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Spherex CEO Teresa Phillips Discusses AI's Transformative Role at the OTT.X Summit
Spherex • September 26, 2024
Spherex’s Co-Founder & CEO, Teresa Phillips, spoke at the recent OTT.X Summit in an insightful fireside chat titled "Unlocking AI: Driving Growth in Global Media Distribution" with Colin Dixon, Founder & Chief Analyst at nScreenMedia. The conversation provided a deep dive into how Spherex is leveraging AI to revolutionize media distribution on a global scale.
Teresa began by highlighting Spherex’s core mission of helping media companies navigate the complex landscape of compliance and global regulatory acceptance. She detailed how Spherex works with clients to ensure their content adheres to regional regulations and cultural norms, enabling seamless distribution across different markets.
Introduction to SpherexAI
The conversation turned to SpherexAI, our cutting-edge AI platform for generating age ratings and ensuring video content complies with local regulations and cultural norms. Teresa explained how SpherexAI provides analysis of visual, audio, and textual elements in content to enable smarter global distribution decisions by evaluating how well a title aligns with the cultural and regulatory standards of over 200 countries and territories.
AI's Limitations and Future Potential
Teresa and Colin also addressed the limitations of current AI models, particularly their Western-centric training data. Spherex is at the forefront of developing training AI models to understand and interpret cultural norms from various perspectives, ensuring a more inclusive approach to content distribution.
Cultural Distance
Another exciting aspect of the chat was discussing Spherex's patented approach to measuring the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market to help media companies anticipate potential challenges and opportunities. Teresa explained how these metrics, which include the tags materialistic, symbolic, and sacred, predict content appeal across different regions. This innovative approach helps media companies tailor their content to specific cultural contexts, enhancing global reach and engagement.
Future Capabilities
Looking ahead, Teresa shared Spherex's vision of integrating cultural norms into AI models to better predict content success and advise on necessary adaptations. The balance between global and regional content was also discussed, emphasizing the need for a nuanced approach to media distribution in the future landscape.
The fireside chat at the OTT.X Summit highlighted the transformative potential of AI in media distribution, with Spherex leading the charge. By leveraging advanced AI technology and a deep understanding of cultural norms, Spherex is paving the way for a more inclusive and globally resonant media landscape.
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One of the conundrums of streaming is that although a service can deliver content globally, it is not guaranteed to be acceptable in a particular local market. Netflix found this out when it announced global availability in 2016 at CES and was quickly banned in markets like Indonesia , where some of the content was deemed too violent or sexual. In 2016, without boots on the ground in a local market, it wasn’t easy to assess whether a show or movie would be culturally acceptable. Today, global media companies are acutely aware of the importance of their content’s cultural fit. Moreover, they have a company like Spherex to help them prepare their content to ensure it fits with any country of interest. I interviewed Teresa Phillips, the Co-Founder and CEO of Spherex, at the recent OTT.X Summit in Los Angeles. She explained how the company is leveraging AI and its massive cultural profiling database to help companies prepare content for target markets. She also explained how, in the near future, AI would aid the company in measuring a movie or show’s cultural distance from a regional market and help it avoid falling into the failure zone between cultural fit and novelty interest. Listen to the full interview here .
Spherex was featured in the DPP’s IBC 2024: Demand versus Supply Report, a comprehensive look at how the M&E industry is meeting key customer demands. The report focuses on the topics of empowering creators, understanding audiences, engaging users, and innovating the newsroom. It also highlights many of the technical innovations seen at the recent IBC Show. An article by Spherex’s CEO Teresa Phillips titled "Navigating Cultural Resonance in Global Media: The Art and Science of Culture Mixing" was featured in the report, exploring how Spherex is pioneering the future of culturally informed content. Teresa shares how cultural mixing has become a critical strategy for creating content that appeals to diverse audiences in today's global media landscape. This phenomenon involves blending elements from different cultures to craft films and television shows that resonate globally while adhering to local regulations. However, the process of culture mixing is fraught with risks. Superficial or stereotypical representations can lead to accusations of cultural appropriation or insensitivity, alienating audiences and damaging a company's reputation. For example, imposing Western concepts on Eastern content without proper context can feel inauthentic and jarring to local viewers. These missteps highlight the need for a nuanced understanding of cultural elements to ensure that content is respectful and engaging. To address these challenges, M&E companies are increasingly turning to data-driven solutions. Platforms like SpherexAI utilize artificial intelligence to analyze visual, audio, and textual elements, providing insights into how well content aligns with cultural and regulatory standards across over 200 countries and territories. This approach helps media companies understand the "cultural distance" between a title's origin and its target market, enabling them to make informed decisions about global distribution. By leveraging these advanced tools, M&E companies can go beyond traditional content localization. They can create media that actively engages and resonates with diverse audiences. As the industry continues to evolve, those companies that embrace culturally informed, data-driven approaches will be better positioned to succeed, fostering cross-cultural understanding and trust while delivering globally appealing content. Download the report here .
