Return on intelligence and trust

For media and entertainment organizations, unlocking value from AI at scale depends on two things: intelligence and trust.

Built on three complementary elements—Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ—Microsoft IQ is the intelligence layer that connects AI, data, and context across the media value chain. It gives AI agents a deep understanding of how creative teams work, how content moves through production and distribution, and how business decisions are made. This shared intelligence accelerates content creation, personalizes audience engagement, streamlines operations, and opens new paths to monetization—all while keeping human intent and creativity at the center.

None of this works without trust. Media organizations operate under intense intellectual property (IP), regulatory, anti-piracy, and contractual constraints. Frontier transformation depends on intelligence that is secure, governed, and observable by design. Microsoft delivers this through an AI control plane, with Agent 365 providing unified governance, identity, and observability across agents—ensuring they are discoverable, auditable, and policy‑controlled as they operate across creative, operational, and business workflows. Combined with Microsoft’s end‑to‑end security and compliance stack—spanning Microsoft Entra, Microsoft Purview, Microsoft Defender, Fabric, and Foundry—media organizations can scale AI confidently while protecting creative IP on a global scale. 

At NAB Show 2026, Microsoft is showcasing how media companies can move beyond experimentation to real business impact with AI. Through a single, unified platform that brings together AI, data, intelligence, and governance, Microsoft enables connected, actionable insights that help media organizations use intelligent work, AI-powered creation, agentic operations, and new growth with AI.

Read more to see where frontier media organizations are already achieving this.

Intelligent work

Frontier media organizations start by transforming how people work. Instead of being spread across dashboards and systems, intelligence shows up directly in the flow of work through Copilot, agents, and Microsoft IQ. See how a few examples of frontier media organizations are embedding intelligence into everyday work:

• Publicis Groupe announced it is expanding its partnership with Microsoft to enable intelligent, agent‑driven work for its more than 110,000 employees while powering the future of agentic marketing for its customers worldwide. Publicis is rolling out Microsoft 365 Copilot across its workforce to embed AI into daily work. Additionally, Publicis Sapient’s Slingshot framework will use Microsoft’s cloud, while Sapient AI solutions will integrate Microsoft Copilot Studio, Microsoft Agent 365, and Microsoft IQ, enabling customers to embed AI directly into core business processes. Sapient’s Bodhi platform will then allow organizations to deploy and scale secure, enterprise-grade AI agents across the business. The partnership is anchored in Epsilon, Publicis’ IP intelligence layer. AI agents built on Microsoft Fabric and powered by Epsilon will be able to reason, decide, and act on trusted, real-world data, to deliver impact that extends beyond model performance to sustained business value.
• The New York Jets are using technology to turn one of the most high‑pressure moments in sports—the NFL Draft—into an example of intelligent work in action. Through their Microsoft powered Titan platform and Copilot enabled tools, coaches, scouts, and front office leaders bring together film, analytics, historical data, and real‑time insights to make faster, better‑informed decisions. By augmenting human expertise with AI and cloud intelligence, the Jets show how intelligent work helps teams operate with speed, alignment, and confidence when every decision matters.

Together, these organizations show how intelligent work starts by meeting people where they already work and embedding intelligence directly into daily media workflows.

AI-powered creation

For creators and content teams, intelligence must move as fast as the moment. Frontier media organizations connect content, audience signals, and creative context in real-time, so insight immediately translates into action. See how frontier media organizations are using AI-powered creativity to scale their content:

• Collective Artists Network is working with Microsoft to support creators with AI-native content systems that keep human storytelling at the center. By embedding intelligence into filmmaking workflows, the collaboration aims to help teams iterate faster while preserving director-led creative vision.

We’re using technology being developed here in India to take our culture and history to a global audience, at a scale that wasn’t possible earlier. For us, this is a long-term priority, building stories that are rooted in who we are, but can travel anywhere in the world.

—Vijay Subramaniam, Founder and Group CEO, Collective Artists Network

• The NBA uses Microsoft Azure AI to power dynamic highlights, real‑time stats, and in-game insights embedded directly into fan touchpoints like the NBA App—bringing fans closer to the action through personalized, data‑driven experiences.

Microsoft has also announced new Microsoft AI models in Microsoft Foundry and Microsoft AI Playground to help media organizations further accelerate this shift. MAI-Transcribe-1 delivers state-of-the-art speech-to-text transcription across the top 25 most-used languages.¹ MAI-Voice-1 generates natural, realistic speech, that preserves speaker identity even across long-form content. MAI-Image-2 was created with photographers, designers, and visual storytellers, delivering natural lighting, accurate skin tones and texture, and clear in-image text for diagrams, layouts, and graphics.

Empowering creators is not about adding AI features. It is about orchestrating intelligence across content, data, and delivery—so creativity becomes action in real time.

Agentic operations

The most profound transformation in media today is operational. Frontier organizations are embedding intelligence across the entire media supply chain—from production and post to rights, distribution, and monetization—using agentic systems to replace manual handoffs with coordinated, end-to-end workflows.

• Penguin Random House is using agentic AI to modernize accessibility at scale, embedding governance and human oversight into core publishing workflows to improve efficiency and compliance.

Penguin Random House leverages Azure AI to scale the creation of high‑quality, context‑aware Alt-Text content across our e-book catalog. This initiative advances our accessibility commitments while materially reducing manual effort, cost, and operational complexity. By embedding Azure OpenAI into our accessibility workflow with a human‑in‑the‑loop governance model, we can generate image descriptions at scale, strengthening regulatory compliance and enabling a more accessible and efficient publishing process. 

—Christopher Hart, CIO Penguin Random House 

• The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is using Microsoft Azure and AI orchestration to power a real‑time intelligence platform that unifies match telemetry and delivers instant, on‑court insights to coaches and players. By processing more than 700,000 data points per match and generating over 1,500 statistical combinations in real time, the ITF is enabling teams to make faster, data‑driven decisions during play through applications like Match Insights, helping standardize access to advanced analytics across more than 140 competing nations regardless of their resources.

• Kantar is using Microsoft Copilot Studio to deploy teams of AI agents that automate complex data preparation tasks across its global operations. By breaking down manual workflows such as translating documents, validating policies, and organizing HR content into smaller subtasks handled by specialized agents, Kantar enabled its People Team to clean, tag, and structure 4,000 artifacts into 400 policy documents in just six weeks, laying the operational foundation for scalable, agent‑driven workflows that support employee queries across 60 countries.

With Foundry IQ and Fabric IQ, agents now operate with shared context across data, workflows, and knowledge—allowing operations to scale without chaos and intelligence to move end-to-end.

Additional partner solutions continue to enable agentic operations:

swXtch.io will introduce swXtch.ai and the swXtch AI Router, a platform that integrates with Microsoft Fabric and NVIDIA AI to enable real-time AI in live media workflows through a simple chat-driven interface, reducing the need for custom pipelines or specialized expertise.

New growth with AI

The clearest signal of frontier leadership is how media organizations innovate. Instead of experimenting at the edges, leaders are building AI‑native platforms that unlock entirely new creative and commercial opportunities.

See how some of these frontier organizations have experienced new growth with AI:

• Microsoft recently announced a partnership with the Mercedes‑AMG PETRONAS Formula 1 Team to apply cloud and enterprise AI across race strategy, team operations and business intelligence, transforming massive volumes of telemetry into real‑time intelligence from the factory to the circuit. With each car generating more than a million data points per second, Microsoft technology helps turn complex race data into faster insights that power smarter decisions and more effective strategies in the moments that matter most. Together, the companies are harnessing data as intelligence to drive performance and strategy, enabling teams to move from raw information to sustained competitive advantage both on and off the track.
• Art Basel is using Microsoft Foundry to power the Art Basel Companion app, unlocking new digital pathways for audience growth and artist discovery across its global fairs. With AI‑powered features such as personalized recommendations and instant artwork recognition through the Art Basel Lens, the platform creates new opportunities for deeper visitor engagement—helping attract new audiences, increase return visits, and expand how collectors and fans interact with galleries through AI‑enabled discovery.
• The Premier League is using Azure AI and Foundry to unify decades of match statistics, editorial content, and video into real‑time, personalized digital experiences for its global fanbase. By enabling rapid innovation through agentic AI and real‑time personalization, the League has unlocked new forms of fan engagement across its owned platforms, driving a 20% year‑over‑year increase in engagement and activating more than 60 million users in the early months of rollout.

Additional partner solutions continue to unlock new growth with AI:

SymphonyAI’s Revedia is an AI‑first platform supporting over $40B in industry content revenue, rapidly ingesting and normalizing third‑party data to deliver accurate revenue and viewership insights at scale. Beyond data management, the Revedia Suite provides prescriptive intelligence—recommending actions and forecasting outcomes to maximize distribution performance and revenue. Revedia is trusted by a broad cross‑section of the media industry, including major studios, broadcasters, cable networks, and Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) platforms.

The Microsoft and MediaKind partnership continues to accelerate, with MK.IO emerging as the proven cloud-native streaming platform for live sports. Built on Azure, MK.IO supported DAZN’s delivery of the FIFA Club World Cup 2025, streaming 63 matches to audiences across over 200 markets with consistent, broadcast-quality performance. It reflects a broader industry shift toward platforms that combine reliability with the agility of API-driven services. A transformation MediaKind is showcasing at NAB 2026 through MK.IO’s self-serve platform and large language model (LLM)-optimized documentation, with live demonstrations in Microsoft’s booth highlighting AI-assisted workflows in action. This momentum continues to grow through MediaKind and Microsoft’s collaboration on some of the most prestigious sports ecosystems in the world, including ongoing work supporting top-tier football experiences such as the Premier League. 

Join us at NAB Show 2026

Frontier media organizations are already proving what is possible when intelligence, data, and trust come together on a single platform. Join Microsoft at NAB Show 2026 to see how Copilot, agents, Microsoft IQ, Foundry, and Fabric come to life through real deployments, live demos, and customer stories shaping the future of media.

¹ Top 25 languages by Microsoft product usage

The post Powering intelligent media: How frontier organizations realize a return on intelligence with Microsoft appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

AI is delivering real, measurable returns for telecom

AI is already delivering measurable business impact across industries, and telecom is among the leaders. A recent IDC study shows operators are achieving 2.8 times return on generative and agentic AI investments, with many leading companies reaching up to 5 times return. Frontier telecoms are realizing even greater returns from AI by making it foundational to how their business operates—from employees and core workflows to the end‑to‑end value chain. These leaders are moving beyond incremental efficiency by using an end-to-end AI platform and unified data approach that embeds AI into everyday operations, enabling faster decisions, tighter execution, and continuous performance improvements across their organization.

With more than 80% of the Fortune 500 building active AI agents, Microsoft Copilot is rapidly becoming essential to how employees think, collaborate, and deliver results. As AI proves its value, telecoms are moving beyond pilots to connected intelligence that elevates customer experiences, replaces manual workflows with autonomous operations, hardens and self‑heals networks, and drives new revenue opportunities. Connected intelligence will differentiate fast-moving telecoms across every area of business operation.

