Digital
AI set to transform media and entertainment industry
From creation to monetisation, AI is rewriting how stories are made and found
MUMBAI: Artificial intelligence is no longer a backstage tool in media and entertainment. It is fast becoming the main act. Delivering the keynote at the FICCI-EY M&E Industry Report launch, Meta managing director and country head Arun Srinivas, laid out how AI is transforming the entire value chain, from content creation to discovery and monetisation.
At the heart of this shift is access. AI is breaking long-standing barriers of language and reach, allowing content to travel further than ever before. Films, short-form videos and creator-led stories are now being dubbed, subtitled and even lip-synced across multiple languages with ease. The result is a more fluid, borderless entertainment ecosystem where stories find audiences far beyond their original markets.
Discovery, Srinivas noted, is undergoing an equally dramatic shift. On platforms such as Instagram and Facebook, a significant share of content consumption now comes from recommendations rather than followers. AI-driven systems are increasingly acting as matchmakers, connecting viewers with content tailored to their interests. In simple terms, content no longer waits to be found, it finds you.
For advertisers and platforms, this intelligence is translating into sharper targeting and improved efficiency. AI tools can identify the right audiences, optimise campaigns and even assist in crafting narratives for advertisements. What was once manual and intuitive is now data-driven and predictive.
India, Srinivas argued, sits at the centre of this transformation. With millions of creators producing content in dozens of languages, the country is both a testing ground and a growth engine for AI-led innovation. A large and rapidly digitising population, widespread smartphone adoption and expanding 5G access are further accelerating this shift towards a digital-first media economy.
Creators are already tapping into AI tools for editing, translation, dubbing and audience insights, enabling them to refine content in real time. Studios, meanwhile, are using predictive models to gauge consumer sentiment and optimise release strategies. Advertisers are deploying AI across campaigns, while developers continue to build new layers of tools and services on top of these platforms.
Srinivas also pointed to emerging interfaces that could redefine how content is consumed. From AI-powered assistants embedded in everyday apps to wearable devices offering immersive, on-the-go entertainment and real-time translation, the next wave of innovation is set to be more interactive and deeply personalised.
The broader message was clear. AI is not just enhancing the media business, it is restructuring it. As creators evolve into full-fledged studios and content becomes inherently multilingual, the lines between production, distribution and consumption are blurring.
With its scale, diversity and digital momentum, India is uniquely positioned to lead this shift. If storytelling has always been the country’s strength, Srinivas suggested, AI could well be the force that amplifies it to a global stage.
Digital
OpenAI’s Stargate lead Peter Hoeschele exits with two senior leaders
Trio behind compute push set to join new startup amid leadership reshuffle
SAN FRANCISCO: Peter Hoeschele, a key figure behind OpenAI’s early Stargate data centre initiative, has exited the company, according to a report by The Information.
The departure is part of a broader leadership shift, with two other senior executives, Shamez Hemani and Anuj Saharan, also set to leave in the coming days. All three are expected to join the same new startup, although details about the venture remain under wraps.
The trio played a central role in OpenAI’s Stargate effort, an initiative aimed at building large-scale data centre capacity in-house to reduce reliance on external infrastructure providers. Their exits mark a notable moment for the company’s compute strategy as it continues to scale rapidly.
OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Information, “We’re grateful for the contributions Peter, Shamez, and Anuj have made to OpenAI and wish them the very best in what comes next.” The company also pointed to the recent appointment of Sachin Katti to lead its industrial compute organisation, signalling continuity in its infrastructure roadmap.
OpenAI has indicated that it does not plan to directly replace Hoeschele’s role, suggesting a possible restructuring of responsibilities within the team.
As competition intensifies in the race to build next-generation AI systems, leadership changes in core infrastructure teams are likely to draw close attention. For now, the spotlight shifts to what this departing trio builds next, and how OpenAI adapts as it scales its ambitions.
