AWS has been deeply involved in media and entertainment for years. How did this focus begin, and how has it expanded to include sports and gaming?
About six years ago, we noticed that customers in media and entertainment were looking for ways to revolutionise their business models. That led us to create an industry-specific business unit within AWS. My background is in media and entertainment, so we focused on hiring people with similar industry expertise.
Over the last year, we’ve expanded to include sports and gaming, forming a unified Media, Entertainment, Games, and Sports team. This enables us to spot trends across industries and provide tailored solutions to our customers. My team consists of industry specialists—people who’ve been customers and partners themselves—so we understand the challenges customers face and can support them deeply.
Generative AI has been a game-changer across industries. How is AWS helping customers harness this technology across these industries? And what’s your view on its impact on areas like visual effects and animation?
Generative AI has been a huge disruptor, but this industry is used to disruption. The focus is on helping customers figure out their long-term goals and how AWS can support them in achieving those. Generative AI is helping with both automation and creative output.
For example, we work closely with customers to assess their needs. Depending on their in-house capabilities, we recommend either AWS native services or partner solutions. The goal is to elevate their creative output or help them venture into new spaces, always aligned with what they want to achieve.
In terms of visual effects and animation, generative AI is democratising access to tools for creating visual content. Partners like Crikey AI, which runs on AWS, enable individuals to produce high-quality content from home. For larger studios, AI enhances workflows, automates repetitive tasks, and supports creative processes, allowing teams to focus on innovation.
Localisation is crucial for global audiences. How does AWS approach this challenge while supporting personalisation and accessibility?
Localisation is key, especially in media, entertainment, gaming, and sports. We approach this with a localised team structure, supported by subject matter experts in nearly every market. My team collaborates with local partners to tailor solutions to specific regions.
For instance, customers with strong IT capabilities may use AWS native services to build their own solutions. Others may prefer turnkey solutions from our extensive network of more than 500 media and entertainment-specific partners. In the Middle East, we’re ramping up our presence by hiring local experts and onboarding more partners.
Personalisation, on the other hand, is critical for customer retention. We offer tools like Amazon Personalise and services for creating a 360-degree customer view, enabling businesses to deliver tailored content. For example, some customers are leveraging AWS solutions to repurpose archive content into new revenue streams. Personalisation drives engagement and loyalty, making it an essential focus for our customers.
Accessibility is another key focus. We work with geo-diverse teams to ensure our training and certification programs are accessible to everyone. This empowers customers to upskill their teams and helps us provide localised solutions that meet their specific needs.
Live streaming is becoming increasingly popular. How is AWS addressing latency and other technical challenges in this space?
Live streaming is critical for reaching larger audiences. We’ve supported innovations like IMAX theatres in Taiwan and Hong Kong streaming NBA games live, and Snoop Dogg’s concert streaming to over 10 million viewers.
For latency, we offer services like NICE DCV, a virtual desktop infrastructure with millisecond latency, enabling remote collaboration. Our EC2 instances also provide scalable rendering capacity, addressing the limitations of on-premises infrastructure.
What are the biggest technological challenges facing your customers, and how is AWS helping solve them?
Computing power is a significant limitation. On-premises infrastructure is finite, so many customers adopt a hybrid model, using AWS to supplement their resources.
For example, production teams can upload footage directly to the cloud, enabling immediate post-production work. This eliminates the need to transport physical drives and supports sustainability by reducing travel.
Sports broadcasting has been a highlight for AWS. What are your plans for global markets, especially football?
Sports broadcasting is an incredibly powerful storytelling medium. Our sports business development team works exclusively with sports customers to address fan engagement, personalisation, and technology needs.
While I can’t comment specifically on football, we’re leveraging partnerships like the one with the NFL to co-develop generative AI initiatives and broaden our reach. It’s all about enabling our customers to achieve their goals and deliver immersive experiences for fans.
How important is the Middle East market for AWS?
The Middle East is an exciting and emerging market for us. We already have infrastructure in the region and are expanding further, with new investments coming to Saudi Arabia by 2026.
The region has strong potential in media, gaming, and eSports, and we’re working closely with local customers and AWS teams to support these industries.
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