Warner Bros. Discovery Partners with Google for AI-Generated Captions on Max

Max is getting AI-generated captions thanks to Google -- here's how they'll work

In a move aimed at improving accessibility, Warner Bros. Discovery has partnered with Google to introduce AI-generated captions on its Max streaming platform. The collaboration utilizes Google's most recent generative AI technology to automatically generate closed captions and further improve the viewing experience of people with auditory impairments, making content readily available for all audiences. Closed captions have long been recognized as a standard feature in the entertainment industry, allowing users to follow along with the dialogue and sound effects. Yet, manual captioning is expensive and takes a long time to complete. This is particularly true for channels with a high volume of content like Max. AI assistance helps with the struggle to keep up and can be beneficial for multiple language translations. The decision to leverage Google's AI technology will help Warner Bros. Discovery produce captions at much faster speeds while adapting to various accents, dialects and even informal speech that might otherwise be difficult for traditional captioning systems. This approach will make it scalable, as Max can provide high-quality captions across its extensive and ever-growing content library. AI-generated captions may improve the viewing experience for all users. Closed captions serve many purposes beyond those who are hard of hearing, especially as many viewers are used to multi-tasking. Many viewers watch their content with the captions when they're in noisy environments, learning a new language, or simply just consuming content without sound. Automating this process could ensure that there is far greater availability of captions on all content types, from blockbuster movies to niche shows, including foreign films. Meanwhile, the integration of AI into the captioning process opens up options such as real-time captioning for live events or broadcasts. As more platforms integrate live streaming into their services, the ability to provide AI-generated captions instantly, could become a crucial feature in capturing audiences who rely on this service. As AI naturally integrates further into the entertainment industry, there are some important questions that need to be answers. First, there is concern with the accuracy of AI captions, especially in situations that are complex or nuanced, which may need oversight from humans to ensure those quality standards remain superior. Warner Bros. Discovery says it would continue to ensure that the highest standards of caption quality are maintained, whereby AI does the heavy lifting in the captioning, but a human editor will always review the material for mistakes or misinterpretations before it goes live. This deal underlines Warner Bros. Discovery's drive to make content accessible, but also positions Max as a forward-thinking platform embracing technological innovation.

Warner Bros. Discovery partners with Google for AI-generated captions on 'Max' streaming service

Warner Bros. Discovery is partnering with Google to integrate the internet giant's AI technology into its Max video streaming platform to automatically generate captions. The two companies said they were working to make Max's captions more accurate using a new caption-generation tool, which is being referred to internally as "caption AI." They said the tech, built on Google's Vertex AI development platform for generative AI products, is able to automatically convert video content into text. It will initially be used for unscripted programming on Max, as opposed to scripted shows and films where dialog is already available. The new tool cuts costs relating to generating captions by up to 50%, while creating new file captions can also take up to 80% less time as a result of Google's AI tech, Warner Bros. Discovery and Google said. Avi Saxena, chief technology officer of Warner Bros. Discovery's direct-to-consumer business, said in a statement that providing high-quality captions was important to the company. "Working with Google Cloud to utilize Vertex AI within Warner Bros. Discovery's caption AI workflow has not only helped to accelerate our captioning process, but also has improved our efficiency and speed, while reducing costs," Saxena added. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, the tech giant's cloud computing division, said that the partnership with Warner Bros. Discovery demonstrated AI's "potential to transform a variety of processes across the media and entertainment industry that deliver real business impact."

Max is getting Google AI-generated closed captions

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is partnering with Google Cloud to generate closed captioning for content on the studio's Max streaming service in the US. WBD will use a new "caption AI" solution that runs on Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform to generate speech-to-text for some shows, starting with "unscripted programming." Captions generated for the Max shows will have human oversight for quality assurance. According to Google, the workflow will reduce caption file creation time by up to 80 percent and cut costs by up to 50 percent compared to manual methods. WBD will continuously refine and train caption AI to make fewer mistakes. Notably, most content on Max already has closed captioning tracks, and WBD hasn't said how extensively it will use caption AI. Automatic speech-to-text services for video captioning have been available for years, but with a large studio like WBD now testing the latest AI for the job, we might see a future where the tech is the norm for this task.

Google to Help Warner Bros. Create AI Captions for Unscripted Shows on Max

Manually adding captions to streaming content can be a time-consuming process, so Warner Bros. Discovery and Google Cloud are teaming up to let AI take the reins. This "caption AI" tech will use Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform to generate automatic captions. It will initially be applied to unscripted programming for the Warner Bros.-owned Max streaming service, CNBC reports. So you can thank AI for keeping you apprised of what's happening on the latest episode of 90 Day Fiance. Caption AI will help Warner Bros. reduce time spent captioning by 80% and cost by up to 50%, according to a joint statement from the two companies. Captions generated by AI will be verified by human editors for quality assurance "AI has the potential to transform a variety of processes across the media and entertainment industry that deliver real business impact," says Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian. "With its captioning solution, Warner Bros. Discovery is seeing an incredible example of how AI agents can save organizations time and money."

