What 2025 Holds for Media & Tech: A Sneak Peek from Alpha Cogs

As the tech landscape evolves, we’re diving into the ever-expanding role AI will play in the coming years. Looking ahead to 2025, there’s an undeniable sense that artificial intelligence is going to permeate nearly every corner of our industries, from broadcasting to sports, and reshape the way we think about efficiency, customer experience, and innovation. But what does this mean in practice for the future?

So, let's explore the core developments we expect to see across industries—and why 2025 will mark a new era for AI integration.

The Cloud’s Rapid Ascent in Broadcasting

Gailis from Veset says he expects to see new levels of movement towards the cloud this year with those broadcasters who to date have been reluctant to move their channels to the cloud, finally taking the leap.

“Last year seemed to mark a turning point for the great broadcast migration to the cloud with some very traditional players including major state broadcasters in Asia who operate multiple channels, making a decisive shift to fully move all their channels to the cloud. And additionally, there’s also a noticeable uptick in the use of cloud-based playout for disaster recovery. This shift to cloud-based infrastructure goes hand-in-hand with the current need to improve efficiency, optimise and improve profitability, so I expect to see the momentum continuing to build this year, with more broadcasters moving the entirety of their operations and playout functionality to the cloud,” he says.

As broadcasters make this critical leap into the cloud, the possibilities for remote production hubs continue to expand. Thanks to innovations like WebRTC, new technologies will blur the lines of geographical constraints, ensuring real-time, high-quality content delivery, regardless of location. This shift allows broadcasters to scale operations and improve delivery, enhancing live and multi-location content with unmatched flexibility.

The Decentralised Production Revolution

Looking beyond just cloud infrastructure, Ammirata from SipRadius predicts the rise of decentralised production hubs. These hubs will be powered by advancements in remote production workflows and embrace hybrid environments, where shared technology models—cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid—will reshape how production is done.

“Unlike traditional setups, shared environments—whether cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid—will become the foundation of production. These hubs will seamlessly integrate feeds from multiple remote locations, enabling real-time management and monitoring through technologies like WebRTC. By removing geographical constraints, this shift will empower broadcasters to scale operations while maintaining agility and delivering high-quality live and multi-location content,” he says.

The bottom line? More broadcasters and production companies will look to decentralise their operations, offering greater freedom to create, collaborate, and scale.

The Rebalance of Capex and Opex Models

But just as cloud solutions gain traction, there’s an emerging pushback toward traditional capital expenditures (CapEx) as broadcasters consider the limits of cloud-based operational expenditure (OpEx) models. As Ammirata points out, 2025 will likely see a resurgence in CapEx, especially for large-scale, remote productions that benefit from on-premise systems.

“As the broadcast industry recognises the limitations of cloud-based opex models, 2025 will mark a shift back toward capex investments. This is particularly significant for remote production, where on-premise systems offer greater cost efficiency and control over large-scale media workflows. By prioritising dedicated infrastructure, broadcasters will enhance their ability to manage live productions and distributed workflows effectively, paving the way for long-term sustainability,” he says.

The delicate balancing act between cloud scalability and traditional infrastructure investments will define the broadcast industry’s next moves as AI, automation, and cost efficiencies take center stage.

Sports and the Race to Captivate Fans

In the sports sector, the disruption continues. AI and streaming technologies are transforming the way fans experience live sports, making 2025 a pivotal year for broadcasters. Rick Young, SVP of global products at LTN, says that sports organisations are overhauling content distribution strategies to capture a larger audience.

“The sports industry is undergoing significant transformation with leagues and federations shaking up their content distribution strategies to connect with more fans across more platforms. Fragmentation and disruption will continue to shape the landscape, especially when it comes to broadcasting and streaming rights,” he says.

For sports broadcasters, the challenge will not only be about creating more access points for fans but also making sure that content is convenient, cost-effective, and available at the right time. Expect more bundling of subscription services to reduce the frustration that fans face with multiple paywalls and a proliferation of subscriptions.

Optimising the Sports Experience for Fans

One area where AI will continue to make waves is in enhancing the sports viewing experience. In 2025, fans can expect even deeper engagement thanks to AI-driven game statistics, player profiles, and live features designed to optimise the overall experience.

Martin Prins, head of product at Media Distillery? notes that sports rights holders in particular are determined to improve their return on investment in content rights by providing fans with an array of additional content that complements televised live matches.

“Premium sports TV is a powerful driver of engagement, but it’s also by far the priciest to get transmission rights to, and also the most expensive to deliver in ultra-high-quality, especially for major live remote broadcasts. Operators are doubling down on their efforts to maximise viewers’ perceived value, and optimising the experience of watching sports on TV,” he says.

This combination of AI-driven enhancements and tailored content will make watching sports not just about viewing a game, but about an interactive, multi-faceted experience that keeps fans engaged.

Consolidation, Experience, and the Streaming Wars

As the streaming wars evolve, user experience will be the defining factor. Dvorak from XroadMedia explains that platforms will need to treat subscribers like passionate sports fans—creating immersive, community-driven experiences, not just serving content.

“With consolidating markets and more bundles across operator providers to keep people from churning, the fight for users’ attention has never been harder. The key theme for this year is user experience. Successful OTT platforms are treating subscribers like passionate sports fans, creating immersive, community-driven experiences rather than just serving content. More and more short-form content, not just trailers or reels but also user-generated content, will make its way into traditional video services. This will be necessary to especially engage with younger viewers, who are more likely to consume such content. This is helping to crack the code of attention economics, delivering value in social media-sized bites,” Dvorak says.

In short, companies must innovate not just to deliver content but to create unique experiences that resonate with today’s consumers. With AI-driven recommendations, real-time interaction, and highly engaging user interfaces, 2025 will see a shift towards deeper, more personalized relationships between consumers and media platforms.

AI, the Backbone of Innovation

AI is not a futuristic concept—it’s happening now. Whether it’s in the cloud, with remote production hubs, or through enhancing the fan experience, artificial intelligence is set to redefine entire industries.

As we move forward, 2025 promises to be the year where all these technologies come together. The key challenge for businesses will be not just integrating AI, but truly leveraging its potential to drive innovation, optimize work flows, and, most importantly, create experiences that resonate with users.

At Alpha Cogs, we’re excited to continue this journey, embracing the AI-driven future and sharing insights along the way. It’s going to be an incredible ride.

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Source:

IBC365

Stay tuned for more tech insights as we navigate the future of AI together. – Alpha Cogs Team