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Category: Technology

  • Indian media and entertainment techies flock to IBC2024

    Indian media and entertainment techies flock to IBC2024

    AMSTERDAM: IBC which is held at the Rai exhibition centre in Amsterdam in September every year is considered a very important stop in every leading broadcaster, systems integrator, OTT platform, technology provider, equipment manufacturer’s  calendar. 2024 saw its importance rise even further as a record number of executives, journalists, sales folks, students descended from their planes in the famed Schipol airport and made their way to the south of the city between 13 and 16 September.  

    The constant refrain amongst most attendees was that IBC2024 had outscored the other famous exhibition which is held in Las Vegas – the NAB show -which until now was considered a bigger trade show. The final day is an indicator of a trade show’s success. At the Rai, stands were packed as meetings continued till post lunch and some booths had conversations continuing till as late as 3:30 pm when the exhibition was supposed to close at 4pm on 16 September.

    Amongst the Indian companies which had taken up booths included: Tata Elxsi, Tata Communications, PlanetCast, Magnifi, Amagi, Canara Lighting, Ali Corp, Tabsons, UTO Solutions, Prime Focus Technologies, Workflow Labs, and Magnaquest.

    The aisles were bustling with Indians as systems integrators, distributors, resellers, technology executives, engineers scoured the booths to get abreast of the latest in solutions. Techies from Disney Star India, Whistling Woods, Sun TV, Zee5, GTPL Hatway, Hathway, Prasar Bharti, Hoichoi, Jio Platforms, NDTV, among many others kept busy over the duration of the exhibition.

    With the  rise of streaming, mergers and acquisitions amongst media majors, cord cutting continuing, explosion in free to air, automation of work processes, the uptake of generative AI and AI as a whole, increase in adoption of the cloud, Indian industry is grappling with which way they should direct their investments in tech so that they can get an efficient return on their investments and be future ready as well. Hence, the rush to tech shows such as IBC.

     

  • IBC2024 grows across the board as AI Takes centre stage

    IBC2024 grows across the board as AI Takes centre stage

    AMSTERDAM: It has been a record breaking year at IBC2024 with the Amsterdam confab attracting 45,085 visitors from 170 countries – a jump of more than 2,000 as compared to the previous year. On top of that 100 additional exhibitors put up their stands in the 14 halls covering 46,000 square metres of space (as against 44,500 square metres in 2023) in Amsterdam’s RAI with their count adding up to 1,350 Many participants opined that IBC2024 was the busiest four days they have had this year as execuitves from the global media, entertainment and technology community came together to connect, showcase and discover innovations, tackle pressing industry challenges, and explore new opportunities. 

    Across a bustling show floor and packed theatres, IBC2024 addressed critical trends and issues driving change across the media landscape, such as combatting false information and fake news, while offering new show features, such as the AI Tech Zone, and IBC Talent Programme.

    “IBC continued on an upward trajectory in 2024, with tremendous turnout across the entire IBC community as people gathered in Amsterdam to explore the technological advances and market dynamics redefining our industry,” said IBC CEO Michael Crimp.. “In a year marked by major events such as the Olympics and national elections, there was an extremely positive buzz at IBC2024. This year’s show addressed soaring interest in trends such as AI’s leap from theory to real-world applications, how the industry is fighting disinformation in news, and the need to foster talent and diversity across media, entertainment and technology.”

    Other themes that took centre stage at IBC2024 included sustainability, 5G, cloud, esports, immersive experiences, over-the-top (OTT) and streaming, adtech, metaverse, edge computing, and connected technologies. Many of these were addressed in the three-day IBC Conference, relocated to the Auditorium Complex at the RAI, as well as in the various show floor theatres and by many of the exhibitors themselves on their stands.