Read more about Frontier telecoms here.

Return on intelligence and trust

For telecoms, achieving value from scalable AI depends on two factors: intelligence and trust. Built from three complementary IQ elements—Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ—Microsoft IQ is the intelligence layer that connects AI, data, and context across the business. It gives AI agents deep awareness of how people work, how the business operates, and how decisions are made. This intelligence layer accelerates decisions, improves customer experiences, automates operations and networks, and unlocks new ways to monetize AI‑based services. Trust is built through Microsoft’s carrier‑grade control plane, which provides built‑in monitoring and governance across the entire AI platform, including AI agents from our partner ecosystem, to allow telecoms to innovate responsibly, support regulatory compliance, and scale AI with confidence.

At MWC 2026, Microsoft is announcing new technologies that will help telecoms move forward with AI and use intelligence to drive the business.  Microsoft delivers this through a single platform that brings AI, unified data, trust, and governance together to enable telecoms with connected, actionable insights to accelerate innovation and growth.

Building the sovereign, AI-ready edge for telecom

For telecoms, thriving in the era of agentic intelligence begins with a resilient foundation. Today, we’re advancing Microsoft Sovereign Cloud with fully disconnected operations, extending cloud capabilities and AI-ready infrastructure deeper into operator networks than ever before. As demand accelerates for low-latency services, real-time processing, and stronger assurances around data sovereignty and regulatory compliance, the edge has become a critical extension of telecom networks and foundational layer of modern digital infrastructure. This is especially true for regulated industries and mission-critical scenarios where operational resilience and control over data are paramount.

To support these confidential environments, Azure Local offers full stack capabilities that support customers across connected, intermittently connected, and fully disconnected modes. This is essential for sovereign environments where uninterrupted access to operational, network, or customer-facing systems is non-negotiable. Azure Local disconnected operations keeps critical services running securely without connectivity to the cloud. At the same time, Foundry Local will be able to offer modern infrastructure and support for large AI models. Using the latest graphics processing unit (GPU) infrastructure from partners like NVIDIA means customers with sovereign needs will now be able to run models locally on their own hardware, inside strict sovereign boundaries enabling powerful, local AI inferencing in fully disconnected environments.

Customers can deploy and govern workloads inside their own datacenters, using familiar Microsoft Azure experiences and consistent policies, without depending on continuous connection to public cloud services.

AT&T uses Azure to support its cloud and edge strategy, enabling consistent operations across a distributed network footprint. By applying Azure’s management and governance capabilities across environments, AT&T can bring compute and data processing closer to where services are delivered while maintaining strong security and operational oversight.

“As we expand our network edge capabilities, Azure plays a key role in helping us apply cloud-native principles across our distributed infrastructure. The scalability and flexibility of Azure’s adaptive cloud approach allow us to deploy services closer to our customers, maintaining control while providing the reliability and performance they expect from AT&T. This long-standing partnership enables us to innovate and deliver next-generation experiences at the edge.”

—Sherry McCaughan, Vice President, Mobility Core and Services

Azure’s cloud-native management capabilities and global platform enable organizations like AT&T to modernize and scale edge environments, supporting next-generation services while maintaining consistent governance, security, and operational control. Native management capabilities and a global platform enable organizations like AT&T to modernize and scale edge environments, supporting next generation services while maintaining consistent governance, security, and operational control. 

We’re also investing in multi-rack deployment capabilities for Azure Local, extending scale points to support large-scale infrastructure for the most demanding, mission-critical workloads. Customers will be able to expand from single-node and cluster deployments to multi-rack environments designed for high availability, fault isolation, and operational simplicity at scale. Multi-rack deployment on Azure Local is currently in preview and will be available in the coming months.

Microsoft is collaborating with telecom operators to deliver sovereign cloud platforms and managed services that combine hyperscale innovation with local control, enabling enterprises to meet data residency, regulatory, and security requirements while accelerating trusted digital and AI transformation.

Agentic customer experiences that drive growth

With this foundation in place, telecoms can move beyond isolated use cases to scale intelligence across experiences and growth models. The same agentic capabilities that transform customer engagement also unlock new ways to monetize services, reduce cost to serve, and create differentiated value.

Today, telecom customer journeys are fragmented. Customers often switch channels to complete tasks, driving abandonment and cost. AI agents turn customer intent into end‑to‑end action across systems. Microsoft is now offering a telecom agentic store reference framework to replace click‑based journeys with natural‑language interaction. Coordinated AI agents handle discovery, sales, service, billing, and partner offers in the background—customers state their goal and agents deliver the outcome. The result is higher digital completion, faster resolution, and better experiences. This framework also creates a new monetization platform, enabling federated AI marketplaces with built‑in identity, billing, and sovereign deployment for trusted ecosystem commerce at scale. Telecoms are already working with Microsoft and system integrators to adopt this architecture—unifying sales and service, reducing cost‑to‑serve, and creating a scalable foundation for partner‑led innovation. 

FiberCop modernizes edge cloud and contact center

FiberCop runs Italy’s most advanced, far-reaching and pervasive digital network infrastructure. FiberCop recently announced that it has integrated Azure Local into its network, transforming the access infrastructure into an edge cloud platform capable of delivering cloud-native services, virtualized network functions, and advanced workloads while meeting sovereignty and compliance requirements. Today, FiberCop announces that it is accelerating its agentic transformation, moving to an AI‑first contact center model where autonomous AI agents, Copilot, and human expertise work together. By adopting Dynamics 365 Contact Center, FiberCop has begun modernizing customer engagement with unified data, intelligent routing, and AI‑powered self‑service and assisted service that delivers more efficient operations and better customer experiences at scale.

Introducing Ericsson Enterprise 5G Connect to reimagine customer experience

Ericsson announces ongoing collaboration with Microsoft introducing the Ericsson Enterprise 5G Connect solution—validated on Microsoft Surface 5G Copilot+ PCs and built on top of Windows 11’s Enterprise Cellular Managed Connectivity (ECMC) capabilities. This new offering enables enterprises to centrally manage secure, seamless 5G connectivity for mobile and hybrid employees, using automatic network switching and robust policy enforcement to enhance productivity and security. IT teams gain scalable management and control, while end users benefit from uninterrupted, AI-powered experiences across private and public 5G networks. The solution is currently being piloted by Ericsson and is in private preview. To learn more, visit our Windows IT Pro blog.

Intelligent business operations, built for telecom

Delivering connected customer experiences depends on what happens behind the scenes. Telecom operations require trusted, governed access to network and customer data. That’s why operators are moving from legacy data warehouses to a modern lakehouse that unifies business and network data.

Microsoft Fabric provides a single, policy‑governed data foundation for real‑time, operational, and analytical data to speed AI insights at scale. Building on this foundation, today we’re announcing Azure Databricks Lakebase will be available in March 2026, giving telecom operators a managed PostgreSQL environment with next generation separation of storage and compute for transactional data, providing instant availability, instant clones, and scale-to-zero. This brings online transaction processing (OLTP) capabilities to the Databricks Data Intelligence Platform on Azure designed for developer performance with low total cost of ownership (TCO), eliminating the traditional gap between operational systems and the lakehouse.

Partners are building on this data foundation as well. For example, Nokia integrates its data suite with Fabric to securely unify network telemetry and reduce AI use case development time by up to 80%.

MTN transforms fraud prevention with AI

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, identity theft and first-party fraud are escalating at alarming rates, posing significant risks to individuals and businesses across South Africa. MTN has made a bold move to transform its fraud management approach by harnessing advanced Microsoft technologies. Shifting from traditional, reactive methods to a proactive, AI-powered ecosystem, MTN is not only protecting its customers and strengthening revenue defenses but also reinforcing national digital resilience and contributing to a safer, more secure digital economy for all.

Amdocs powers intelligent business operations

Amdocs is making several announcements with Microsoft that deepen integration to deliver next-generation solutions. The first is AI-powered application modernization through the Amdocs Agentic Services platform, embedding Microsoft AI solutions such as Azure OpenAI and Microsoft Foundry into end-to-end modernization and migration to Azure. Second, Amdocs Cognitive Core platform built on amAIz, offering prebuilt agent libraries, cross-domain insights, and telecom-specific AI that integrates with any business or operating system stack and runs securely on Azure. Colt Technology is working with Amdocs and Microsoft to streamline operations and accelerate service delivery with real-time insight.

To learn more about transforming the OSS/BSS with agentic AI, read this blog.

Power autonomous networks with built-in trust and control

As intelligence is embedded across data and operations, the next frontier is the network itself. Agent-driven operations enables networks to move from reactive management to autonomous executions that respond faster, reduce risk, and improve resilience at scale.

To help operators move from pilots to production at scale, Microsoft is evolving its network operations agent (NOA) reference architecture—a proven framework shaped by real world deployments, industry collaboration, and learnings from Microsoft’s NetAI program.

NOA is built for today’s telecom realities: exploding event volumes, rising complexity, and persistent skills gaps. The latest evolution deepens integration with Microsoft AI and collaboration platforms, strengthens alignment with open standards, and delivers a modular, production-ready path to autonomy—without compromising telco-grade safety, governance, or human oversight. Operators engage AI directly through Microsoft 365 Copilot and Microsoft Teams, while Microsoft Foundry and the Microsoft Agent Framework provide a governed, observable runtime for multi-agent orchestration at scale. Expanded support for TM Forum Open APIs helps ensure interoperability across existing business and operations support systems, making NOA an open, secure foundation for autonomous networks. Read more about NOA.

Leading operators such as Far EasTone Telecom and Vodafone are already applying this blueprint to modernize network operations, reduce human error, accelerate recovery times, and enable engineers to focus on higher value work.

Far EasTone Telecom (FET) is turning agentic AI into real operations impact 

FET exemplifies how leading operators are turning this architecture into real operational impact. FET is using the NOA framework to redefine cloud native network operations by embedding agentic AI across its NOC and change management workflows. Today, nearly 60% of its NOC operations are AI-assisted, with about 10,500 operational tasks executed per month, including incident summaries, automated ticket closure, network checks, and proactive voice notifications. AI agents now handle largescale alarm correlation and root cause analysis in seconds, supporting nearly 7,000 monthly operational queries with an average response time of 16 seconds, and enabling most maintenance actions to complete within one minute. This shift has significantly reduced human error, accelerated recovery times, and allowed engineers to focus on higher value work.

Vodafone’s journey toward intelligent network operations

Vodafone is working with Microsoft to apply this proven AI‑powered blueprint for autonomous network operations across transport infrastructure and field‑force management. The collaboration combines Vodafone’s deep network expertise with Microsoft Foundry and the NOA framework to modernize how large‑scale telecom networks are operated.

