AI and Entertainment: A Q&A With Hub Research's Jon Giegengack
Hub Entertainment Research released its first study on AI in Entertainment. According to Hub’s press release about the report, AI is rapidly changing the way people interact with entertainment, and companies are embracing AI to streamline operations and improve efficiencies in producing, marketing, and distributing content. Key findings include:
Most consumers are aware of generative AI, but few feel confident they understand it.
Over 70% of respondents are familiar with the term "generative AI," and more than half (57%) say they’ve used a generative AI product like ChatGPT or others. However, only 18% are "very confident" they could explain to someone else what generative AI is or how it works.
Nearly all are at least somewhat worried about AI’s impact on society.
The vast majority have at least some concerns about AI. Two-thirds are very worried about undetectable “deepfakes” and potential loss of privacy, and the majority (57%) are worried about people losing their jobs to AI. These concerns are shared even among those who think AI will be positive for society in general.
When it comes to entertainment, comfort level varies by task.
Consumers strongly prefer human creativity for tasks like writing scripts, dialogue, and music. However, they are equally or more comfortable with AI handling technical tasks such as creating CGI effects and writing subtitles or descriptions.
Consumers want to know if they’re watching something made with AI.
Two-thirds say that any content made with AI should be “clearly and obviously labeled,” and another 26% say there should be an easy way for viewers to check if the title they’re watching contains any AI content. Only 6% said platforms don’t need to inform viewers about use of AI.
Consumers feel comfortable with AI when it comes to better content discovery.
Improving the discovery process is one area where consumers are comfortable with AI and even excited about the improvements it might bring.
-Three-quarters of respondents said they were somewhat or very interested in AI applications to analyze their viewing across platforms to give better recommendations (76%), recommend shows for particular situations like watching with others (77%), or to summarize all the reviews of a show before they decide to watch (74%).
I spoke with Jon Giegengack, Principal at Hub Research, about the report's findings and implications.
Jon Giegengack
Tyler Nesler: With two-thirds of consumers saying that any content made with AI should be “clearly and obviously labeled,” and another 26% saying there should be an easy way for viewers to check if the title they’re watching contains any AI content, do you expect that publishers will be open to this and will readily identify AI content, or could there be some resistance to this within the industry? And if so, why?
Jon Giegengack: I think publishers will be careful in how they roll out AI. With so many platforms to choose from, it’s not worth the risk of alienating viewers. Whether that’s being transparent about the use of AI or, for now, not using AI in ways viewers aren’t comfortable with. (Fortunately, publishers seem most interested in using AI for things like discovery, where consumers are tolerant or even excited to see what AI can do.)
TN: Why do you believe consumers appear comfortable with AI tracking their viewing habits to improve content discovery while, at the same time, two-thirds say they are very worried about the potential loss of privacy? Any guesses as to the reasons behind these apparently conflicting perceptions?
JG: If you ask people how they feel about sharing personal data in general, most say they don’t want to. However, if it’s positioned as a transaction – e.g., “Would you be willing to share information about your TV viewing in order for companies to show you fewer and/or more relevant ads while you’re watching TV” – most are willing to do that. The willingness to share data varies depending on what they will get in return. TV discovery is one of the biggest friction points for viewers, so I’m not surprised so many are willing to share their viewing history to improve content discovery.
TN: Was there any deeper insight found into why consumers strongly prefer human creativity for tasks like writing scripts, dialogue, and music?
JG: The resistance to AI in creative tasks is related to removing humans from the part that matters most to people: a story they recognize and can connect with. I don’t think general AI concerns have that much to do with it – if they did, people wouldn’t be as tolerant of AI in post-production or description or as excited about the idea that AI might improve content discovery.
TN: With only 18% of consumers saying they are "very confident" they could explain to someone else what generative AI is or how it works, what measures can AI providers or publishers take to better educate the public about the technology?
JG: AI is a technology that solves problems people don’t know they have. While many have used AI, the most common tasks are essentially an improved Google search: asking questions or scanning for information. AI companies can speed up familiarity by showcasing examples of more powerful applications. But consumers will really understand the potential of AI once they start seeing it applied in their everyday lives.
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