    A number of IBC2024’s defining themes were also focuses of the IBC Accelerator Media Innovation Programme, which this year included another IBC first: the AI Media Production Lab, exploring a series of projects in which some of the industry’s most inventive innovators collaborated on specific AI concepts. One of the hottest Accelerator projects – also addressed in the IBC Conference – was ‘Design Your Weapons in the Fight Against Disinformation’, which aimed to develop an industry-wide?understanding?of the challenges and abuses being faced today by all media outlets in helping audiences identify trustworthy news and information.

    The new AI Tech Zone, powered by EBU, was packed with visitors engaging with leading innovators on practical applications ranging from automated video editing and music-audio separation to content provenance tracking and fast and secure cloud storage. Then Zone stage featured AI pioneers sharing insights into how the technology will impact the future and how it is already transforming media in areas such as discoverability, news verification, and creating immersive experiences.

    Another exciting new feature at IBC2024 was the Audio Visual (AV) buyers’ event on the eve of the show. Working with the AV User Group, media technology companies at the show were able to actively engage with major AV purchasers such as Arup, AstraZeneca, Bank of America, Barclays, Deliveroo, Direct Line Group, KPMG, Schroders, Sopra Steria, UBS, and WPP.

    The inaugural, free-to-attend IBC Talent Programme featured lively and engaged discussions on mentoring the industry’s next generation, recruitment challenges, and the importance of diverse perspectives for driving innovation. The programme was preceded by the World Skills Café, run by Global Media and Entertainment Manifesto, which took place at the RAI the day before the show.

    Leading global media technology brands exhibiting at IBC2024 included Arabsat, Arri, Avid, AWS, Blackmagic, BT Media, Canon, Comcast, Eutelsat, Evertz, EVS, Google, Grass Valley, Harmonic, Huawei, Imagine Communications, LG, Lawo, LTN, Mediakind, Microsoft, Nagra, Panasonic, Riedel, Ross Video, Samsung, SES, Sony, Tata Comms Media, Telestream, Zero Density, Zixi, and ZTE. There were also 150+ new exhibitors at the show, including 5G Broadcast Collective, CDN Alliance, Datacamp, Eosos, Frequency Networks, Medianet Berlin, Strada, SwXch IO, and Vubiquity, while Benro, Insta360, Robe, The Weather Company, Vecima – plus Yamaha returned to the show for the first time since 2019.

    “In the last few years, IBC has gone from strength to strength, with exhibitors continuing to find more ways to make the most of the show as we add new features and grow its scope and reach,” said IBC Director Steve Connolly. “The feedback we get is incredibly positive, with many seeing IBC evolving as an increasingly important incubator of media tech innovation, as well as maintaining our status as an essential networking destination and source of intelligence on new industry trends and developments.”

  • Sports innovation efforts lead at IBC2024 Innovation Awards

    Sports innovation efforts lead at IBC2024 Innovation Awards

    AMSTERDAM –The winners of the IBC Innovation Awards – which recognise collaborative efforts to develop solutions that address real-world industry challenges – were announced on 15 August at the Rai Amsterdam. They consisted of five categories: content creation, distribution, content everywhere, social impact, and environment and sustainability. 

    With 2024 being the year of big sporting events like the Olympics and UEFA European football championships, four of the five winners were those who had innovated in this area. 

     “Recognising and fostering industry innovation at every level is core to what IBC does, and these awards play a critical role in honouring and encouraging truly ground-breaking work,” said IBC CEO Michael Crimp. “This year’s expanded awards spotlight the fact that there are many areas in which we are seeing the media community collaborate to take us in new, exciting directions. I congratulate this year’s winners for demonstrating the co-operation, imagination and determination needed to really impact our industry.”

    The winners in the five IBC Innovation Awards categories were: 

    Content Creation
    * Olympic Broadcasting Services and partners for live broadcast production with more than 200 smartphones contributing video for the Paris 2024 opening ceremony and a sea-based 5G network for sailing competitions in Marseille.