This blueprint is built on Microsoft’s own experience running autonomous agents across its global Azure transport network, where AI continuously monitors performance, identifies root causes, and autonomously manages more than 65% of fiber‑break field dispatches—improving time to repair by up to 25% and accelerating root‑cause analysis by 80%. By applying these proven capabilities to Vodafone’s transport network, the two companies are accelerating the shift toward intelligent, automated transport network operations across the telecom industry.

“By working with Microsoft, we’re combining deep network expertise with proven AI‑powered operations to create something greater than either could achieve alone. Together, we’re building intelligent, automated transport network operations that empower our teams and deliver faster, more resilient connectivity networks for our customers.”

—Alberto Ripepi, Chief Network Officer, Vodafone

Other operators, including AT&T, T-Mobile, Telefónica, and MEO, are adopting Microsoft Foundry as a blueprint for scaling agentic AI across complex, multi-vendor networks. 

Today, Kenmei announces it is collaborating with Microsoft to help operators accelerate their path toward autonomous networks by combining Kenmei’s telecom intelligence offer with Azure and Microsoft Fabric to enable scalable analytics and agentic AI–powered operations. Already in use at leading operators like Telefónica and Etisalat (e&), this collaboration brings proven deployments into a broader cloud and AI ecosystem designed to reduce manual effort, speed decision‑making, and unlock new levels of network automation.

Microsoft achieves global milestone to extend internet access with Starlink

As telecoms scale intelligence across networks, operations, and experiences, connectivity remains the starting point. Because AI only delivers impact where access exists, expanding internet access is foundational to an intelligent and inclusive telecom future.

Today, 2.2 billion people around the world remain unconnected.¹ To help overcome this barrier, Microsoft pledged to bring access to 250 million people by 2025. We are pleased to share that we’ve expanded internet access to 299 million people through the power of technology and partnerships in communities around the globe. But we know there is more work to do to support unconnected communities and enable global participation in the AI economy.

In support of this on-going effort, we are unveiling a new collaboration with Starlink designed to bring Microsoft’s experience with governments, local operators, and community partners together. With more than 9,000 satellites in low-Earth orbit, Starlink will extend digital infrastructure to rural, agricultural, and hard-to-reach communities. You can read more about how we met this milestone and are continuing to extend AI-enabled connectivity aligned with community needs.

Join us at MWC 2026 to learn more

Frontier telecoms are already proving what’s possible when AI, data, trust, and governance come together on a single platform to power faster operations, autonomous networks, intent-driven engagement, and real return on intelligence.

Join Microsoft At MWC 2026 to see how operators and partners are moving from AI promise to production through real deployments, live demos, and customer stories.

¹Facts and Figures 2025, ITU.

The post Microsoft accelerates telecom return on intelligence with a unified, trusted AI platform appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Becoming a Frontier Firm in media and entertainment

A Frontier Firm is a next-generation media organization that reimagines what’s possible—across storytelling, audience engagement, operations, and monetization. These companies embrace agentic AI to unlock creativity in every corner of the business, from editorial and production to marketing, distribution, and strategy. By deploying AI agents that act, learn, and adapt, Frontier Firms empower teams to focus on high-value work, accelerate innovation, and deliver intelligent, personalized experiences at scale.

In the era of the Frontier Firm, AI is not just automating tasks in media and entertainment—it’s unleashing creativity across the workforce.

• Enrich employee experiences: AI helps employees by taking care of repetitive tasks, giving them more time to focus on creative and strategic work, and connecting their tools and data into smooth, intelligent workflows.
• Reinvent audience engagement: AI transforms how media companies connect with audiences by enabling hyper-personalized content, adapting stories to viewer preferences, and delivering experiences that drive deeper engagement across platforms and formats.
• Reshape business processes: AI streamlines media operations—from metadata tagging and localization to campaign management and distribution—by automating routine tasks and enabling agile, outcome-driven teams that focus on strategic oversight and creative excellence.
• Bend the curve on innovation: Generative AI accelerates content creation in media by helping writers, editors, and designers ideate, produce, and refine assets faster, while preserving creative uniqueness and unlocking new formats like synthetic video and multimodal storytelling.

As McKinsey’s Technology Trend Outlook 2025 notes, “Those who act with focus and agility will not only unlock new value but also shape the future of their industries and the future of today’s emerging frontier technologies.”

Microsoft media and entertainment customers trailblazing AI innovation

Media and entertainment customers today are embracing what it means to be a Frontier Firm by leading with vision, investing in talent and technology, and boldly experimenting to shape the future of entertainment and drive industry transformation. The Frontier Firms of media and entertainment are not defined by the size of their library or reach, but by the boldness to reimagine how stories are created, how teams collaborate, and how value is discovered in every moment. Microsoft is helping organizations around the world build the foundation for this future.

Streamlining media workflows

The next wave for media is not about automating yesterday’s processes but rather about reimagining the entire back office operation and production pipeline. From streamlining editorial workflows to managing the full content lifecycle, leaders in media and entertainment are looking for tools that free teams to focus on storytelling innovation instead of manual tasks. Examples of our customers reimaging their business operations include:

• The National Football League (NFL) is one of the world’s most popular sports leagues, with 335 events each season and hundreds of millions of fans across the globe renewed its partnership with Microsoft. Incorporating the new Microsoft solutions will help drive innovation and enhance the game day experience leaguewide from the sideline to team headquarters to the league office. The NFL is implementing Microsoft Copilot and Azure AI to enhance sideline evaluation and workflows, scout new talent, and streamline operations that keep the stadiums running smoothly. The NFL added an AI assistant to its existing Combine App, using Azure OpenAI Service to deliver fast, accurate answers to natural language questions in real-time. Teams now access insights in seconds, helping coaches and scouts evaluate talent faster—even while athletes are still on the field.
• The National Basketball Association (NBA) transformed fan engagement, operational agility, and data security by migrating to Microsoft Azure—unlocking real-time insights, scalable AI innovation, and personalized digital experiences across its global ecosystem.
• The Indiana Pacers use Azure AI Speech to create a solution that delivers real-time captions with the speed and accuracy required for a live game-day experience. Using Microsoft Azure AI Foundry, Pacers Sports & Entertainment pioneered a real-time captioning system that transforms live basketball into an inclusive, immersive experience for deaf, hard-of-hearing, and non-English-speaking fans redefining accessibility in sports.
• LaLiga uses Microsoft Azure Arc to unify cloud and on-premises operations across 42 stadiums, enabling low-latency AI-powered insights and seamless fan experiences that boost productivity, security, and engagement.
• Dentsu implemented Microsoft Azure AI Foundry and Azure OpenAI Services to build a predictive analytics copilot that supports media insights, cutting analysis time by 80% and overall time to insight by 90%.
• Kantar modernized its global IT infrastructure using Microsoft 365 Copilot to streamline endpoint management, reduce costly manual processes, and boost employee productivity—ultimately enhancing client outcomes through improved operational efficiency.
• The International Tennis Federation (ITF) transformed match-day strategy and coaching effectiveness by deploying Microsoft Azure Databricks, Azure SQL Database, Surface devices, and Azure Data Lake to deliver real-time performance insights through the Billie Jean King Cup Match Insights app, empowering athletes and coaches with data-driven decisions.

Empowering content creators

For media and entertainment, Microsoft Copilot is an intelligent assistant creators have always needed—from answering simple data questions to supporting advanced production work that was once out of reach. By putting AI at the side of every editor, producer, and storyteller, we’re not just making processes faster—we’re expanding what’s possible. That means more capacity for creativity, stronger content lifecycles, and measurable business impact at every stage.

• WPP’s T&Pm agency revolutionized creative workflows by using Microsoft Azure OpenAI and Sora to rapidly prototype and scale personalized video content—enabling faster production, deeper experimentation, and more emotionally resonant storytelling across global campaigns.
• Penguin Random House (a subsidiary of Bertelsmann), the world’s largest book publisher, partnered with Microsoft to address the European Union Accessibility Act and promote inclusivity by automating the generation of high-quality, context-aware alternative text for images in over 160,000 eBooks. Using Azure and Azure AI Foundry, the solution extracts image context from digital books and generates descriptive captions, dramatically reducing manual effort while ensuring compliance. The initiative not only enhances accessibility for visually impaired readers but also delivers projected annual savings of USD1.5 to 1.8 million.

“Our collaboration with Microsoft’s Industry Solutions Engineering team has enabled us to meet the requirements of the EU Accessibility Act and continue our quest to make accessible content for all our readers. Building on the Azure platform allowed us to utilize out-of-the-box security and functionality to craft a cost-effective solution that pulled together efficient compute functions alongside AI Foundry. Our ability to build quickly in a controlled environment will allow us to deliver compliant and accessible content in a fraction of the time and cost.”

—Chris Hart, Vice President at Penguin Random House

• By integrating solutions like Microsoft 365 Copilot and Azure OpenAI Service, Dentsu is accelerating every stage of the creative cycle—from brainstorming and briefing to campaign execution and performance analysis. Concept art and campaign assets that once took weeks can now be produced in days or even hours, meeting the rising expectations of clients for speed and quality. In fact, 62% of their surveyed users reported a noticeable improvement in the quality of content created with Microsoft 365 Copilot, while teams are gaining deeper insights into campaign performance and audience segmentation.¹

“Copilot helps close the loop after a campaign goes live, enabling creators to quickly determine what’s working and why—making it an indispensable partner for modern creative teams” 

—Kate Slade, Head of Responsible AI, Dentsu

• HyperCinema transforms live entertainment by using Azure OpenAI to generate hyper personalized, real-time storytelling experiences that immerse guests in brand worlds—scaling effortlessly across exhibitions, theme parks, and retail venues.
• Pixar Animation Studios democratized high-fidelity rendering for global creators by leveraging Microsoft Azure HPC, enabling anyone—from students to professionals—to participate in its RenderMan® Challenge with scalable cloud compute power.

Elevating fan engagement and unlocking monetization

The real opportunity for media and entertainment lies in the synergy of AI and data. By unifying content signals with audience behavior in real time, AI is unlocking new ways for engagement and monetization. It’s not just about driving the next click—it’s about creating responsive experiences that build lasting loyalty. When data becomes actionable through AI, media and entertainment customers are connecting stories to audiences in ways that were never possible.

