Produced by:
From Vision
to Execution:
Charting the AI Roadmap
in Media & Entertainment
A TechPros.io
Interview with
JJ LĂłpez Murphy
Head of Artificial Intelligence
🎙️ Listen to the full interview in the Enterprise Thought Leadership podcast, powered by TechPros.io
JJ López Murphy shares his insights on AI's transformative potential in media and entertainment. With over 20 years driving tech innovation, JJ provides a unique lens into AI’s emerging role in creative enterprises. He outlines Globant’s approach to guiding clients’ AI journeys responsibly. JJ paints a thought-provoking picture of the future where human creativity is augmented by machines to pioneer new entertainment forms. As AI capabilities advance rapidly, media leaders must stay ahead to thrive.
JJ, as head of AI at Globant, you've helped transform how some of the world’s biggest media and entertainment companies leverage artificial intelligence. How have you seen AI shape and reshape this industry and where is the most transformative potential in the next 5 years?
The rapid emergence of generative AI has been a real game-changer for media and entertainment. It enables unprecedented opportunities to hyper-personalize content and experiences for consumers. We can now use AI to generate custom trailers tailored to an individual’s preferences. Or imagine a theme park character experience incorporating a child’s name and interests for a more memorable personalised interaction.
But companies also face difficult questions around how to responsibly apply these models without compromising creative IP or reputation. For instance, we now have AI that can generate scripts, songs, and scores indistinguishable from human creatives. This raises ethical concerns about undermining the integrity of the arts and whether creative work should be produced entirely by AI.
Establishing a thoughtful AI strategy anchored in ethics is critical right now. Generative AI will be hugely transformative over the next 5 years. Companies that leverage it thoughtfully will create unparalleled consumer connections. But those moving recklessly risk damaging creative relationships and trust. The path forward lies in collaborating with talent to explore how AI can ethically amplify human creativity and storytelling. This requires understanding both the technology's potential and the human values that must guide its implementation.
How does Globant approach AI and media/entertainment differently from other service providers? What makes your approach unique?
We start by helping clients crystallise a vision for their AI future - what does success look like if AI is woven thoughtfully into their business across areas like creative development, production, distribution, and consumer engagement? That vision then informs strategies and implementations.
We balance bold imagination with pragmatism and agile delivery through design thinking and rapid prototyping. For example, quickly building minimal viable prototypes to validate AI features with end users. This fail fast approach contains risk while enabling continuous refinement.
And we assemble blended teams of client leadership, internal experts, and our specialists to democratize AI’s possibilities. Combining diverse perspectives allows us to craft AI solutions that fuel business innovation while mitigating unintended consequences.
This integrated approach allows us to scale AI innovations quickly while engineering for trust. It’s how we deliver maximum business value responsibly.
Could you share a success story of how Globant helped a media/entertainment client move from initial AI vision to execution?
One entertainment conglomerate wanted to enhance guest experiences at its theme parks. That vision led us to an initial project optimizing photo moments with characters using computer vision and ML. The AI analyzes each photo opportunity to improve framing, timing, facial expressions, and shot quality.
But we built those capabilities to extend far beyond one use case. The same technology was leveraged to reduce queue lengths by directing visitor flows. It was used to match guests with personalised entertainment options based on observed behaviors and interests. And it became an engine powering optimization across transportation, dining, attractions, and more at the parks.
What started as a focused solution to "make the click better" became an intelligent infrastructure supporting everything from logistics to storytelling. And guest satisfaction saw double-digit increases.
What are some of the biggest challenges facing CTOs when innovating with AI in media/entertainment?
Competing priorities make formulating an AI strategy exceptionally challenging. Consumer expectations are rising dramatically amid rapid technology shifts. Personalization, quality, and access must keep improving.
Meanwhile, creatives and talent may push back if they feel innovation threatens their craft and livelihood. Take the recent backlash against AI generated art, music, and writing. There are real concerns about AI's impact on jobs and integrity of human expression.
Maintaining focus on the human experiences to transform and capabilities to augment provides a compass for navigating decisions around IP, security, controls, and more. With people as the North Star, you can nurture team cohesion rather than division.
There are also major technical and execution challenges. Many media companies have complex legacy production systems. Data readiness for AI can require substantial investments in pipelines and cleaning. Security, privacy, and content moderation take on new dimensions with generative models.
Having an agile approach helps tackle these incrementally while driving continuous value. But leading AI transformations takes much more than technology implementation. It requires rallying people across the business, communicating a compelling vision, evolving processes, and monitoring risks.
What advice do you have for media/entertainment CTOs looking to lead with AI?
First, adopt a “fail fast” ethos - experimentation is invaluable but must be engineered for speed and contained risk. Rapid prototypes allow for continuous refinement while mitigating the possibility of big, risky technology investments that don't pay off.
Next, involve stakeholders from across the business in shaping the AI agenda to foster alignment and ownership. Creative teams want a seat at the table, as do marketing, legal, finance and others. Design thinking allows us to deeply understand needs across these groups.
Demonstrate how AI can fuel creativity, deepen consumer ties, and pioneer new entertainment forms. But balance bold vision with thoughtful consideration for how AI should and shouldn't be applied. Is a use case truly enhancing human capabilities or just gimmicky and duplicative? These are reflections leaders must make.
Combine business opportunity with ethical purpose. If your organisation's values are clear, they can guide decisions when questions arise involving IP, security, disruption to workers, and more. Don't let ambiguous visions lead to regretted outcomes.
Surround yourself with multidisciplinary teams combining business acumen, human-centered design, and technical expertise. Partners that understand your industry context are invaluable for cutting through hype and unlocking real value.
Perhaps most importantly, recognize that AI leadership requires soft skills as much as technical chops. Listen, communicate, inspire and align people across functions. Evolve processes gradually to integrate AI while preserving culture. And understand that organizational change will likely be your biggest challenge, not the technology itself.
Globant, a $1B+ IT services enterprise, pioneers technology-driven solutions for businesses worldwide, reacting to shifts in consumer behavior influenced by technology. Holding a significant footprint in the Media and Entertainment sector, we empower giants like Netflix, Warner Bros, Discovery, FIFA, Universal, and many more. Our expertise? Harnessing AI to revolutionize their business with unparalleled content personalization and immersive experiences. As we steer through challenges like data privacy, intellectual property, human creativity, and ethics, we ensure a seamless transformation.
The media industry is evolving, and to remain relevant, companies must adapt to technology-driven changes in consumer habits. At Globant, we ensure businesses are always ahead, offering content that resonates deeply with audiences.
Join us at the TechPros.io Challenge Forum Roundtable: Explore AI's role in Media & Entertainment and navigate its future roadmap. Held at Globant’s central London office, this invite-only event promises insightful discussions, networking, and an opportunity for post-event features.
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