    Content Distribution
    * The National Hockey League, in partnership with Verizon, AWS, Zixi, Vizrt and Evertz, for producing a 5G and Edge compute framework for assembly, control and delivery of live broadcast.

    Content Everywhere
    * LaLiga for working with Play Anywhere and Ease Live to enable true fan interactivity for itself and its worldwide broadcast and streaming partners.  

    Social Impact
    * Sesame Workshop for its Watch Play Learn Distribution Hub, which allows government agencies and aid organisations to preview and request videos for children in crisis settings.

    Environment & Sustainability 
    * France Télévisions for reducing CO2 emissions by 300 tonnes via a pioneering 100 per cent glass-to-glass cloud production and private 5G network, as it broadcast a 24/7 channel providing coverage of the Olympic torch relay for Paris 2024.

    Also at the 2024 Innovation Awards, this year’s IBC International Honour for Excellence (IHFE) – announced in August – was formally presented to Ukraine’s Mstyslav Chernov for his work as a video journalist and filmmaker. Chernov directed 20 Days in Maripoul, the multi-award-winning documentary chronicling the siege of the city by Russian forces in 2022, when he and his Associated Press (AP) team were among the last journalists there. He previously covered conflicts in Iraq, Syria, and Nagorno-Karabakh (in Azerbaijan) and the return of the Taliban to Afghanistan after the US withdrawal.
    The Best Technical Paper Award, another pre-announced honour presented at the Innovation Awards, was given to Joshua Maraval, Nicolas Ramin, and Lu Zhang for their paper Advancements in Radiance Field Techniques for Volumetric Video Generation: A Technical Overview. The authors, who are from the Institut de Recherche Technologique,  and the Institut d’Electronique et des Technologies du numéRique, were seeking an efficient solution to the complex problem of capturing and rendering volumetric video for three-dimensional VR experiences.

     

  • BT Media showcases VMC capability at IBC with Colors

    BT Media showcases VMC capability at IBC with Colors

    AMSTERDAM: London-based IndiaCast executive vice president- head international business Govind Shahi is cock-a-hoop with delight. Reason: Viacom18’s channel Colors was selected by BT Media as part of its channel transport demo during the ongoing IBC exhibition in Amsterdam’s Rai convention centre. And he made a whistle stop visit to the venue for the initiative.

    Says he: “We were the only Indian channel selected by BT Media for this exercise.” 

    A BT Media & Broadcast spokesperson pointed out that the idea was to “showcase how customers can seamlessly integrate their dedicated network infrastructure with our capability of using the internet to deliver live video content securely and reliably to any destination globally, with Virtual Media Connect (VMC).”

    According to the spokesperson, VMC, allows BT Media to provide its customers with access to and from its London switch over its (secure, reliable transport) SRT protocol without needing any fixed infrastructure. She added that the demo exercise was to show how efficiently content can be got from BT Media’s London switch to the Rai using SRT. 

    She explained further: “We can get video wherever it needs to be, whenever it needs to be there with low latency at a cost-effective price. Customers are able to expand the reach of their content with us flexibly.  Using the SRT protocol, we can securely and reliably deliver video content over the internet. VMC enables global customers to enjoy content from India to any destination. One of our sports production customers needed an alternative way to capture video feeds from the international hockey tournament in India for three weeks due to logistical constraints. We provided our VMC occasional use offering, which is easy to deploy, provides 24/7 monitoring by our dedicated IMC and is a cost-effective solution.” 

     

     

  • Britannia, Google Cloud & WPP agencies partner to launch BourbonIT

    Britannia, Google Cloud & WPP agencies partner to launch BourbonIT

    Mumbai: Britannia Industries, in collaboration with Google Cloud and  WPP’s media services company Mindshare and global creative company VML, has announced the launch of Britannia BourbonIT, a pioneering platform utilising generative AI (GenAI) technology to transform recipe creation and culinary experiences in India. This unique initiative,  spearheaded by Britannia’s iconic Bourbon, marks a significant milestone in the Indian market, underscoring the power of advanced AI to redefine consumer experiences.