• Premier League is redefining the fan experience with its new fan-facing digital platforms that leverage Microsoft’s cloud and AI technologies to usher in a new era of intelligent and intuitive fan experiences. This partnership marks one of the most significant technological transformations in the league’s history, anchored around four key areas: fan engagement, match insights and analysis, cloud transformation, and organizational productivity. Leveraging Azure AI Foundry and OpenAI, the partnership will deliver real-time match data, interactive analysis, and secure media experiences—setting a new standard for global sports technology.
• Major League Soccer (MLS) transformed its fan engagement strategy by integrating Microsoft Azure AI into its revamped league app, delivering real-time match insights, personalized content, and interactive features through the new Sidekick companion experience. Sidekick uses agentic AI to anticipate fan needs—delivering real-time match insights and personalized content exactly when fans want it. Co-developed with Microsoft and OpenAI, Sidekick adapts to each user, testing and refining engagement to maximize relevance for millions of fans.
• The NBA transformed its global fan engagement and operational agility by migrating to Microsoft Azure and Azure OpenAI Service, enabling real-time data insights, scalable AI innovation, enhanced security, and personalized digital experiences across its ecosystem.
• Art Basel transformed global art fair experiences by deploying Microsoft Azure AI Foundry and Copilot to power a secure, real-time companion app that bridges physical and digital worlds, enabling instant artwork recognition, personalized guidance, and deeper visitor engagement across five international cities.
• Fukuoka SoftBank HAWKS revolutionizes the stadium experience by deploying a lifelike AI avatar of retired star Ryota Igarashi—powered by Microsoft Azure AI—to engage fans in real time, driving full-season suite sellouts and redefining digital fan interaction. The AI avatar, trained to match Igarashi’s intonation, speed, and lip sync, appears on a large display and communicates in real time, answering questions from users, giving player information, commenting on the current game, and cheering for the SoftBank HAWKS.
• Universal Destinations & Experiences, a division of Comcast, is transforming theme park operations and guest experiences by leveraging Microsoft Azure and Azure Data Explorer to deliver real-time data insights, enhance personalization, and streamline digital innovation across its global attractions.

AI-powered Microsoft platform enables ecosystem co-innovation

Microsoft offers comprehensive cloud and AI solutions that enable media and entertainment businesses to improve efficiency, deliver personalized and engaging experiences, and unlock new revenue. As platform-first company, we also empower our partner ecosystem with AI-platform, Azure cloud infrastructure, and robust tools to extend Microsoft offers or build industry-specific solutions that drive real business impact. Discover how some of our leading partners are shaping the future of media and entertainment:

• Adobe Experience Cloud and Dynamics 365 integrate seamlessly with Microsoft 365 Copilot, bringing AI-powered marketing directly into Outlook, Microsoft Teams, and Word. Media teams can now create campaigns, manage approvals, and track performance—all within familiar workflows, accelerating time-to-market and scaling audience engagement.
• MediaKind and DAZN delivered the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 globally using Azure’s cloud-native infrastructure, enabling dynamic scaling and broadcast-quality streaming for millions of fans.
• Support Partners’ Catalyst, built on Azure, empowers retailers to automate video production with brand-trained AI agents—cutting costs and delivering content faster across every channel.
• SOUTHWORKS, MediaKind, and Microsoft Security launched the first Media Security Copilot, protecting streaming workflows and ensuring content security at every stage.
• Cognizant is helping media organizations modernize business processes by deploying Dynamics 365 into core workflows, enabling them to take full advantage of Microsoft’s AI platform to unlock efficiency and insight.
• UIC Digital is leveraging our entire AI technology stack to automate live broadcasts, complete with real-time language translation and personalized experiences that bring events closer to audiences everywhere.
• At IBC, IPV is unveiling Curator’s next evolution, powered by Azure Content Understanding and Microsoft Foundry APIs for advanced image and video generation.

From marketing and sports to security and creative workflows, Microsoft and its partner ecosystem are redefining what’s possible—helping media and entertainment companies invent the future of storytelling with AI.

Join the movement of Frontier Firm

The future of media and entertainment is being written today by organizations that blend human creativity with AI-powered intelligence. Join the movement. Join us at IBC 2025, attend sessions, check out demos, and meet with Microsoft executives who are accelerating frontier creativity with AI. Check out this document for details of Microsoft presence at IBC2025.

¹ An upcoming commissioned Total Economic Impact™ study of Microsoft’s Gen AI and Agentic AI Solutions for media and entertainment organizations conducted by Forrester Consulting, 2025.

The post Microsoft at IBC 2025: Accelerating the frontier of media and entertainment with AI appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Why does this matter? For every $1 an organization invests in generative AI, they are realizing an average of 3.7x return.¹

In recent research we commissioned through Devoncroft Partners, it became clear that media and entertainment customers are at different stages of adoption.

“We were a launch customer for a customer service focused AI technology company. We expected it to drive tremendous savings versus historical, labor-intensive customer service groups. It did. What is beyond belief is the fact that customer satisfaction goes up. The customers are happy about it. They get a better response. So, it’s not just about defraying costs. It’s about the fact that we can actually defray costs at the same time, we’re providing a better product or service to our customer. It’s definitely an industry shift.”

OTT Streaming Company

“I have my team run AI tests across a variety of use cases (production, processing, distribution … ) every six months. AI isn’t ready to replace our existing processes. However, every six months the tests are showing double digit improvement. I have never seen this in any other technology…and the trajectory has not flatted out. It’s really impressive.”

Media Conglomerate

Technology decisions made today will dictate the direction and capabilities of the media industry for the next 10 to 15 years, significantly impacting workflows and strategic opportunities.

We are committed to working with our media and entertainment customers and partners to advance AI while addressing some of the key obstacles to adoption. Here are some valuable resources for you to have on hand, wherever you are on your journey.

How you can advance AI in your organization

Discover how our media and entertainment customers are optimizing operations, empowering content creators, and unlocking new monetization opportunities:

Universal Destinations & Experiences

Universal Destinations & Experiences’ award-winning theme park destinations are adopting predictive maintenance across many of its state-of-the-art attractions to help further improve guest satisfaction, using Microsoft Azure and Azure Data Explorer. This has resulted in streamlined operations and maintenance efforts at this attraction, with a 66% reduction in labor hours on work orders related to its blaster network.

HyperCinema

The creative minds behind New Zealand startup HyperCinema had a revolutionary idea: What if a show could be generated in real time as you walk into a venue and immerse you more deeply than ever in the story world of the brand or attraction using generative AI? The company puts 50,000 images and 6,000 30- to 45-second videos through its HyperEngine every day to deliver automated and hyper-personalized in-person storytelling experiences in real time, all powered through Azure and Azure OpenAI Service.

Promo.com

Promo.com has revolutionized its video creation services with Azure and Azure OpenAI Service.

Evolving from a browser-based video editor, Promo.com now helps small businesses and agencies effortlessly produce a month’s worth of marketing videos in minutes with PromoAI. By generating videos in just two minutes, Promo.com has increased its user engagement and grown its PromoAI product, adding over 1 million USD in new annual recurring revenue just five months after launch, while enhancing customer retention by 40%.

LALIGA

LALIGA’s partnership and move to Azure has transformed fan engagement, driven revenue growth, and created new opportunities for sports clubs, leagues, and federations.

Beyond Stats, a fan-facing data and insights platform powered by Azure captures and analyzes more than 3.5 million data points per match to provide engaging content for fans across multiple platforms including social media, broadcast, and the LALIGA app. This partnership is one of many that is showcasing how Microsoft is helping transform sports with cutting-edge technology.

For more media and entertainment customer stories visit our repository online and search by product, industry, business need or organization size.

What holds some media and entertainment companies back from adopting AI, and what you can do about it

Data and security concerns along with lack of skilling are two key barriers to AI adoption for all industries, according to the IDC.² Media and entertainment executives are understandably concerned about protecting creators and content and many are looking for ways to provide employees with skilling and the opportunity to safely experiment with AI while avoiding risk to their core business.

Here are a few resources to take advantage of, depending on the challenge you may be facing:

Protecting creators and content

Andrew Jenks, Microsoft’s Director of Media Provenance and Executive Director of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), speaks to what Microsoft and other companies are doing to “fight the fakes” in this article from Technology Record.

As well, 80% of leaders across all industries cited leakage of sensitive data as their main concern. Our pledge to our customers and our community is to prioritize your cyber safety above all else. We’re continuously applying what we’ve learned from incidents to improve our methods and practices, ensuring that security is paramount in everything we create and provide, through our Secure Future Initiative (SFI).

Skilling

Microsoft recently announced a strategic collaboration with Pearson, the world’s lifelong learning company, to help address one of the top challenges facing organizations globally: skilling for the era of AI.

The partnership will focus on providing employers, workers, and learners with new AI-powered products and services to help prepare the current and future workforce across industries for the era of work in an AI-powered economy. By combining Pearson’s expertise in learning and assessment with Microsoft cloud and AI technologies, this partnership will play a foundational role in helping organizations realize the full value of AI through reskilling.

For additional resources to brush up on AI skills, visit Microsoft Learn where you can start with a single course such as the Fundamentals of generative AI or create your own personalized plan with AI. While you are there, register for the Microsoft AI Skills Fest to unlock your future with 50 days of AI discovery and learning.

Low-stakes opportunities to experiment

Copilots are infusing AI into every function and role—and are one easy way to experiment with generative AI. And many companies are doing more than experimenting. In fact, more than 85% of Fortune 500 are using Microsoft AI, with 70% of Fortune 500 companies already using Microsoft 365 Copilot.

Copilot can be woven in to help streamline media workflows to allow people to continue to be at the center of creative and strategic work. Here are a few easy-to-use Copilot use cases to get you started:

Empower content creators

• Idea generation: Use Copilot to brainstorm different ideas that may appeal to certain audiences. Copilot can analyze trends and audience preferences to suggest fresh and engaging content ideas.
• Storyboarding: Have Copilot come up with a storyboard to get to the next stage quicker. Copilot can outline scenes, suggest dialogue, and create visual elements to help bring your ideas to life.

Optimize operations

• Campaign development: Work with Copilot to develop strategic and personalized campaigns. Copilot can analyze customer data to create targeted marketing messages and suggest the best channels for promotion.
• Collaboration management: Task Copilot with taking organized and effective notes during Microsoft Teams meetings that can be actioned upon quicky. Copilot can help you stay on top of action items and make the collaboration experience easier than ever.

Unlock monetization

• Data synthesis: Use Copilot to gain quicker, more actionable insights from your data. Copilot can analyze large datasets to identify trends, patterns, and opportunities, allowing everyone to synthesize insights quickly and make informed decisions.
• ⁠Personalized recommendations: Copilot can use predictive analytics for ad campaigns, subscriber churn identification, and personalized recommendations to improve user satisfaction and retention, optimizing advertising revenue.

Find these Copilot use case scenarios and more in the Microsoft Copilot Scenario Library.

Explore these additional resources to see how generative AI can transform your business

• Read the Devoncroft white paper for a deeper understanding of how the media and entertainment industry is adopting AI technologies.
• How real-world businesses are transforming with AI — with more than 140 new stories.
• Coming soon: The Media and Entertainment AI Toolkit—designed specifically for media and entertainment professionals—provides insights, strategies, and recommendations to help you use AI responsibly and effectively. You’ll see a range of AI technologies, including Copilot and Azure AI Foundry, and how they’re already providing benefits to organizations all over.

We are incredibly excited about what our customers and partners are doing with AI. We love to hear about what’s working, what’s challenging, and how we can help. And we can’t wait to share more success stories and lessons learned with you.

