Brands
MIP London 2026 puts AI at the heart of TV and streaming
LONDON: Artificial intelligence is no longer circling the entertainment industry. At MIP London 2026, it is firmly in the room and leading the conversation.
The international TV and streaming content market returns for its second edition from 22 to 24 February at the IET London and The Savoy, with organisers confirming a significantly expanded focus on AI across the conference programme. More than 1,000 delegates have already signed up, including over 550 international buyers, underlining the market’s growing pull.
This year’s AI strand is designed to move beyond hype and into hands-on reality. Dedicated sessions will explore how AI is being deployed today across content creation, production workflows, monetisation and ethical governance. A market-first applied AI roundtable forum will bring global industry players together for structured discussions on where the technology is delivering value and where caution is still required.
One of the standout sessions comes from Deepdub, which will lift the lid on large-scale AI voice deployment in live production. Drawing on more than 300,000 hours of content already streaming on major global platforms, Oz Krakowski, Chief Business Development Officer and Co-Founder, will present “AI Voice in Production: What Actually Works at Scale”. The session will focus on quality benchmarks, workflow integration and the balance between automation and human control.
Versos AI will turn the spotlight on factual television and the business of data. Its panel, titled “AI Training Data and the New Economics of Factual TV: How to License, Structure, and Produce Video to Make More Money in the AI Era”, will examine how AI training data is reshaping the economics of non-fiction content. Executives from Curiosity Stream and Arcadia Entertainment will join the discussion on licensing models, content structuring and new revenue opportunities.
A central pillar of the programme is the Applied AI Roundtables, delivered in partnership with Luma AI. Hosted at The Savoy, the curated sessions will bring together producers, broadcasters, studios, platforms and technology leaders to exchange insights on creativity, discovery, rights management and responsible AI deployment. The roundtables will open with a keynote from Jason Day, Head of GTM EMEA at Luma AI, who will outline how AI is driving what he describes as a “creative renaissance” for filmmakers and producers.
Luma AI, a frontier artificial intelligence company, is best known for its Dream Machine platform and Ray3, a reasoning video model launched in 2025 that enables physically accurate, controllable video and animation at production scale. Day, appointed in late 2025, leads the company’s expansion across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
The AI programme forms part of MIP London’s wider conference theme, “Joining the Dots: Finding the Value”, which also spans the creator economy, podcasting, streaming trends and multi-genre screenings. Major broadcasters, platforms and media groups including BBC, Netflix, Apple TV+, Disney+, Channel 4, ITV and Amazon Prime Video are among those confirmed to attend.
With further announcements expected in the run-up to the market, MIP London 2026 is positioning itself as a practical meeting ground where artificial intelligence meets the everyday business of making, selling and scaling entertainment.
Brands
Bajaj Consumer Care FY26 profit rises to Rs 193.7 crore
Revenue climbs to Rs 1,092 crore as profit grows 49 per cent YoY
MUMBAI: Hair today, growth tomorrow Bajaj Consumer Care Limited seems to have found its shine again, posting a sharp jump in profitability even as it doubled down on brand spends and expansion. The company reported a net profit of Rs 193.7 crore for FY26, marking a strong 49 per cent rise from Rs 130.1 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations also grew to Rs 1,092.2 crore, up from Rs 942.8 crore a year earlier, signalling steady demand momentum across its portfolio.
For the March quarter, profit stood at Rs 64.1 crore, compared to Rs 31.5 crore in the corresponding period last year, while revenue rose to Rs 308.3 crore from Rs 243.5 crore.
The performance came despite a notable increase in spending. Advertising and sales promotion expenses climbed to Rs 168.3 crore in FY26, up from Rs 137.8 crore in FY25, reflecting continued investment in brand building. Other expenses also rose to Rs 151.3 crore from Rs 134.2 crore, indicating a broader push towards growth.
Operating efficiency, however, held firm. Profit before tax increased to Rs 234.8 crore in FY26 from Rs 157.7 crore a year earlier, supported by disciplined cost management across materials and inventory.
On the balance sheet, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 959.1 crore as of March 31, 2026, compared to Rs 931.9 crore a year earlier. Other equity rose to Rs 780.3 crore, reinforcing a stronger financial base.
Cash flow from operations saw a significant uptick, reaching Rs 196.9 crore in FY26, nearly three times the Rs 67.9 crore recorded in FY25, highlighting improved working capital management.
However, the year also saw aggressive capital allocation. The company spent Rs 190.2 crore on share buybacks, contributing to a net cash outflow of Rs 196.5 crore from financing activities. Cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 6.8 crore at the end of the year, down from Rs 25.6 crore.
Even as investments in subsidiaries and assets continued, the numbers suggest a company balancing growth ambitions with shareholder returns keeping one eye on expansion and the other on efficiency.
With margins improving and revenue steadily climbing, Bajaj Consumer Care appears to be combing through the competition with renewed confidence.
