Reports

Today’s headlines about AI (Artificial Intelligence) are hardly a passing trend.  AI is rapidly changing the way people are interacting with entertainment and technology, and companies are embracing AI to streamline operations and improve efficiencies in producing, marketing and distributing content.

How much are consumers keeping up with AI?

Popular tools like OpenAI’s GPT-4 and DALL-E are being used to create images, music, scripts, games and fully realized ads and video content. The lines between “real” and “fake” are becoming even blurrier as post-production AI tools are enhancing not just backgrounds and environments, but character identities and storylines.  And how companies are using AI to better match viewers with the content they love – using AI algorithms and recommendations – are continuing to improve.

In this new report, Hub will explore how much people are aware of and understand what AI currently offers.  We will explore how people are currently using AI and their interest in interacting with other content and features powered by AI across the entertainment landscape.  Finally, we will analyze where the biggest opportunities (and challenges) lie in how AI can benefit studios, talent, distributors, and consumers.

As part of the Entertainment & Technology Tracker series, this report will also include quarterly tracking questions about the home media technology landscape.

Over the past few years, what would have once seemed unthinkable has become standard practice in the streaming video marketplace – virtually all subscription services have launched ad-supported offerings. As a result of formerly ad-free platforms like Netflix, Disney+, and Amazon Prime Video rolling out ad-supported tiers, and free ad-supported streamers (FASTs) grow their reach, the vast majority of viewers are now watching ads when they stream video.

The Hub TV Advertising: Facts vs. Fiction study has consistently shown viewers are receptive to advertising, particularly when it saves them money on subscriptions. With monthly rate increases on the horizon, are viewers becoming more open to ad-supported options? How does the changing advertising landscape impact perceptions of streaming services and the ad experiences they offer?

• How has consumer acceptance of advertising in streaming content evolved over time?
• What is the average viewer’s awareness of the various free and tiered service offerings, and how do their perceptions vary by brand?
• What is the interplay between the ad experience and overall platform satisfaction and loyalty?
• What are the choice drivers between Live vs. On-Demand viewing, and how does ad acceptance vary across use cases?
• What advertising formats and features offer the best experiences in the minds of consumers?

The goal of the study is to help streaming services, media agencies, advertisers, and distributors better understand how to present advertising that enhances viewers’ engagement and satisfaction with the streaming video experience.