BBC: AI will be a growing disrupter in the media sector over the next few years

The BBC said it is running a number of Gen AI innovation pilots that will identify where there is real audience and operational value to be gained

By Jenny Priestley

Published: July 23, 2024 Updated: July 24, 2024

The BBC said it is running a number of Gen AI innovation pilots that will identify where there is real audience and operational value to be gained

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As part of its Annual Report, the BBC has set out how it views the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in the media industry.

Earlier this year, BBC director-general Tim Davie said the BBC intended to deploy AI on our own terms .

We are now working with a number of major tech companies on BBC-specific pilots [and] we will be deploying the most promising ones in coming months, he added.

In the emerging risks section of today's Annual Report, the Corporation said it expects AI to be a growing disrupter in the media sector over the next few years.

Callie Cooke as Lindy in the episode Dot and Bubble from Doctor Who (Image courtesy BBC Studios/Bad Wolf James Pardon) Gen AI is likely to bring opportunities in both how we work and how we produce our content, added the report.

The BBC said it is running a number of Gen AI innovation pilots that will identify where there is real audience and operational value to be gained .

Areas being looked at include content translation and reformatting to new accessibility features, tailored learning within BBC Bitesize and staff productivity tools. The BBC said it is aiming to scale some of these experiments further over the course of 2024/25.

Gen AI also brings risks and challenges, as it further reduces the cost and complexity of production for new entrants potentially increasing competition or the risk of substitution, added the report.

There are also critical concerns about disinformation. AI-generated or manipulated images, audio clips and videos could feature more prominently in the near and long term.

Elsewhere, the report reveals that the BBC is becoming what it describes as a leaner, more agile organisation . The BBC said it is accelerating its digital-first approach to reach audiences where they are.

Over the course of the next two years, we will look to further move the money we have into the priority areas that provide real value for audiences, said the Corporation. This means, in public service, we will close and transfer roles in some areas, and create roles in growth areas. By the end of March 2026, we expect to see a total reduction of around 500 public service roles.

Tim Davie, BBC director-general, added: This year's Annual Report shows how we are transforming at pace to deliver for all audiences in the digital age.

We remain firmly focussed on prioritising our resources into building a BBC for the future that can deliver crucial benefits for the UK at a critical time - and help support a healthy democracy, a thriving creative economy, and a strong society.

The BBC Annual Report is available here.

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