    Britannia BourbonIT combines technology and creativity to enhance consumer engagement. Using Google Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, the platform adds a creative twist to traditional recipes, generating visually appealing culinary creations. It offers a smooth user experience with APIs developed using Google Cloud Functions to handle various input formats efficiently. A profanity filter is integrated to ensure content quality and brand safety.

    Users can submit recipes in formats such as YouTube videos, HTML links, images, or text. BourbonIT, with Google’s Gemini Flash, adds a Bourbon twist to each recipe, creating an engaging experience for consumers.

    Britannia CMO Amit Doshi said, “The launch of BourbonIT marks a key moment in Britannia Bourbon’s journey, demonstrating our dedication to delivering innovative and superior taste experiences. This initiative reflects Britannia’s commitment to evolving with the times while maintaining the flavors that have made Bourbon a household name. This collaboration with Google Cloud and WPP’s Mindshare and VML highlights Britannia’s leadership in adopting cutting-edge technology, setting a new benchmark for AI-driven experiences in India.  The teams have worked collaboratively to bring this initiative to life, and their efforts are set to elevate consumer engagement to new heights. The launch of BourbonIT is just the beginning,  paving the way for future innovations that will continue to redefine consumer interactions in the  culinary space.”

    Google Cloud India VP and country MD Bikram Singh Bedi said, “Our work with  Britannia and WPP is a testament to how generative AI can drive consumer engagement. The  innovative campaign BourbonIT leverages Google’s state-of-the-art generative AI capabilities to  deliver unique experiences.”  

    Mindshare CEO for South Asia, Amin Lakhani said, “We are incredibly excited to launch ‘BourbonIT’. A significant step forward in how AI can enhance our everyday lives, and in this case, our culinary experiences. This innovative application developed by WPP’s Mindshare  and VML and powered by Google Gemini, seamlessly blends cutting-edge technology with user-friendly design, making it simple for anyone to unlock their inner chef and explore a world of  flavourful possibilities.”

    VML’s CEO in India – Babita Baruah said, “We are excited to collaborate with  Britannia Bourbon on this innovative project for the iconic brand. By ‘bourbonizing’ users’ own recipes, we aim to bring Britannia Bourbon into every household in a fun and meaningful way to  deliver lasting impact, using technology to drive value with a creative twist.”

    Britannia Bourbon, long valued for its classic appeal, has evolved to meet changing consumer tastes. The collaboration with Winkin’ Cow to create Britannia Winkin’ Cow Bourbon Shake highlights this evolution. This new product combines the legacy of the original Britannia Bourbon biscuit with a fresh approach, offering consumers a novel way to enjoy their favorite biscuit.

    Steps to Bourbon IT the recipe:

    ● Scan the code on the Britannia Bourbon pack

    ● Share the link of your favorite recipe or simply type your favourite dish and give it a  Bourbon twist

    ● Submit your Bourbon creation and stand a chance to win a trip to Switzerland and Amazon cashback*

    BourbonIt can be accessed via mobile devices here: https://bourbonit.in/ *T&C applied

  • ESGDS launches AI-driven ESGSure platform to streamline ESG research

    ESGDS launches AI-driven ESGSure platform to streamline ESG research

    Mumbai: ESG Data & Solutions (ESGDS) launched ESGSure, an AI-powered platform designed to streamline environmental, social, and governance (ESG) research. ESGSure provides scalable, evidence-based insights, targeting financial institutions, investors, and corporations worldwide.

    The platform addresses challenges in ESG adoption, such as limited trained professionals, high costs, and lengthy research processes. ESGSure offers reliable data on over 15,000 global companies, including REITs and private firms, facilitating swift alignment with global regulations. ESGDS expects 20 per cent of asset managers and 10 per cent of banks to adopt ESGSure within the next 18 months.

