Jacob Zuo, Founder and CTO of Kiloview, in the TKT1957 survey «The year 2030: AI or engineer?».
- How will the broadcasting industry and broadcast technologies change in the next 5 years?
- If we model the world of broadcasting and broadcast tech in 2030, what role will AI play?
- How will AI change your business segment?
- Which professions will AI displace in the broadcasting technology industry by 2030?
- Predicting the future of technology is always bold and challenging. However, by examining the current state of technology in the broadcasting industry and its related IT-driven sector, we can identify clues and make imaginative forecasts.
Our primary prediction is that within the next five years, the broadcasting industry and broadcast technologies will inevitably merge deeply with IT and internet industries. This outcome is beyond doubt.
The integration of broadcasting with IT and the internet will first require resolving the issue of unified technical standards for content production and distribution. This includes IP-based transmission technologies, video and audio format standards that cater to capturing, production, internet transmission, and distribution, as well as application norms for IT super-computing in video content creation and image processing. Although this remains an unresolved issue due to historical differences in industry development, it does not hinder our bold imagination of the future. Once this foundational issue (infrastructure work) is resolved, technological barriers between industries will be dismantled, powerful IT technologies will empower the broadcasting industry, and the vast demand for high-quality content production and dissemination in broadcasting will, in turn, drive advancements and transformations in IT and internet technologies. This will create a stunning “chemical effect”:
Foremost among these changes is the ubiquitous application of AI in broadcasting content creation. AI will take on roles such as cameraman, lighting technician, sound engineer/recordist, colorist, director, script supervisor, producer, art designer, makeup artist, and cultural and creative designer, etc. AI could almost fill every role in the broadcasting industry! This may seem unbelievable, but these changes are already occurring. Imagine how AI technology, as it continues to advance and potentially reach or exceed human intelligence, will transform the quality and efficiency of content creation in broadcasting in very near future!
While the impact of AI on the industry may cause some unease, we should not be overly concerned. We must always believe that technological progress serves humanity rather than challenging it, and we have the capability to control these developments. Whether we are content creators, producers, distributors, consumers, or industry technology developers and equipment manufacturers like Kiloview, we should clearly understand that AI’s impact lies in enhancing our efficiency in creation and production, altering consumption patterns and habits, and reshaping the path of technological development. In short, AI will significantly boost productivity, marking a hallmark of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, akin to the previous three.
As a designer and manufacturer of industry products, Kiloview can also envision more possibilities from the perspectives of products, technology, and practices.
In the next five years, AV over IP technology will be fully integrated into the broadcasting industry (and the broader broadcasting/Pro AV industry), replacing most traditional transmission and production technologies. AV over IP will drive the comprehensive IT transformation of cameras, transmission methods,data processing, and video/audio production and broadcasting. This will enable software technology to penetrate every aspect of content creation. AI will more broadly replace repetitive tasks performed by professionals, and advanced IT technologies will significantly reduce hardware costs while enhancing efficiency and flexibility.
Over the next five years, the deep integration between broadcasting, IT, and the internet will continue, leading to the gradual blurring and eventual disappearance of industry boundaries. Technological and model innovations have been the driving force behind the rapid development of the IT sector, represented by the internet. Once the broadcasting industry merges deeply with IT, this innovative momentum will fundamentally alter the business landscape and technical systems developed over the past century in broadcasting. This transformation is essentially driven by technological changes that prompt shifts in content formats, production methods, consumption and revenue models, and distribution channels. These changes are already familiar: our content production increasingly comes from individuals; we access content through OTT platforms; we prefer live streaming, social media, and short videos for content consumption and interaction. From a production technology perspective, cloud-based production methods are fundamentally changing our work processes. All of this is inseparable from the internet.
