Sneak Preview: LLMs on Air - Gen AI Use Cases for News, Sports, and Entertainment
Wednesday, February 26, leading industry consultant Brian Ring will moderate the Streaming Media Connect panel "LLMs on Air: Gen AI Use Cases for News, Sports, and Entertainment." Large language models (LLMs) are making inroads everywhere in the streaming world. As a text-generating subset of Gen AI that stands apart from audio and video creation but is nonetheless having a significant impact on how broadcasters deliver content and how viewers experience it, how will these LLMs get commoditized? This expert panel addresses a host of issues around LLMs and streaming, from aggressive data scraping to metadata-driven discovery and more.
Confirmed panelists include:
- Andy Beach, Media & AI Strategist, Author, Self Employed and Flikforge, SMPTE
- Mohammad O Bin Zayed, Director, Marketing Platforms & Usability, evision
- Pete Scott, CSO, Play Anywhere
- Rafi Mamalian, VP, Innovation Lab, Sinclair, Inc
Brian Ring is Principal Analyst at Ring Digital LLC, a consultancy that leverages video tech expertise, proprietary TV surveys & twenty years of industry experience to help clients navigate the future of TV across all business models, geographies, genres, and platforms.
“I’m fascinated with hallucinations," Ring says. "How can we possibly harness the power & cost efficiencies of LLMs if we have to check their work - and carefully! - for every output? This seems to be the challenge of our era.”
Andy Beach is a technology strategist, advisor, and author specializing in the intersection of AI, media, and digital transformation. As the former CTO of Media & Entertainment at Microsoft, he led innovations in cloud production, AI-driven workflows, and content archives, helping studios, sports leagues, and media companies navigate technological disruption. Currently, Andy advises emerging companies in AI-driven storytelling, content production, and media technology, including FlikForge and others developing next-generation creative tools. He is also writing on the evolving impact of AI in media, technology disruptions, and the future of content creation, exploring how each major technological shift reshapes audience engagement and industry models.
"Large language models are transforming how we interact with streaming platforms—shifting from static experiences to dynamic, personalized journeys," Beach says. "I’ll be exploring how LLMs are unlocking new possibilities in content discovery and user engagement, from revolutionizing recommendation systems to creating conversational interfaces that deepen connections between audiences and content. As we look to the future, the potential for LLMs to enhance live events and real-time interactions is one of the most exciting frontiers."
Pete Scott is currently the Chief Strategy Advisor for Play Anywhere, an interactive monetization platform that is helping sports leagues and IP holders create new revenue streams across gaming, ecommerce and interactive ads. He was recently the Vice President of Emerging Media and Innovation for Warner Media Discovery In this role, Scott advises internal teams on new tech, trends and helping the company remain relevant in the new media world. Additionally, he is helping lead the strategy and operationalization of LIVE Virtual Productions, Sportsbetting, Ecommerce, Name Image and Likeness ( NIL), and Next Generation viewing experiences across the Turner Sports portfolio; NHL, NBA, MLB, USA Soccer and March Madness. He also manages a portfolio of existing partnerships including but not limited to companies building next generation experiences including computer vision, AI, metaverse, NFT’s, Fan Tokens, etc.
"Depending on what you are using - open source or proprietary models, the LLM should be helping identify your video content and then potentially the associated ways to monetize that video content, triggering ads, creation of natural ad breaks and or ecommerce opportunities," Scott says. "Organizing your content and being able to quickly search on large amounts of video data is very empowering. Everyone should 'California Closet' their video content with LLMs to enable quick search and personalize recommendations."
With over 25 years of experience in digital media, Rafi Mamalian is a trailblazer in the integration of AI and digital video. As head of AI Development & Research at Sinclair's Innovation Lab, he leads groundbreaking initiatives to incorporate generative and predictive AI into existing and novel workflows, transforming content creation, distribution, and audience engagement. His expertise in AI is redefining how media companies leverage data to personalize viewer experiences, enhance operational efficiency, and optimize content strategies.
Mohammad Bin Zayed, based in Dubai, AE, is currently a Director Iptv at Etisalat. Mohammad Bin Zayed brings experience from previous roles at Smartway and Etisalat. Mohammad Bin Zayed holds a 1994 - 1998 Higher Colleges of Technology.
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