    ESGDS’s CEO and co-founder, Ramnath Iyer stated, “ESGSure simplifies ESG research, offering real-time insights with unmatched speed and accuracy. Our platform bridges a significant market gap by making ESG research more accessible, faster, and more reliable than ever before.”

    Unlike traditional methods, ESGSure ensures objective analysis by incorporating updates from domain experts and minimising AI bias. The platform also adheres to GDPR and global data protection regulations, addressing concerns about data privacy and security.

    ESGSure is part of ESGDS’s comprehensive suite of solutions that support responsible investment and regulatory compliance.

  • The balance between technology and human touch in education and how teachers are adapting to these changes

    The balance between technology and human touch in education and how teachers are adapting to these changes

    Mumbai: I wish to begin with a thought-provoking question: Can technology and AI replace teachers? Technology will not replace teachers who use it judiciously to enhance their teaching skills

    The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning environments and classrooms in early 2020, compelling many schools to transition to distance learning. The widespread adoption of technology to connect students and teachers during this crisis accelerated trends that were already in motion

    Over the past few decades, and especially due to COVID-19, learning spaces have undergone a significant transformation. In both face-to-face and online settings, educators have witnessed a profound evolution at the intersection of teaching and technology.

    Technology-Enabled Classrooms

    In traditional brick-and-mortar classrooms, the introduction of smart boards and other interactive display tools has allowed teachers to bring their lessons to life, fostering a more engaging and dynamic learning environment. These technological advancements have enabled educators to illustrate complex concepts through multimedia, simulations, and video graphics, helping students comprehend and apply information firsthand.

    The role of the teacher has shifted from being the sole disseminator of knowledge to a facilitator who guides students through interactive and visually stimulating educational experiences

    The New Role of Teachers in the Tech Age

    New classroom technologies, management tools, and collaboration tools are significantly enhancing teaching experiences. HOTS (Higher Order Thinking Skills) and LOTS (Lower Order Thinking Skills), central to the Birla Open Minds Curriculum, combined with technology, improve learning outcomes by allowing students to problem-solve, analyze, and become digital natives while maintaining a balanced human approach and sustainable use of resources.

    The benefits of embracing technology are evident. As teachers integrate technology, their administrative tasks have lessened, and technology has become an effective enabler for creating content, lessons, and curriculum materials. This integration helps teachers understand and address the learning needs of their students more effectively.

    Teachers are now able to monitor more students simultaneously, assign lesson plans that students receive when ready, and share actionable content through a network of technology-enabled tools, both in the classroom and at home.

  • Jaspreet Bindra & Anuj Magazine launch AI&Beyond

    Jaspreet Bindra & Anuj Magazine launch AI&Beyond

    Mumbai: Jaspreet Bindra, an expert in AI and digital transformation, has launched AI&Beyond to make artificial intelligence more accessible and understandable. Co-founded with Anuj Magazine, an AI and cybersecurity specialist, AI&Beyond aims to democratize AI literacy across industries in India and beyond.

    The platform’s launch comes at a time when AI literacy is increasingly important. Understanding AI is becoming essential as AI reshapes industries and impacts business and daily life. Those knowledgeable in AI will influence the future, drive innovation, and help organizations stay competitive in a world driven by AI. AI&Beyond is committed to providing individuals and organizations with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this evolving landscape. The platform seeks to empower users to utilize AI effectively and responsibly by promoting a deeper understanding of AI.

    Jaspreet Bindra, known for his influential work as the author of The Tech Whisperer and his leadership roles in the tech industry, particularly as a former group chief digital officer at the Mahindra Group and regional director of Microsoft India, is on a mission to bridge the knowledge gap that exists around AI. With AI&Beyond, he aims to transform how businesses and individuals engage with AI by providing a comprehensive suite of experiential learning programmes.