Join us at NAB to learn more

If any of the resources, topics, or new content in this blog have piqued your interest, come see us at NAB Show, where you can experience some of our latest AI solutions for yourself.

From theater and keynote sessions to cutting edge demos, let’s reimagine media with AI together. Learn more about Microsoft’s NAB Show presence, including our Microsoft Experience Room, sports floor AI-powered transformation exhibits, and keynote session showcasing the latest innovations from Microsoft, our customers, and partners. 

Microsoft’s commitment to the media and entertainment Industry 

Microsoft enables media organizations to achieve more through a trusted and secure platform, built to empower content creators and distributors, enhance the viewer experience, and reimagine monetization strategies.

Microsoft for media and entertainment

Transform the future of creativity, content, and experiences

Explore solutions

^1,2 IDC, Business Opportunity of AI | Generative AI Delivering New Business Value and Increasing ROI, 2024

The post Microsoft helps media customers capitalize on AI for greater ROI appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Technology integration opportunities in sports 

Microsoft technology helps drive the quality of the game and create new business opportunities for organizations by:

• Enhancing performance with real-time data insights and analytics for data-driven decision-making. 
• Improving operational efficiency through streamlined workflows, increased collaboration, and seamless data integration. 
• Elevating fan engagement with AI and real-time customer insights to create a comprehensive ecosystem of personalized experiences.   
• Unlocking broadcast and media integration opportunities by using advanced cloud and AI technologies to scale content operations and reach more audiences.  
• Supporting secure data storage and processing by implementing advanced cloud technologies to secure content with high-speed data storage and processing. 

Whether it’s supporting Formula One engineers to make split-second race decisions, empowering tennis players with AI-assisted match analysis, or delivering personalized experiences to fans, Microsoft technology is redefining the future of sports—making organizations faster, smarter, and more connected than ever before.  

Learn more about Microsoft’s technical solutions through key partnerships below. 

Data-driven decision-making 

In high-performance sports, every decision can alter the course of the game. From AI-powered analytics that provide real-time insights for athletes to cloud-based solutions that optimize operations, learn more about how Microsoft technology is driving data-led decision-making and reshaping how teams compete in the Women’s World Cup of Tennis, the NFL, and Formula One. 

Billie Jean King Cup: Transforming tennis strategy with AI 

The Billie Jean King Cup uses Microsoft AI and cloud technologies to provide players and coaches with data visualizations and real-time insights during matches.  

Key highlights include: 

• Match Insights App: Azure hosted application that delivers critical gameplay data, such as player movement, ball trajectories, and shot accuracy, to coaches and players in near real-time. 
• AI-powered analytics: Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service analyzes vast datasets to provide actionable rally and serve insights, helping coaches anticipate opponent strategies and make informed decisions. 
• Secure data management: Microsoft Azure Cloud Services help to ensure the secure storage and processing of high-volume data generated during matches. 

Read more about how Microsoft and the Billie Jean King Cup are elevating competition through data-driven insights.

NFL: Game-changing technology on the sidelines 

The NFL uses Microsoft hardware and software to enhance game-day operations and team collaboration. 

Key highlights include: 

• Microsoft Surface Sideline Viewing System (SVS): Hardware and software solution that provides coaches and players with near real-time, high-resolution images of plays, enabling rapid strategic adjustments. 
• NFL Combine App: Application that streamlines talent evaluation by providing real-time access to key performance metrics. 
• Enhanced collaboration: Microsoft Teams and Azure facilitate seamless communication and collaboration among NFL teams. 

Read more about how Microsoft and the NFL are changing the game with new levels of operational efficiency.

BWT Alpine Formula One Team: Data-powered racing innovation 

BWT Alpine Formula One Team uses advanced AI and Azure’s robust cloud infrastructure to unlock new capabilities in data insights, regulatory compliance, and business operations.  

Key highlights include: 

• AI-powered race strategies: Azure Computer Vision and Multi-Agent Resourcing Optimization (MARO) reinforcement learning allows Alpine to optimize race day strategy and car setup based on real-time telemetry. 
• High-speed data processing: Azure provides secure, high-speed data storage and retrieval, allowing split-second decisions during races. 
• Regulatory compliance: Azure AI Search and Microsoft Copilot Studio streamline compliance processes, helping to ensure adherence to Formula One regulations. 

Read more about how Microsoft and BWT Alpine Formula One Team are maximizing performance on and off the track.

Integrated fan engagement 

In today’s digital world, sports leagues are expected to meet fans at multiple touchpoints with highly personalized and easily accessible content. Learn more about how leagues such as LALIGA and the NBA are using Microsoft technology to redefine the sports and entertainment industries and take the fan ecosystem to the next level. 

LALIGA: Enhancing fan engagement with data-driven insights 

LALIGA uses real-time data processing and AI-powered analytics with Azure to deliver match insights and personalized digital experiences across platforms. 

Key highlights include: 

• Beyond Stats: Fan-facing data and insights platform powered by Azure that captures and analyzes more than 3.5 million data points per match to provide engaging content for fans across multiple platforms including social media, broadcast, and the LALIGA app. 
• Data Sports Platform (DSP): Comprehensive system powered by Azure that unifies fan interaction data across touchpoints to generate tailored content and products to match fan preference. 
• Seamless infrastructure: Azure’s high-performance infrastructure helps to ensure reliable content delivery and enhanced fan experiences across digital platforms. 

Read more about how Microsoft and LALIGA are personalizing the experience for fans around the world.

NBA: Building a next-generation fan engagement platform 

The NBA integrates Azure and AI technology to provide fans with personalized content, real-time insights, and tailored experiences across digital platforms.  

Key highlights include:  

• AI-integrated platform: The NBA Insights and Top Performances platforms within the NBA App provide real-time game updates and AI-generated highlights to enhance the fan experience by utilizing Microsoft AI technology. 
• The reimagined NBA App: Powered by Azure, the NBA App offers personalized content recommendations, real-time game insights, and a social-style video experience. 

Read more about how Microsoft and the NBA are deeply engaging fans at every level.

Transforming the sports industry

Microsoft innovative technologies are transforming the sports industry, driving performance, enhancing fan engagement, and streamlining operations. From the racetracks of Formula One to the courts of the NBA, Microsoft’s partnerships are setting new standards for excellence in sports. As technology continues to evolve, the future of sports looks brighter than ever, with Microsoft leading the way in this exciting journey.

Learn more about how Microsoft is transforming sports and other media and entertainment organizations around the world through our customer stories page. 

Microsoft’s commitment to the media and entertainment industry  

Microsoft allows media organizations to achieve more through a trusted and secure platform, built to empower content creators and distributors, enhance the viewer experience, and reimagine monetization strategies. More information can be found on the Microsoft media and entertainment industry solutions website. 

Next steps 

Microsoft will be showcasing some of these case studies and more at our upcoming exhibition with NAB Show, April 5–9, 2025, in Las Vegas. Go through a journey of interactive demos that illustrate the capabilities needed to deliver fan-focused content and that highlight key aspects of the transformation process required to implement cutting-edge technologies for enhanced performance and fan engagement.

Microsoft at the 2025 NAB Show

See how Microsoft is helping to shape the future of broadcast and entertainment

Learn more

The post How Microsoft is transforming sports with cutting-edge technology appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

96% of our tier-1 telecom customers are already adopting Microsoft AI solutions. Our ecosystem of customers and partners are harnessing the power of AI to reimagine customer experiences, modernize networks, automate business operations, and drive growth.

Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2025 (MWC), we’re sharing new capabilities and customer momentum that show how telecoms are adopting the Microsoft Cloud and AI capabilities to support their AI journey and empower the next generation of telecom solutions. 

We invite you to join us next week at MWC to learn more about our new announcements and see firsthand how Microsoft AI is transforming the telecom industry. Experience live demos, attend insightful sessions, and meet our experts to learn how you can drive innovation and growth with Microsoft AI technologies.

Data is the fuel that powers AI: Telco data model

Telecom networks are recognized for their complex, data-rich environments. This data is the fuel that powers AI and forms the foundation upon which next-generation telecom systems are built. To convert this massive potential into actionable intelligence, organizations need a unified platform that can seamlessly connect, manage, and analyze their data. Microsoft Fabric is the end-to-end data platform designed to power customer AI transformation and help organizations reimagine how they unlock value from their data and revolutionize the services they offer.

Today we announce the Telco industry data model in Microsoft Fabric, designed to unify all data—from network performance metrics to customer interactions, within a single analytics environment. Telecom providers will be able to use the Telco industry data model to manage and streamline how all their data is ingested, modeled, and analyzed through:

• Native Fabric integration—a unified pipeline within Fabric’s analytics, governance, and visualization framework means faster time to market, with better insights. 
• Expanded data model—pre-built telecom-specific schemas covering network data, customer insights, and operational metrics drives operational efficiency.
• Developer and visualization tools—simplified, AI-ready solution building that dramatically reduces development and testing time, making networks more resilient. 

More than 50% of our telecom customers are leveraging Fabric for real-time business insights to optimize business and network operations. Leading customers like Telefónica, KPN, One NZ, and partners like Accenture, Infosys, and LigaData are using Fabric to achieve business results. The broader customer adoption for Fabric is more than 19,000 customers, including 70% of the Fortune 500. The Telco industry data model in Microsoft Fabric will enable telecoms to establish a strong data foundation to unlock AI-powered insights that fuel innovation, operational efficiency, and greater value across the entire organization. 

“Microsoft Fabric, powered by Telco data model and AI capabilities, has revolutionized our solutions by providing real-time insights throughout the customer journey, potentially increasing operational efficiency by 40%. Our solution offers preventive insights across the entire order lifecycle and its auto-healing capability for enhanced jeopardy management, significantly improving the management of complex B2B orders and enhancing the customer experience.”

Balakrishna D.R., Executive Vice President, Infosys Limited 

The Telco industry data model in Microsoft Fabric will be available early in April 2025.

Telecom customers are adopting Cloud and AI to innovate

Telecom customers around the world are taking advantage of the cloud and AI in new and innovative ways. The collaborations we recently announced with KT Corporation, Lumen, Telstra, and Vodafone demonstrate how telecoms are innovating to elevate customer experiences, streamline business operations, modernize networks, and unlock new revenue streams. Additionally, we’re introducing new collaborations with top telecom providers that exemplify how they’re building the foundation to successfully implement AI, benefiting their organization, employees, and customers. 

• Spark, New Zealand’s leading telecom provider, is joining forces with Microsoft in the country’s largest Microsoft public cloud partnership, highlighting how AI and the Cloud are helping to transform telecom worldwide. Spark will migrate a portion of its workloads to Microsoft Azure and roll out one of New Zealand’s largest Microsoft 365 Copilot deployments. For more, read the press release. 
• Microsoft and Telefónica are extending their strategic collaboration to co-develop digital solutions using Open Gateway, a GSMA-led initiative that transforms communication networks into programmable platforms via Telefónica’s AI platform, Kernel. Both companies will work together to migrate Kernel’s capacities to Azure as part of a software as a service (SaaS) offering. The collaboration also encompasses a joint go-to-market strategy, which will bring a suite of digital products and services to other telecoms, developers, and telecom entities—available on Azure Marketplace and integrated into Microsoft’s overall telecom solutions. For more, read the press release.

