected broader shifts across the media and entertainment landscape. S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan data suggests that while Asia-Pacific's pay TV subscriber base will remain stable at around 660 million through 2032, household penetration is expected to decline to 52.1% by 2032. The trend highlights the growing impact of streaming, creator-led content, and on-demand viewing, reinforcing the need for broadcasters and platforms to embrace AI, personalization and strategic partnerships to stay relevant in an increasingly fragmented media environment.

The media industry is moving toward a hybrid model in which relevance will be defined by authenticity, adaptability and partnership. Companies that combine technology with human oversight and distribution scale with meaningful audience connection will be best positioned for growth.

Global Broadband & Pay TV is a regular feature from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan.

This article was published by S&P Global Market Intelligence and not by S&P Global Ratings, which is a separately managed division of S&P Global.