    “At AI&Beyond, we believe that AI is no longer the future – it is very much the present. Yet, its true potential can only be unlocked if a broader audience understands how to use it effectively and ethically,” said Bindra. “In the age of AI, being literate will not be limited to knowing the language but also on how to use ubiquitously AI and Gen AI tools at work and at home. Our goal is to ensure that AI literacy becomes as fundamental as reading and arithmetic, especially in large organisations where AI’s impact will be profound. Through AI&Beyond, we aim to bridge the gap between AI’s capabilities and its practical application across various sectors.”

    The Generative AI Bootcamp, a flagship programme of AI&Beyond is designed to equip participants with the necessary skills to navigate the rapidly evolving AI landscape. These boot camps are tailored to address the specific needs of various industries, enabling organisations to seamlessly integrate AI into their operations. Additionally, the platform’s Ethics Bootcamp is crucial in today’s AI-driven world, helping organisations adopt AI and do so with a strong ethical foundation. This focus on ethical AI deployment is what sets AI&Beyond apart, emphasizing the importance of responsible AI use.

    Speaking on the launch, AI&Beyond co-founder Anuj Magazine said, “At AI&Beyond, we are laser-focused on transforming AI from an abstract concept into a practical, accessible catalyst that drives real-world impact for organisations. Our mission is to democratize AI knowledge and make it a core competency across industries, empowering every employee – from the boardroom to the frontline – with the skills to lead in an AI-driven future. Through our immersive, experiential learning programs, like our Generative AI Bootcamp and Ethics Bootcamp, we bring AI to life in ways that resonate deeply with enterprises, ensuring that we’re not just preparing businesses for the future – we’re enabling them to architect it.”

    AI&Beyond offers a range of resources, including workshops, briefings, webinars, and consulting services, designed to promote AI literacy and help organizations become more agile, innovative, and competitive in the digital age. The company also provides executive briefings to help leadership teams understand the strategic implications of AI and related technologies like cybersecurity and quantum computing.

    The name AI&Beyond reflects the company’s broader mission, drawing inspiration from CLR James’ work *Beyond A Boundary*, which examined the cultural significance of cricket. AI&Beyond emphasizes that understanding AI goes beyond technical knowledge. The platform is driven by the question, “What do they know of AI, who only AI knows?” This underscores its commitment to exploring the ethical, philosophical, and societal dimensions of AI.

    With the launch of AI&Beyond, Jaspreet Bindra and Anuj Magazine are set to lead a new era of AI literacy. Their vision is to empower businesses and individuals to not just keep up with the AI revolution but to lead it with confidence and ethical foresight.

  • CleverTap launches ‘Product Experiences’ for app & web UX optimisation

    CleverTap launches ‘Product Experiences’ for app & web UX optimisation

    Mumbai: CleverTap has announced the launch of ‘Product Experiences’ – a solution to experiment and elevate customer experiences across web and apps to help maximise lifetime value. With a no-code approach, user-friendly UI, and advanced segmentation capabilities and analytics, ‘Product Experiences’ allows product and growth managers to effortlessly personalise as well as optimize app and website user experiences.

    In today’s competitive app landscape, the stakes are higher than ever for businesses. With 50 per cent of users uninstalling an app within 30 days and 25 per cent abandoning it after just one use, the pressure is on the brand to deliver personalised experiences. Any issue in user experiences can lead to swift abandonment given the ease of access to other alternatives. According to studies by McKinsey, a staggering 70 per cent of drop-offs are due to sub-par in-app experiences, while 76 per cent of customers express frustration when brands fail to provide personalised interactions.

    That’s where CleverTap Product Experiences steps in to address these critical challenges. It empowers product managers and growth teams to effortlessly experiment and make swift changes to the app’s design, functionality, and workflows with minimal technical dependency—be it A/B testing onboarding, add-to-cart flow variants, updating banners, showing dynamic pricing, and other content. Thus democratising app and web experience management by enabling growth teams to independently manage in-app monetisation and personalization without the need for additional app updates. This drives operational efficiency, ensuring your business remains agile and responsive to market demands.