We are also announcing that Microsoft Surface Pro and Pro 10 for Business with 5G devices are available now through Verizon Business online, along with broader Microsoft 365 Copilot and Surface availability later in 2025. This launch marks a decade of partnership between Microsoft and Verizon Business, offering cellular connected Surface for Business devices and Microsoft services. Customers are choosing Surface Copilot+ PCs today for their exceptional performance, battery life, and security. Now, with the Verizon 5G network, the combination of Surface and Microsoft 365 Copilot offers an unparalleled mobile experience for business customers. For more, read the Surface IT Pro blog. 

*Requires subscription, sold separately.

Telecoms accelerate growth in the next wave of AI: Agentic AI

As the AI platform shift accelerates, it’s inspiring to see customers and partners harness AI, generative AI, and agentic AI to drive transformation—reshaping both their businesses and the industry at large. 

Elevating customer experiences

A recent IDC white paper showed AI-powered customer engagement is a top priority for businesses, with 92% of organizations currently using AI for marketing and public relations (PR) and 77% using it for customer service​. Telecom providers are delivering frictionless customer experiences with AI-infused customer care at-scale with Dynamics 365. With a comprehensive view of the customer, telecoms obtain real-time insights into accounts and next-best actions to take. They also enable their customers through AI-powered automation for self-service. Additionally, Amdocs has created the Customer Engagement Platform that is fully integrated with Dynamics 365, to reimagine customer experience and identify new revenue opportunities for telecoms. 

Since last MWC, we announced Dynamics 365 Contact Center, a powerful solution that works with existing customer relationship management systems (CRMs) and unifies interactions, streamlines support, and boosts customer satisfaction. With this solution, consumers can engage and self-serve in their channel of choice while reps can handle billing and tech issues faster with a single view. Built-in Copilot capabilities and real-time analytics drive improvements and upselling, enhancing loyalty, and revenue.

Leading telecoms are also reimagining how they connect with customers by harnessing Microsoft 365 Copilot to capture real-time transcripts, gain contextual insights, and automate repetitive tasks. This reduces handling times, freeing representatives to tackle more complex customer needs.

Here are some examples of how telecoms customers are using Microsoft AI technologies to transform their business and reimagine customer experiences:

• Telkomsel’s AI-powered solution Veronika, built on Azure and introduced at the end of 2023, is delivering impressive results. Telkomsel has increased self-service interactions by 62% and cut escalations to agents by 38%. The average monthly active users of Veronika also grew by 67%, rising from 1.3 million in the first half of 2023 to 2.2 million in the second half. These improvements have boosted agent productivity and service quality, making for a smoother, more efficient customer experience.
• Vodafone is harnessing Microsoft 365 Copilot to empower 68,000 employees to boost productivity, innovation, and quality. They are also leveraged Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Studio, Kubernetes Service to develop Tobi and SuperAgent to empower their agents with real-time AI support to improve customer experience, decrease churn, and provide competitive advantage. This improved first-time resolution from 70% to 90%. 
• Lumen is leveraging Microsoft AI solutions to empower their employees and improve customer service.

“Lumen is building the trusted network for AI. By scaling our AI capabilities with tools like Copilot, Azure AI, and Azure ML, we’re empowering our employees to tackle complex challenges and prioritize high-impact activities that enhance customer experiences and satisfaction. As we navigate our transformation, Microsoft’s AI tools are essential in supporting our objectives and sustaining our competitive advantage.”

Ryan Asdourian, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Lumen Technologies 

Optimizing operations and modernizing networks

To keep pace with increasing business demands, leading telecoms are optimizing business operations and modernizing their networks with AI and an integrated data backbone. 

Here are examples of how customers are using Microsoft AI capabilities to drive operational efficiency, innovation and growth:

• AT&T automates code conversion and human resources (HR) inquiries with Azure OpenAI Service, improving employee experience, cutting costs and boosting customer service.
• KT Corporation is leveraging Microsoft AI to drive efficiency and innovation.

“The Microsoft AI-driven solutions have enabled KT Corporation to improve its work efficiency and drive significant work innovation. By introducing Microsoft 365 Copilot, KT Corporation empowered over 11,000 employees with the latest AI solutions. Additionally, by developing AI agents built on solutions such as Microsoft Sustainability Manager and Copilot, KT reduced task completion time by 50% and improved infrastructure efficiency by 20%.” Phil Oh, CTO, KT Corporation

• Proximus and TCS’s GitHub Copilot journey showcases how Microsoft generative AI accelerates IT delivery in telecom, improving productivity, code quality, and developer experience.
  

“In terms of developer experience, that’s where we got phenomenal, satisfactory feedback from developers—about 90% plus positive feedback from all categories of developers.”

Muralidharan Murugesan, Head – AI, Telco, Media & Information Services Industry, TCS 

• NTT DATA is leveraging Microsoft AI to build agentic AI workloads.

“NTT DATA leverages Microsoft Copilot Studio to deliver agentic AI advisory, implementation, managed services, and connectivity. By providing industry-specific automation and utilizing our integrated managed services platform, we support clients throughout their agents’ lifecycle. This collaboration is pivotal in achieving our clients’ outcomes, enabling us to deliver tailored, efficient, and innovative solutions that drive business success and enhance decision-making processes.”

Aishwarya Sing, SVP, Global Head of Digital Collaboration, NTT

• One NZ is using Microsoft Fabric for real-time analytics from unified data sources. With the integration of multiple systems and visualizing insights on a single pane, One NZ has rapidly streamlined processes and proactively addressed growth opportunities: 
  

“Previously, you needed to be a data engineer or scientist to access and understand customer information. Now we’re making it user-friendly, so anyone can easily make data-driven decisions.”

Strathan Campbell, Channel Environment Technology Lead, One NZ 

• Telstra scales in-house generative AI tools, saving 90% of employees’ time and reducing follow-up contacts by 20%.

Unlocking new revenue streams in the enterprise

A recent IDC white paper reports that 63% of telco and media companies say they are currently monetizing or using AI to boost revenue. As a trusted partner, beyond supporting their own transformation, we equip telecom providers with comprehensive business-to-business (B2B) offerings to drive topline growth and better serve their enterprise customers. 

For example, AT&T’s collaboration with Microsoft is reimagining enterprise connectivity. AI applications and AT&T’s connectivity are tackling the USD112 billion annual retail shrinkage issue head-on. By integrating Azure IoT with AT&T’s 5G network and leveraging Teams Phone Mobile for notifications, retailers receive alerts that minimize loss and ensure safer shopping experience. AT&T’s move into AI-powered connectivity has created new revenue streams, spanning cost savings, compliance, and collaboration.

“AT&T is a leader in enabling innovative AI solutions and continues to expand capabilities through our relationship with Microsoft. We’re excited to integrate Microsoft’s AI capabilities into our retail crime intelligence platform, which utilizes near real-time notifications via Teams Phone Mobile. This collaboration underscores the commitment of both companies to enhance retail security and contribute to a safer shopping environment for both employees and customers.”

Cameron Coursey, Vice President, AT&T Connected Solutions 

Another partner, Norwood Systems, is extending traditional voice services with Voice AI, opening up a new revenue stream for telecoms. Its OpenSpan solution, built on Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI Speech, enables telecoms to bridge public switched telephone network (PSTN) and mobile services, to deliver advanced features like real-time recording, transcription, and summarization. This provides seamless call management for users and deeper insights for the telecom providers:

“By integrating Norwood’s OpenSpan with our mobile and voice networks, BT is unlocking new possibilities in voice technology. This innovation bridges our award-winning networks with AI, creating opportunities to enhance customer experiences, drive new efficiencies, and shape the future of voice communications.”

Jon Martin, Senior Director, Unified Communications, BT 

To continue our mission to help telecoms succeed in this era of AI platform shift, Microsoft is enabling telecoms to further capitalize on AI by offering generative AI-powered managed security services. This allows tier-1 telecoms to generate new revenue from reselling, implementation, and managed services, while also reducing security operations center (SOC) costs and accelerating threat responses.

AI-powered Microsoft platforms and capabilities for co-innovation

Microsoft offers arguably the most comprehensive AI solutions. As a platform-first company, we also provide extensive tools to empower partners, developers and customers to build innovative cloud and AI solutions that meet the needs of telecom businesses.

Our adaptive cloud approach unifies hybrid, multi-cloud, and edge infrastructure through a single Azure Arc platform. We enable customers to build distributed, low-latency, high-performance applications and establish a common data foundation for current and future AI investments. For ultra-low latency or regulatory scenarios, we’re expanding Azure with Azure Local—cloud-connected infrastructure deployable at edge locations like retail sites and central offices. We continue to support existing Azure Operator Nexus customers as the solution evolves as part of our overall approach for Azure at the edge.

Accenture is spearheading an enterprise-ready private multi-access edge compute (MEC) solution built on Azure Local to deliver low latency, localized data processing, and meet regulatory requirements. Tejas Rao, Accenture, Managing Director, Accenture says, “Private 5G and edge computing are no longer experimental technologies, they are catalysts for enterprise transformation. By leveraging Azure Local, we help organizations harness ultra-low latency and localized data processing to unlock real-time insights, automate critical operations, and meet industry-specific compliance needs.”

Another partner, Nokia, is using generative AI to accelerate the path to self-healing and self-managed networks. They are developing the capabilities to provision a fully autonomous “Level 5” telecom network, one that self-manages and optimizes itself in real-time. Nokia’s “System Intellect” architecture, built on Azure AI Foundry and Azure Open AI Service, unifies multiple AI agents under a single framework. This ensures reliability while delivering predictive insights, faster problem resolution, and continuous operational improvement. For more, read the Nokia blog: AI and generative AI: Key to Level 5 autonomous networks. 

We are also open sourcing the programmability of the Radio Access Networks (RAN) with Project Janus, now on GitHub. Project Janus streamlines real-time network telemetry into a unified telecom data estate, enabling AI-powered optimization and dynamic service models. It ensures that RAN intelligence, performance metrics, and radio resource usage seamlessly feed into operational and customer data, driving predictive maintenance and optimization for public and private networks.

Here are new Project Janus integrations within partner solutions:

• Capgemini is including Project Janus in a reference 5G stack, enabling its equipment provider customers to build highly customized 5G network solutions. 
• Mavenir is incorporating Project Janus-based probes into its latest RAN release, helping tier-1 telecoms reduce latency and improve diagnostics.
• Software Radio Systems (SRS) is integrating Project Janus into its srsRAN codebase, including the commercial Enterprise 5G offering and the open source srsRAN Project. 
• ZaiNar has built their 5G localization solution on top of Project Janus.

Microsoft has also performed an initial integration of Project Janus into Intel’s FlexRAN reference architecture, which ecosystem partners like Capgemini have adopted.

Academic institutions, such as the University of Edinburgh, are also adopting Project Janus, and Texas A&M University and the University of California San Diego are integrating it into 5G research platforms.

To learn more about how telecoms can modernize their networks with Project Janus, read this blog. 

Join us at MWC to learn more 

As the pace of AI impact accelerates, telecoms need a partner they can trust to navigate what’s next. Join us at Mobile World Congress 2025 to learn more about our latest AI innovations in theater sessions, see cutting edge demos, and meet with our experts. Let’s shape the future of telecom together—powered by AI, inspired by innovation, and built on trust.

The post Microsoft AI ignites telecom innovation and growth appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Here are examples of what our customers are saying about the value they see: 

Generative AI is proving to be the key to unlocking unprecedented levels of personalization, performance, and customer engagement, as well as the opportunity to change the experience of being on the operator’s network. Microsoft’s strategy to support generative AI adoption in telecommunications centers on four pillars:

1. Elevating customer experience
2. Optimizing business and operations support systems
3. Modernizing the network
4. Unlocking new revenue streams

By focusing on these areas, we aim to enhance customer satisfaction through AI-powered support, streamline business operations with advanced automation, upgrade network infrastructure for better performance and security, and create new revenue opportunities through innovative AI-powered solutions. This comprehensive approach ensures that telecommunications providers deliver exceptional service while driving growth and efficiency.  

Elevating customer experiences 

Differentiation in the telecom industry is a growing challenge, and customer experience is emerging as a key competitive advantage. By leveraging AI-infused customer care, telecommunications companies are enhancing customer experiences through the use of branded service assistants. These AI-powered assistants provide personalized customer support and unique interactions—helping telecoms differentiate themselves from their competitors.

Vodafone Group is investing in both employee and customer experiences. Recently, they announced a plan to provide Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365 to their workforce. This generative AI tool will be rolled out to 68,000 employees across the organization to further improve productivity, innovation, and digital efficiency. This follows a successful pilot where Copilot for Microsoft 365 saved over three hours per person, per week—freeing employees to work on more creative, innovative, and valuable tasks, improving work-life balance and enhancing services and supporting Vodafone’s 350 million customers worldwide.   

Vodafone continues to personalize services and improve customer satisfaction by leveraging Microsoft Azure AI Studio, Azure OpenAI Service, and Microsoft Copilot along with Azure AI Search to enhance its customer experience with their virtual assistant, “TOBi,” and their customer agent solution, “SuperAgent.”   

“We aim to provide fast, personalized customer experiences that inspire confidence, but to continue to do that in the face of rising customer expectations, we needed to find a way to better manage complex customer inquiries efficiently and ensure timely and personalized responses.”

Ahmed Elsayed, Chief Information Officer United Kingdom and Europe Digital Engineering Director at Vodafone Group

Today, TOBi engages in more than 45 million conversations a month with customers and is expected to grow to half a billion over the next few years while reducing average hold time by more than one minute.  

Recently, PLDT selected Amdocs’ market-leading Intelligent Networking Suite to transform their network operations. The solution operates on the public cloud, featuring unified network inventory, service and network orchestration, and business process automation capabilities. This agreement also includes the customer service solution for case management, which is part of the Microsoft and Amdocs Customer Engagement Platform (CEP). CEP is a comprehensive, AI-powered solution designed for telecommunications service providers. It offers a unified platform for marketing, sales, commerce, and customer service—enabling telecoms to deliver seamless, digital-first experiences to both consumer and enterprise customers.

Optimizing business and operations support systems 

Telecoms are benefiting from modernizing their Business Support Systems (BSS) and real-time Operations Support Systems (OSS) with data solutions and Copilot for Microsoft 365, an AI-powered productivity tool that integrates with Microsoft 365 apps. At Telkomsel, their chat–based virtual assistant Veronika contributed to a 15% reduction in customer escalations resulting in a net promotor score (NPS) that is 27% above the industry average.

Generative AI assistants for employees empower customer care agents to manage multiple inquiries efficiently, broadening their expertise and resulting in more personalized services leading to improved customer satisfaction and retention.  

Orange France is using generative AI to enhance customer service, marketing, internal and external communications, and network operations, with dedicated support from Microsoft. Use cases include fully integrated tools for rewriting FAQs, generating product sheets, and assisting developers with writing code. Laetitia Orsini Sharps, Consumer Department Director at Orange France, sees this technology as “a promising vector for improving customer service and making employees’ work easier,” allowing service teams to reduce the time it takes an agent to investigate and analyze the root cause of complex cases from 20 minutes to less than 3 minutes.

Modernizing the network 

Telecoms can improve security, network efficiency, scalability, and reliability by using a carrier-grade, AI-infused, and secure hybrid cloud. This modernization effort will reduce costs and drive revenue growth, positioning telecoms as leaders in the digital age.  

Telecoms are protecting their networks from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. Nokia’s latest innovation, the integration of a generative AI assistant with its NetGuard Cybersecurity Dome, demonstrates this proactive approach to security. Leveraging Azure OpenAI Service, this assistant enhances the efficiency of threat detection and resolution. Nokia expects the generative AI assistant to reduce the time it takes to identify and resolve a threat by up to 50 percent, depending on the nature of a cyberattack. As telecoms continue to fortify their defenses, such advancements are crucial in ensuring the security and reliability of critical operations. 

Real-time analytics capabilities allow telecoms to monitor network performance, detect anomalies, and optimize resource allocation to make data-driven decisions. Microsoft Fabric provides telecoms with real-time data, bringing order to a diverse and complicated data estate, enabling them to scale AI efforts. Fabric integrates data from various sources, including other clouds or on-premises sources, extending to where their data resides, providing a holistic view of telecom operations. The platform’s data visualization tools enable telecom companies to present complex data in an understandable format, facilitating better communication and collaboration across the organization.  

Unlocking new revenue streams 

Using Azure OpenAI Service to scale personalized customer experiences can result in an annual increase in average revenue per customer of 3% to 7% and a reduction in annual churn of 20% to 30%.² Telecom investments in AI and network modernization are unlocking new revenue streams with a platform for rapid development, deployment, and monetization of new services.  

As digital ecosystems expand, telecoms are offering advanced services where applications interact with their networks through APIs, turning their networks into programmable platforms that adapt to changing demands. Azure Programmable Connectivity (APC) offers a seamless Azure experience, providing a unified, standard interface across multiple operator networks globally while abstracting the complexities inherent to network APIs, ensuring code consistency and reliability, as networks continue to evolve. Developers can focus on building applications without worrying about underlying network changes.  

Telecoms can enhance their B2B strategy by leveraging Microsoft’s advanced technologies and strategic partnerships. Yobi Data works with telecoms to better understand customer behavior without compromising privacy.

“Accessing and managing the data necessary for effective AI can be prohibitively expensive—not to mention risky, and inefficient. Yobi Data finds the signal in the noise, empowering telecoms with access to advanced analytics and AI-derived insights into consumer behavior, network performance, and operational efficiency, all based on our own Private-by-Design data set. With these tools, telecoms can reduce churn, increase revenue, and improve customer experience—all without the time, expense, or burdens of new data acquisition.”

Max Snow, Chief Executive Officer, Yobi

The integration of real-time voice AI services using Azure OpenAI Service, Azure AI Translator, and other services allows telecoms to differentiate themselves in the market.

“By partnering with Microsoft, Norwood Systems is pushing the boundaries of innovation in telecommunications. Leveraging Azure AI in our cutting-edge solutions like our CogVoice™ and Visual Voicemail platforms, we’re empowering telecoms operators to unlock new revenue streams, elevate customer engagement, and deliver next-generation experiences. Together, we’re reshaping the future of communication services.”

Paul Ostergaard, Chief Executive Officer and Founder, Norwood Systems 

As telecoms continue to integrate AI into their strategies, the opportunities for growth and innovation are boundless. Recently Korea Telecom (KT) announced a multibillion dollar partnership with Microsoft to accelerate AI transformation for 650,000 companies and 17 million customers in Korea. “The partnership with Microsoft presents a pivotal opportunity, not only for technological collaboration but also for expanding Korea’s AI foundation and driving transformative innovation across industries and daily life,” said KT CEO Young-Shub Kim.

Microsoft’s commitment to supporting this transformation through advanced AI technologies and strategic partnerships will empower telecoms to stay ahead of evolving market and customer demands. 

Explore further how AI is reshaping the telecom industry

Microsoft for telecommunications

Accelerate telco transformation in the era of AI

Start your journey

• Learn more about Azure OpenAI Service capabilities.
• Read the white paper “Scaling telecommunications AI at speed.”
• Connect with us at Mobile World Congress in Las Vegas, Nevada from October 8 to 10, 2024, where Microsoft is a Platinum Sponsor for the Telco AI Summit. We look forward to welcoming you to our speaking sessions or in our executive meeting rooms in the West Hall, Level 2.

¹ IDC’s “Telecommunications Service Provider DX Plans and Strategies Survey Highlights Study”, IDC #US52480824, August 2024. 

² New Technology: The Projected Total Economic Impact™ Of Azure OpenAI Service In Reinventing Customer And Constituent Engagement, a commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting, July 2024. 

The post Transforming telecoms with AI appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Join Microsoft at IBC2024

At Microsoft, AI isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a transformational force that is revolutionizing the way people work, collaborate, and innovate. Whether you are looking to optimize your operations, unlock new monetization opportunities, or empower your content creators, at IBC2024 you will see how we have moved beyond the AI hype and are deploying this technology with cutting-edge solutions tailored specifically for the media industry.

The opportunity to engage with so many customers, partners, and colleagues during this action-packed event deepens my excitement and optimism for the future of our industry. I always depart from Amsterdam feeling inspired by the creativity, innovation, and thought leadership showcased across the panels and presentations. Above all, it’s a joy to catch up with everyone and make new connections. 