Warner Bros. Discovery teams up with Google to generate captions using AI

Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has agreed a deal with Google Cloud to use the latter's Vertex AI to generate captions for programming across a variety of platforms. WBD claims that its Caption AI system can significantly reduce production time and costs while improving the accuracy of captions for US-based viewers. The tech will be used for unscripted programming at the outset, which could include news, sports and reality TV across the likes of Max, CNN and Discovery+. WBD claims the system can reduce the time it takes to create captions by up to 80 percent and captioning costs by up to 50 percent. There will still be a level of human review for quality assurance, and the company claims this approach will help refine and train Caption AI's workflow to improve it over time. However, captioning requires a lot of skill, especially for live TV where transcribers have to keep up with what's being said as accurately as possible. Unscripted programming also tends to include a lot of overlapping chatter and it's unclear just how effective AI will be at transcribing that accurately. However you slice it though, relying more on AI-generated transcriptions will mean less work for people in the space. It'll be interesting to see whether WBD expands this tech to subtitles for scripted programming. Subtitling (something I admittedly used to do for a living) is a skilled art. Among other things, it involves accurately capturing sound effects, music cues and non-verbal utterances; properly explaining idioms for localization purposes; and making sure subtitles are timed properly. There's a ton of nuance involved, and it would be difficult for AI to get it right. It's hardly surprising that WBD is looking at Caption AI as a way to save money. The company has been aggressively cutting costs (and trying to bolster its revenue) since it formed in 2022 with the merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery.

AI-generated captions are coming to Warner Bros. Discovery -- with help from Google

Caption AI, as it's known internally, will only be available in the U.S. for unscripted programming, such as news, sports, or reality TV. It will use Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform -- an AI development platform for building and using generative AI, which offers access to Google's Gemini chatbot. "Captioning has traditionally been a labor-intensive and time-consuming process," the companies said in a statement. "To maintain high levels of accuracy, Warner Bros Discovery's captioning solution incorporates a workflow that utilizes Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform to optimize captioning, coupled with human-oversight for quality assurance." Channels and platforms under Warner Bros. Discovery include CNN, Max, the Discovery Channel, and Discovery+. The companies said the new tech will reduce file creation time up to 80% compared with manual captioning, and will cut captioning costs by up to 50%. "AI has the potential to transform a variety of processes across the media and entertainment industry that deliver real business impact," said Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud. "With its captioning solution, Warner Bros. Discovery is seeing an incredible example of how AI agents can save organizations time and money." Given just how new AI is, human transcribers will still need to check the AI-generated captions for accuracy. But given that vendors can charge around $15 per minute, or more, for transcribing services, the new tech would reduce platforms' reliance on transcribers. "Providing viewers with high-quality captions is incredibly important to Warner Bros. Discovery," said Avi Saxena, chief technology officer of Warner Bros. Discovery's direct-to-consumer business. "Working with Google Cloud to utilize Vertex AI within Warner Bros. Discovery's caption AI workflow has not only helped to accelerate our captioning process, but also has improved our efficiency and speed, while reducing costs." Generative AI became a flashpoint during last year's writers and actors strikes -- one of the biggest labor actions in Hollywood's history. Both those who work behind and in front of the camera argued AI has the potential to undermine their roles -- and cut jobs -- if not properly regulated. In that battle against the rise of AI, writers and actors won significant protections. Under the newly negotiated contracts, studios can't use AI to write or edit already written scripts, or use AI-generated content as source material. They also can't use AI-generated versions of an actor's likeness without their explicit consent.

Warner Bros. Discovery Inks AI Deal With Google For Captions on Programming

Taylor Polidore Williams, Crystle Stewart Become Entangled in New 'Beauty in Black' Trailer From Tyler Perry Warner Bros. Discovery has partnered with Google Cloud to use an artificial intelligence-powered tool to create captions for its content platforms. Caption AI uses Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform and will be deployed first to unscripted programming to cut time and production costs around creating captions presumably sports and reality TV content. WBD added real people will still oversee the use of Caption AI for quality assurance on studio channels like Max, CNN and Discovery+. "Providing viewers with high-quality captions is incredibly important to Warner Bros. Discovery. Working with Google Cloud to utilize Vertex AI within Warner Bros. Discovery's caption AI workflow has not only helped to accelerate our captioning process, but also has improved our efficiency and speed, while reducing costs," Avi Saxena, chief technology officer, direct to consumer at WBD said in a statement. The studio said Caption AI will reduce the time required to create captions by 80 percent, compared to manual captioning, and cut overall caption production costs by up to 50 percent for creators. "AI has the potential to transform a variety of processes across the media and entertainment industry that deliver real business impact. With its captioning solution, Warner Bros. Discovery is seeing an incredible example of how AI agents can save organizations time and money," Google Cloud CEO Thomas Kurian added in another statement. The introduction of Caption AI comes as the Hollywood studios, while wanting to protect their libraries of movies and TV series against AI companies infringing on their copyright ownership, also want to reduce time and costs by having content creators use new AI tools in their production pipelines.