    The key components of ‘Product Experiences’ include remote config and product A/B testing. Remote config allows marketers and product managers to effortlessly map app and web functionalities to remote config’s user-friendly interface, enabling seamless control and personalisation of the user experience. They can create precise segments with zero-code and override variable values to tailor the experience for specific audiences directly from the CleverTap dashboard.

    With product A/B tests, marketers can set up experiments with multiple variants related to UI, functionality, and workflows. Through precise measurement of results based on key performance indicators (KPIs), businesses can analyze performance with detailed analytics and seamlessly deploy the most successful version to their user base.

    CleverTap co-founder and chief product officer Anand Jain said, “Businesses are continuously striving to push out newer features and updates to benefit the end user. The app updates that bring these changes are often the result of a complex, time-consuming and resource-intensive process. App release cycles are not scalable, cost-effective or agile enough to respond to market demands and keep up with the rapidly changing business environment. Product Experiences addresses these industry pain points by empowering businesses to take control of their app and web experiences with minimum technical dependency. Its unique capabilities offer CleverTap customers an all-in-one solution that redefines campaign management and performance and app and web experience management, proving to be a complete platform for future digital engagement success.”

  • The vision for immersive media in the next decade

    The vision for immersive media in the next decade

    Technological innovation is central to societal progress, influencing every aspect of human life—from communication and work to entertainment and information access. Advances in technology have transformed how we access information and services, providing unprecedented convenience. This progress not only enhances individual experiences but also drives global economic growth through digital platforms. These platforms have created new business opportunities, revolutionised industries, and spurred innovation, leading to a significant boost in the global economy.

    Today, technology is more than just a tool; it acts as a catalyst for economic and social development. Forrester’s Global Digital Economy Forecast predicts that by 2025, the global digital economy could reach $16.5 trillion, driven by advancements in AI, 5G, and IoT, capturing 17 per cent of global GDP. These developments present new opportunities for businesses, which are using these technologies to enhance customer experiences, streamline processes, and develop new products and services.

    Immersive media: The new frontier

    Among these technologies, immersive media stands out as a transformative force with the potential to redefine digital experiences in the coming years. Immersive media, including AR, VR, and MR, offers unique, interactive experiences that traditional media cannot match, providing a level of presence and immersion that other formats cannot replicate.

    The immersive media market is growing rapidly, with markets projecting that the AR and VR market will reach $96.32 billion by 2029, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34.2 per cent. This growth is fuelled by increasing demand in sectors like gaming, entertainment, education, and healthcare. Platforms such as SAP Commerce Cloud and CCV2 are helping companies integrate immersive experiences into their e-commerce strategies, enhancing the customer journey.

    AI is crucial in shaping the future of immersive media. Its integration with AR and VR technologies is becoming a key trend, driving future growth and adoption. Generative AI models are improving AR and VR applications with more realistic experiences, while AI-powered AR apps offer contextual information by recognizing real-world objects. Similarly, AI-driven VR creates personalized environments based on user preferences. Platforms like SAP Composable Storefront (CSF) and Omni Commerce Connect (OCC) are enabling businesses to build digital storefronts that adapt to these emerging immersive technologies, integrating them into their offerings.

    However, AI and 5G alone are not enough to create immersive media. Companies are investing heavily in R&D to develop devices and platforms that offer improved performance, comfort, and affordability. Modern VR headsets now feature higher-resolution displays, advanced tracking technologies, and ergonomic designs, making them more accessible to a broader audience.

    As technology continues to advance, immersive media is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future. It has the potential to transform digital environments, drive customer engagement, boost productivity, and foster entrepreneurship. Immersive media promises to revolutionize industries and open new opportunities, potentially becoming a defining feature of our digital landscape in the years ahead.

    The article has been authored by Clavrit Digital Solutions CEO & founder Amarjeet Dangi.