How to make the most of your time with Microsoft at IBC2024

Visit our booth (located in Hall14, A14) to experience how we are reimagining media with AI

• Explore the power of AI: Unleash your creativity by crafting your own avatar with the assistance of Microsoft Designer. Transform yourself into a whimsical cartoon, a classic Renaissance painting, a superhero character, or any fantastical creation you can imagine. Let the fun begin! 
• Attend our demos: We have a great lineup of demos showcasing how you can optimize your operations, unlock new monetization opportunities, and empower your content creators with cutting-edge Azure products and Microsoft partners.
  • Enhance content searches with natural language scene descriptions by integrating new multimodal capabilities from Azure AI with IPV’s Curator Media Asset Management (MAM) product. Demonstrated by IPV.
  • Verify authentic content using Microsoft’s Content Integrity suite, which provides end-to-end Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA). Identify rogue viewing sessions to combat piracy in real-time, using EZDRM’s anti-piracy proof of concept (POC). Presented by Content Integrity.
  • Analyze email marketing lists and predict user behavior: Uncover strategic insights and optimize marketing campaigns using Yobi’s engine. Demonstrated by Yobi.
  • Create an interactive second-screen experience designed to accompany free ad-supported streaming television (FAST) channel distribution, using the integration of Microsoft Azure PlayFab and Azure OpenAI Service. This interactive e-commerce experience highlights how viewers can seamlessly interact with content, driving deeper engagement and new monetization opportunities. Showcased by OBT Live.
  • Leverage AI assisted storytelling across script, production, and postproduction for content creation. Presented by Support Partners.
  • Maintain the original speaker’s voice using Azure AI-powered video translation services, featuring contextually accurate translation with voice cloning. Demonstrated by Cognizant.
• Visit the Microsoft Copilot lounge: The lounge will highlight various Copilot applications across the media ecosystem, including an advanced over the top (OTT) platform demo by UIC Digital and PwC, integrating AI copilot capabilities for personalized, real-time interactions and insights using sports content. A marketing demo will show the power of Copilot and Microsoft Fabric for data-driven conversations. Support Partners will showcase a series of content creation copilots spanning script analysis, casting and production, and editing.  

Learn more from Microsoft and industry experts at these insight-packed content sessions

• Transforming Media Production with AI: Insights and Innovations
  Join experts from Microsoft, Disney, Adobe, and Support Partners as they explore AI’s transformative impact on media production. This panel will showcase real-world applications for scriptwriting, storyboarding, production management, and post-production enhancements, with insights drawn from active AI projects—highlighting efficiency gains and innovation. Taking place in Hall 14, Content Everywhere Theater on Saturday, September 14, 2024 from 1:30 PM to 2:10 PM CEST.
• Unlocking Monetization panel
  Explore how emerging data science, machine learning, and conversational AI are revolutionizing media monetization. This session covers first-party consented data, connected TV, and second-screen apps driving omni-channel e-commerce experiences. Learn how these advancements are reshaping consumer demand and opening new monetization avenues for media brands. Taking place in Hall 14, Content Everywhere Theater on Sunday, September 15, 2024 from 12:15 PM to 12:35 PM CEST.
  • Presented by Microsoft, Yobi, and Fremantle.
• AI-Powered Interactive Marketing: Bringing Characters to Life
  Join Microsoft as we explore how generative AI and Azure are revolutionizing the creation of digital characters and animated storytellers. This session will demonstrate how studios can streamline previsualization workflows and enhance promotional marketing for animation. Discover how these AI-powered technologies are broadly applicable across the media industry for bringing characters to life. Taking place in Hall 14, Content Everywhere Theater on Friday, September 13, 2024 from 12:15 PM to 12:35 PM CEST. 
  • Presented by Microsoft and Support Partners.

Meet the Microsoft team  

Confirmed attendees so far include: 

• Silvia Candiani, Vice President Worldwide Telecommunications, Media and Gaming.
• Paige Johnson, Vice President Global Media and Entertainment Industry Marketing.
• Simon Crownshaw, Worldwide Strategy Director Media and Entertainment.
• Andy Beach, Chief Technology Officer of Media and Entertainment.
• Federico Suria, EMEA Regional Business Lead Telecommunications and Media.
• Andrew Jenks, Director of Media Provenance and Executive Director of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity at Microsoft.
• Craig Ashley, Director Global Media and Entertainment Industry Marketing. 

Join Microsoft at IBC2024 to see how we are reimagining media with AI. We are looking forward to seeing you! 

Microsoft’s commitment to the media and entertainment industry  

Microsoft enables media organizations to achieve more through a trusted and secure platform, built to empower content creators and distributors, enhance the viewer experience, and reimagine monetization strategies. More information can be found on the Microsoft media and entertainment industry solutions website.

Microsoft at IBC2024

Gain critical insights, share expertise, and unlock business opportunities

Explore the event

The post Microsoft at IBC2024: Reimagining media with AI appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.

Today, we are witnessing an extraordinary evolution, where AI is revolutionizing every aspect of content creation, distribution, viewer engagement, and monetization. The show serves as a powerful stage to witness firsthand the profound impact of AI on the industry. At Microsoft, we are bringing these elements to life across our platform and ecosystem. Attendees will see that we have moved beyond hype and are deploying this technology at scale powered by data and the Microsoft Cloud.  

This is an era defined by tech intensity, characterized by personalized content delivery, on-demand streaming services, data-driven advertising, and a shift towards immersive and interactive experiences. We are committed to empowering our customers to navigate these changes successfully. Whether you’re a content creator, broadcaster, ad agency, or streaming platform, adapting to the expectations of a global, tech-savvy audience is imperative. This shift presents both challenges and opportunities, and at Microsoft, we stand ready with our partners in this dynamic landscape. 

Our industry-specific solutions are designed to enhance production efficiency and cost-effectiveness, while our advanced analytics unlock valuable insights. We are redefining the video editing process to drive audience engagement and amplify personalization. 

As AI catalyzes one of the most profound transformations in the industry’s history, I am personally thrilled to invite you to join us in redefining the future of creativity, content, and experiences. 

Microsoft for media and entertainment

Transform the future of creativity, content, and digital experiences

Get started

Join Microsoft at 2024 NAB Show to see how we are reimaging media

Microsoft empowers media organizations to achieve more through a trusted and secure platform supported by a comprehensive partner ecosystem. Join us at our booth (W2657) to see how data and AI are reimagining the media landscape.

Empower content creators and distributors

• Break down language barriers and opening content to a global audience with Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service and Azure AI Services. 
• Streamline production process using Azure OpenAI Service, Microsoft Power Platform, and Adobe, enhanced by Azure AI Vision Studio and Azure AI Video Indexer.  

Elevate the viewer experience

• Experience your AI assistant at work with Microsoft Copilot for Microsoft 365, where AI helps automate and personalize the content creation process, offering a new way to work. 
• Captivate your audience with Microsoft Azure PlayFab tools for engaging content that automatically adapts to viewer preferences and behavior.   

Reimagine monetization strategies

• Maximize revenue with insights that help reach a broader audience, as demonstrated by YOBI with the power of Azure Databricks.   
• Optimize ad revenue by expanding reach of advertisers through precision targeting and personalization with Copilot in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights and Microsoft Fabric.

Come see the future of interactive TV

Come visit the Capitalize Zone (W2149) to experience Beat the BUZZR®️. Beat the BUZZR®️ takes the future of interactive TV to the next level by showcasing its dynamic interactivity using content from Fremantle’s BUZZR®️ television network, a treasure trove of pop culture and game show classics, such as Family Feud, To Tell The Truth, and Supermarket Sweep. Leveraging the collaborative strengths of Microsoft, NVIDIA, and an extensive partner ecosystem.   

Beat the BUZZR®️ not only invigorates these classic programs with interactive elements like quizzes, trivia, and personalized insights but also opens the door to innovative monetization strategies for content owners. This platform serves as a testament to how the intelligent use of data and AI can revolutionize both audience engagement and revenue generation. Dive deep into your favorite episodes and see how Beat the BUZZR®️ is crafting new possibilities for content monetization, making every interaction an opportunity to captivate and capitalize.  

At the heart of this transformation is a coalition of esteemed partners:

• Prime Focus Technologies breathes new life into archival content, employing their CLEAR AI to deepen and enrich metadata, unlocking a treasure trove of interactive potential.  
• MediaKind revolutionizes the broadcasting experience, making dynamic ad placements and seamless content delivery a reality, ensuring each moment resonates with crystal clarity.  
• Alice & Smith stretches the bounds of fan interaction with XR Server, making the leap from passive observation to active, immersive participation.  
• Microsoft Advertising redefines the advertising landscape, integrating interactive, real-time content that speaks directly to viewers’ interests and passions.  
• SymphonyAI’s Revedia delivers a masterclass in analytics, turning raw data into a goldmine of insights, enhancing content strategy, and fine-tuning monetization models.  
• UIC Digital elevates the user experience, melding intuitive design with captivating aesthetics while integrating all systems and components seamlessly to ensure the user journey is as engaging as the content itself.

Each partner demonstration in the NAB Capitalize Zone is a portal to understanding how these contributions not only support the Beat the BUZZR®️ experience but also contribute to new revenue models and engagement strategies in the media landscape.

Hear from Microsoft and industry expertise in the sessions

In addition to catching us at our booth, you can hear from Microsoft in a variety of ways. Below are the different sessions you’ll be able to find Microsoft at.

Keynote session

AI in Media and Entertainment—Hear from Paige Johnson, Microsoft’s Vice President of Media Industry, and other industry leaders in a conversation around the applications of AI in Hollywood and the benefits and pitfalls of its growing use in productions and development.   

Microsoft sessions

• Unscripted Evolution: How AI is Reshaping Reality TV and Documentaries—Hear from Andy Beach, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer of Media and Entertainment, and other industry leaders on the exciting AI technology that will help creators unleash new forms of unscripted content, even for reality TV and documentaries.   
• Leveraging Azure AI for Media Production and Content Monetization Workflows—Hear from Andy Beach, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer of Media and Entertainment, and Amit Tank of MediaKind as they discuss how Generative AI can streamline media production, reduce costs, and accelerate content delivery to market at scale.  
• Retro Reimagined: Monetizing the Future of Interactive TV—Hear from Andy Beach, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer of Media and Entertainment, and other industry leaders as they dive into the transformative journey of classic content into the interactive digital age. They’ll explore the Beat the BUZZR®️ showcase and discuss how the partnership came to be.  
• AI-Empowered Monetization: New Content Strategies for Media Companies—Hear from Andy Beach, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer of Media and Entertainment, as he joins NVIDIA to discuss new revenue opportunities and strategies for in the content economy, including predictive analytics and personalized recommendations to automated content curation, generation, and targeted advertising.  
• Content Credentials – New Requirements for Media Provenance Labels for Gen AI Content—Hear from Andrew Jenks, Microsoft’s Director of Media Provenance and Executive Director of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), and other industry leaders as they give an update on the C2PA’s standards for maintaining media provenance labeling with the emergence of generative AI.  
• Panels on New Challenges and Opportunities in Media—Hear from Andrew Jenks, Microsoft’s Director of Media Provenance and Executive Director of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), and other industry leaders as they discuss how broadcasters, service providers, and networking technology companies are creating and deploying advanced Core Networks to maximize the opportunities of NextGen (ATSC3) Broadcasting.  

Microsoft’s commitment to the media and entertainment industry

Microsoft enables media organizations to achieve more through a trusted and secure platform built to empower content creators and distributors, enhance the viewer experience, and reimagine monetization strategies. More information can be found on Microsoft media and entertainment industry solutions. 

The post Microsoft at the 2024 NAB Show: Reimagining media with data and AI appeared first on The Microsoft Cloud Blog.