In the next five years, we will witness the decline or even disappearance of many traditional businesses and technologies. Advanced IT and communication technologies will reshape our workflows. Traditional satellite relay transmission will be replaced by 5G internet transmission technology. 5G multi-link aggregation transmission technology offers far superior stability, reliability, and bandwidth compared to traditional satellite relay, with costs only a fraction of satellite transmission. Studio construction will become simpler, more intelligent, and lightweight. Traditional cable connections will vanish, and cumbersome transmission equipment and production consoles will disappear. Video and audio content will be transmitted to the cloud, and with the aid of software and AI technologies, complex content creation will require minimal manpower and cost.
2. AI’s role in the broadcasting industry can be divided into two main categories: first, AI based on knowledge and experience training that assists professionals in solving complex and repetitive tasks through methods such as target recognition and machine vision; second, AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content), which helps or aids in solving creative and imaginative problems.
When we think of AI, we think of large models, multi-modal systems, pre-training, and generative models. These concepts are influenced by AIGC’s impressive capabilities. AIGC is most astonishing in its application to broadcasting content creation and creativity. Remarkable imagination, stunning special effects, and fantastical virtual realities—by 2030, these will be driven by AIGC, becoming commonplace and accessible.
However, not all aspects of the broadcasting industry’s ecosystem will require AIGC and large models. Systems for intelligent automatic tracking with robotic arms may only need well-trained small neural networks and conventional CV algorithms; the same applies to color grading and intelligent lighting control systems. We should not focus solely on AIGC and large models; in fact, small neural networks may play a more significant role in addressing practical industry problems.
3. In the future, AI in the broadcasting industry can be segmented into the following application areas and functional modules:
Content Production and Creation
AI will be used for the automatic generation of news reports, sports events, and various programs (including scripts and video content), significantly increasing production efficiency. AI can analyze vast amounts of material and automatically edit content to match audience preferences. Moreover, powerful AIGC will provide crucial assistance in creative processes and even fully replace human creativity.
Enhanced User Experience
TikTok’s unique user habit analysis and content recommendation AI engine have achieved tremendous commercial success. This inspires us to explore the potential commercial value of AI in optimizing user experiences. By analyzing viewing history and preferences, and combining AI’s intelligent recognition of program content, precise personalized content recommendation systems can be constructed. AI assistants supported by large models can offer real-time program suggestions and interactive services, accurately understanding user intentions and enhancing user experience.
Intelligent Broadcasting Equipment and Unattended Automatic Filming
Future broadcasting equipment will be fully integrated with AI, from camera audio capture and image encoding/decoding to transmission and control. AI can optimize video and audio signal quality; AI-based video compression technology will achieve superior image quality while further reducing bandwidth consumption; AI will help optimize signal transmission and reduce latency; real-time monitoring and fault prediction by AI will significantly improve equipment stability and usability, among other benefits. The ultimate dream of content production is to replace manual labor with machines and AI, achieving complete automation of the entire production process.
Advertising and Marketing
Advertising remains a crucial revenue source for the broadcasting industry. In this area, AI can analyze user data for precise ad targeting and placement; AI can also analyze market data to predict trends and optimize marketing strategies.
4. As mentioned, AI is expected to replace many roles in the broadcasting industry, especially those that rely on experience, regularity, and repetition. Here are some interesting examples:
Makeup Artists and Lighting Technicians
TikTok uses AI algorithms and video processing technology to enhance portraits and lighting effects in videos. Although this technology is currently used primarily for personal entertainment and lacks professional precision, it represents the direction of technological development. Many companies are already developing specialized products in this area. By 2030, as AI technology matures, it may surpass human expertise in this field.
Cameramen
Kiloview and many industry peers are developing AI-based unmanned camera robots (mechanical arm devices) utilizing target recognition, machine vision, and multi-modal large model technologies. These are more advanced than traditional PTZ (Pan/Tilt/Zoom) systems, as they can understand the director’s shooting intentions, automatically adjust camera parameters, control shooting trajectories, intelligently use visual language, and produce artistically and stylistically unique shots.
This example of the cameraman role underscores that AI is not merely a tool for efficiency and accuracy but an intelligent entity. AI not only works efficiently but also thinks, understands, and possesses creativity.