Warner Bros Discovery And Google Partner On AI-Generated Captions For Max - Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG), Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL)

Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. WBD and Google by Alphabet Inc. GOOGL GOOG are collaborating to integrate AI technology into the Max streaming platform. What Happened: The partnership aims to enhance caption accuracy using a new tool called "caption AI," built on Google's Vertex AI platform. Initially, this will be applied to unscripted programming on Max, as per the press release by Google. The companies claim the new tool can reduce captioning costs by up to 50% and cut the time required to create new captions by up to 80%. Avi Saxena, CTO of Warner Bros. Discovery's direct-to-consumer business, emphasized the importance of high-quality captions. Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, highlighted the potential of AI to transform media processes, delivering significant business impact. The Max platform features popular shows like "Game of Thrones" and "The Last of Us." See Also: Elon Musk Says Buses Won't Be Needed Once Tesla Robotaxis Start Operating: 'Will Take People Point To Point For A Similar Cost' Why It Matters: This partnership comes at a crucial time for Warner Bros. Discovery . Recently, the company has been making strategic moves to bolster its position in the competitive streaming market. Warner Bros. Discovery announced a multi-year distribution agreement with Charter Communications, integrating linear video and streaming services. This deal allows Charter's Spectrum TV customers to access Max content at no extra charge, which has positively impacted Warner Bros. Discovery's stock prices. Moreover, the company's stock has seen a 21% increase since the announcement of this deal, signaling investor confidence. The early completion of this agreement underscores the urgency both companies feel in adapting to the rapidly evolving media landscape. Read Next: Trump's Mars Landing Promise Gets Slammed By Peter Schiff Even As Elon Musk Says SpaceX Plans 5 Launches To Red Planet In 2 Years: 'Just Don't Want The Government To Do It' Photo courtesy: Shutterstock This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Pooja Rajkumari Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs

Warner Bros. Discovery Deploys AI-Powered Captioning Solution Built Using Google Cloud AI - Warner Bros. Discovery (NASDAQ:WBD)

Solution utilizes Google Cloud's Vertex AI to dramatically improve captioning efficiency, cutting production time and costs NEW YORK and SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Warner Bros. Discovery and Google Cloud today announced the deployment of a new, AI-powered captioning solution (referred to internally as "caption AI") in the United States that utilizes Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform. Initially being applied to unscripted programming, this captioning solution's innovative technology is transforming the way Warner Bros. Discovery can create and deliver captions, significantly reducing production time and costs, while enhancing the quality of its captioning for domestic viewers. Captioning has traditionally been a labor-intensive and time-consuming process. To maintain high levels of accuracy, Warner Bros Discovery's captioning solution incorporates a workflow that utilizes Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform to optimize captioning, coupled with human-oversight for quality assurance. This data-driven approach enables Warner Bros. Discovery to continuously refine and train the caption AI workflow, further reducing errors and striving to deliver consistently precise captions. Notable metrics include: Time Savings: The caption AI workflow reduces caption file creation time up to 80% compared to manual captioning.Cost Efficiency: The caption AI workflow cuts captioning costs up to 50%, enabling Warner Bros. Discovery to allocate resources more effectively. "Providing viewers with high-quality captions is incredibly important to Warner Bros. Discovery," said Avi Saxena, CTO, Direct to Consumer, Warner Bros. Discovery. "Working with Google Cloud to utilize Vertex AI within Warner Bros. Discovery's caption AI workflow has not only helped to accelerate our captioning process, but also has improved our efficiency and speed, while reducing costs." "AI has the potential to transform a variety of processes across the media and entertainment industry that deliver real business impact," said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud."With its captioning solution, Warner Bros. Discovery is seeing an incredible example of how AI agents can save organizations time and money." About Warner Bros. Discovery: Warner Bros. Discovery WBD is a leading global media and entertainment company that creates and distributes the world's most differentiated and complete portfolio of branded content across television, film, streaming and gaming. Available in more than 220 countries and territories and 50 languages, Warner Bros. Discovery inspires, informs and entertains audiences worldwide through its iconic brands and products including: Discovery Channel, Max, discovery+, CNN, DC, TNT Sports, Eurosport, HBO, HGTV, Food Network, OWN, Investigation Discovery, TLC, Magnolia Network, TNT, TBS, truTV, Travel Channel, MotorTrend, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group, Warner Bros. Television Group, Warner Bros. Pictures Animation, Warner Bros. Games, New Line Cinema, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies, Discovery en Español, Hogar de HGTV and others. For more information, please visit www.wbd.com. About Google Cloud Google Cloud is the new way to the cloud, providing AI, infrastructure, developer, data, security, and collaboration tools built for today and tomorrow. Google Cloud offers a powerful, fully integrated and optimized AI stack with its own planet-scale infrastructure, custom-built chips, generative AI models and development platform, as well as AI-powered applications, to help organizations transform. Customers in more than 200 countries and territories turn to Google Cloud as their trusted technology partner. View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/warner-bros-discovery-deploys-ai-powered-captioning-solution-built-using-google-cloud-ai-302256591.html SOURCE Google Cloud Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs