Rudy Lai

AI @ Warner Bros. Discovery

Film, streaming, TV networks
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has systematically integrated AI into its media operations starting from 2019, focusing on content discovery, ad targeting, and media streaming efficiency, with increasing sophistication culminating in generative AI applications by 2025.
  • Key leadership such as CEO David Zaslav and newly appointed VP Anish Agarwal have guided the company's responsible AI adoption strategy, avoiding full AI-generated entertainment content, and instead leveraging AI for enhancements like captioning, ad personalization, and operational automation.
  • Recent advances include deploying Google Cloud's Vertex AI for automated closed captioning by Q3 2024, launching generative AI platforms in sports and social video analysis in 2025, and combining machine learning for investment decisions, reflecting a strategic focus on improving customer experience and reducing operational costs.

VIBE METER

More AI announcements = more VIBE
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5 AI Use Cases at Warner Bros. Discovery

Content Analytics
2025
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
Using generative AI and proprietary AI platforms like ViralMoment, WBD analyzes social video trends and events to boost engagement and tailor content strategies effectively. [1]
Operational Automation
2024
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
AI powers internal automation efforts led by WBD's AI and Automation center of excellence to streamline processes and improve efficiency across media workflows. [1]
Automated Captioning
2024
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
Through partnership with Google Cloud's Vertex AI, WBD automates closed caption creation to reduce cost and speed up production pipelines for its streaming platforms. [1][2]
Ad Personalization
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
WBD employs AI to optimize ad targeting and dynamically generate shoppable ad units that integrate seamlessly with TV and streaming content, enhancing advertising effectiveness. [1][2]
Content Discovery
2019
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Warner Bros. Discovery uses AI to analyze video metadata and viewer preferences to enhance content recommendation and discovery, improving audience engagement. [1]

Timeline

2025 Q3

1 updates

Integration of machine learning predictions in investment decision-making to support fast growth strategies, illustrating expansion of AI use beyond media to finance.

2025 Q2

2 updates

Launch of generative AI-powered platform for mountain biking event coverage in collaboration with AWS; accelerator program features ViralMoment AI-driven video intelligence for social media, reflecting innovation in content analytics and engagement.

2025 Q1

1 updates

Senior Director Deepa Paranjpe highlights AI/ML applications improving workflows and ad campaign strategies; WBD leverages AI insights with partners like DirecTV to maximize advertising impact.

2024 Q4

2 updates

Anish Agarwal appointed as VP for AI and Automation center of excellence, signaling intensified focus on AI leadership; AI enables dynamic ad creation identifying TV and film items, enhancing interactive advertising capabilities.

2024 Q3

3 updates

Partnership with Google Cloud to deploy AI-powered closed captioning (Caption AI) on the Max streaming platform, cutting production time and costs; AI used in scriptwriting, story development, and video editing for efficiency improvements.

2024 Q2

3 updates

WBD clarifies AI use limited to ad targeting and content discovery, resisting full AI content creation; company transparency efforts face investor scrutiny; reports of production shifts to AI-generated content denied by leadership.

2024 Q1: no updates

2023 Q4

2 updates

WBD emphasizes state-of-the-art AI in machine learning, computer vision, and NLP for media streams continuity, with key personnel like Machine Learning Platform Engineer Frank Shen driving operational excellence.

2023 Q3: no updates

2023 Q2: no updates

2023 Q1: no updates

2022 Q4: no updates

2022 Q3: no updates

2022 Q2: no updates

2022 Q1: no updates

2021 Q4: no updates

2021 Q3: no updates

2021 Q2: no updates

2021 Q1: no updates

2020 Q4: no updates

2020 Q3: no updates

2020 Q2: no updates

2020 Q1: no updates

2019 Q4

1 updates

Warner Bros. began collaboration with Intel using AI to enhance content discovery by tagging video metadata, improving audience connection.