Ankur Tripathi, BU Head - Media & Entertainment, To The New

Ankur Tripathi is a seasoned media technology professional with over 15 years of experience, driving OTT innovation, AI-powered personalization, and cloud-native media solutions. He has worked across technical and leadership roles, shaping digital transformation, content localization, and strategies that enhance engagement and growth for global media platforms from Noida, India. 

In this article, Ankur explores how Data, AI, and Generative AI are reshaping the OTT and streaming landscape, driving personalized content discovery, predictive recommendations, and innovative strategies that are redefining how audiences engage with entertainment.

Over the last few years, the way people consume entertainment has changed significantly. The rise of OTT (over-the-top) platforms has completely redefined the viewing experience for the audience. People now have access to vast amounts of entertainment with just a simple swipe on their phones. The streaming Tsunami has taken over people with too much content and too little time. According to media reports, India alone had over 547 million OTT users in 2024, a 14% increase from the previous year. 

The future of entertainment belongs to platforms that turn data and AI into meaningful, personalized experiences for every viewer.

An overflow of content alone does not always equate to meaningful entertainment. What sustains audience engagement today is not merely the abundance of content, but the intelligence behind how it delivers what viewers truly enjoy. This is precisely where Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) and more recently, Generative AI (GenAI) are redefining the landscape, enabling sharper insights, personalized recommendations, and entirely new forms of creative expression.

Why Discovery Matters More Than Content Volume

The biggest challenge for OTT providers these days is not just producing content but also ensuring that audiences can easily discover it. OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar, and others regularly handle millions of hours of content and users every single day. With so much choice, users often fall into the trap of endless scrolling.

This is where AI comes into the picture through its powered recommendation engines, by analysing user behaviour based on what they skip, where they pause, and what others with similar tastes enjoy.

Netflix recently revealed that recommendations drive around 80% of watched content on the platform. Similarly, JioHotstar leverages AI to push live sports highlights to cricket fans within minutes. In other words, with the advancement of AI, OTT services are now evolving from 'What to Watch' to 'This Is for You', curating content based on viewing patterns of the audience. 

From Recommendations to Personalised Trailers

While traditional AI examines the past behaviour of the audience, Generative AI enables platforms to take personalisation a few steps further. Recent reports reveal that streaming services like Netflix are developing AI to personalise trailers and thumbnails according to individual viewer preferences. This subtle personalisation can dramatically increase viewership.

In addition, OTT providers are experimenting with GenAI for dubbing and subtitling, allowing shows to travel across regions and breaking language barriers at scale. A 2023 Deloitte report notes that in India, 50% of OTT audiences favor non-Hindi content, which fuels the regional content boom. Creators are now tapping markets swiftly, expanding their audience footprint.

Search functionality is another frontier. Forget rigid keyword hunts, natural language processing (NLP) enables queries like 'Tamil crime thriller with politics', interpreting intent for precise results. This seamless experience reduces friction, keeping users immersed longer.

Also Read: Top 5 Netflix Films That Will Outplay Your Expectations

Beyond the Screen

Artificial Intelligence’s role doesn’t stop at recommendations; it now extends far beyond viewer-facing features. OTT platforms are leveraging predictive analytics combined with GenAI to help streaming platforms guess what content people will want to watch, plan when to release it, and understand which types of shows and movies will be popular in the future. While audiences interact with the front-end magic, much of this transformation is being enabled by technology partners behind the scenes. 

This collaboration enables OTT providers to both entertain audiences and maximise returns on their content investments. Imagine platforms auto-curating family weekend playlists blending everyone's preferences. In essence, the future of entertainment hinges on blending masterful storytelling with intelligent data. Platforms that harness AI and GenAI won't just spot the next big hit - they'll create ecosystems where every viewer feels seen.

Looking Ahead

With the Indian OTT market projected to grow from USD 1.5 billion in 2024 to USD 3.2 billion by 2030, per media reports, mastering tailored experiences will separate winners from the pack. Growth at this pace means competition will be fierce. The winners will be those who combine storytelling brilliance with data intelligence.

The next wave of media and entertainment will not be won by those who create the most content, but by those who can create the most meaningful connections. This shift demands more than sophisticated algorithms - it requires an empathetic use of AI that blends data-driven intelligence with cultural nuance, creativity, and context.

In the near future, we may see platforms auto-curating weekend playlists for the entire family, thrillers for dad, rom-coms for mom, animation for kids, everything stitched together for us by AI.