We are thrilled to announce that TV Tech honored SpherexAI with the prestigious Best of Show award at IBC2024. The awards recognize the best media and broadcast technology products and solutions on display at IBC2024, with hundreds of products and solutions considered. A panel of industry experts and editors at the RAI reviewed all entries. Factors considered include how diverse and comprehensive our product's features are, how easy it is to use and integrate with other products, how well it solves a problem for the user, and how innovative and unique it is within the market. The awards' editorial team stated that "IBC2024 has been busier than ever this year, with over 1,300 companies showcasing their latest innovations. Our awards followed suit with this popularity and had more entries than ever before." They continued to say "judging and winner selections were extremely difficult this year, feedback from our judges confirmed that the standard across the board was incredible. To all those companies who have won, you can be truly proud of your companies' achievements in standing out among the crowd at IBC2024." In the coming weeks, you can read more about SpherexAI on the TV Tech website , in their regular newsletter, and through other promotional channels from the brand.
IBC2024 opens September 13 at the Amsterdam RAI, and Spherex will demonstrate its groundbreaking content compliance and analysis platform, SpherexAI, at stand 5.F78 in Hall 5
The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) has recently released new draft guidelines for film classification for public consultation. These guidelines reflect contemporary social values while balancing the need to protect children and young people from harmful content and upholding adults' freedom to choose what to view. Critical aspects of the draft guidelines include: 1. Context and Tone: The classification considers the context in which the material is presented. For example, content in a fantasy or comic context may be rated less strictly compared to realistic presentations of the same content. 2. Consumer Advice: Detailed consumer advice will accompany classifications to help parents and guardians make informed decisions about the suitability of films for their children. 3. Parental Responsibility: The guidelines emphasize the importance of parental responsibility and encourage parents to use the classification system and consumer advice to guide their viewing choices. The guidelines are a part of IFCO's ongoing efforts to adapt to societal changes and gather feedback from the public and stakeholders to ensure that film classifications remain relevant and practical. The film industry's response to the new draft guidelines has been positive. The updated guidelines, which emphasize context and tone in classification decisions, are welcome for their modern approach and flexibility. Industry stakeholders appreciate the focus on providing detailed consumer advice to help parents make informed viewing choices for their children. One notable collaboration arising from the new guidelines is between IFCO and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA). This partnership aims to streamline handling complaints about cinema advertising and ensure that advertising content adheres to high standards. Both organizations are committed to protecting consumers and maintaining trust in advertising, highlighting a shared commitment to safeguarding audiences from inappropriate or harmful content. Overall, the industry's response reflects support for the guidelines' efforts to balance protecting young audiences with respecting adults' viewing choices and the emphasis on parental responsibility and public engagement. Visit the IFCO website for more detailed information on the guidelines.
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The Center for Data Innovation spoke with Teresa Phillips, chief executive officer and co-founder of Spherex , a global entertainment technology and data company that addresses cultural gaps in film and TV for international audiences. Phillips spoke about the importance of cultural relevance, a new multimodal analysis tool called Spherex AI, and why the entertainment industry needs to embrace data driven solutions. Ayesha Bhatti: How is Spherex using data and AI to support the entertainment industry? Teresa Phillips : We work with the world’s largest media companies, movie studios, TV networks, distributors, and streamers to address the gap in understanding how international audiences perceive film and TV series. We enable media and entertainment (M&E) companies to expand their global reach and increase engagement while protecting their brands. With the rapid growth of streaming video and the expansion of global markets, it’s more critical than ever for content to be culturally relevant and compliant with local regulations. By leveraging our expertise and technologies, M&E companies can navigate these complexities to build larger audiences, drive more video views, and generate higher revenue. Spherex uses advanced AI to analyze and classify video content for regulatory compliance and cultural nuances. Our technology generates deep metadata and actionable insights, helping media companies adapt their content for diverse markets. This ensures content meets local standards, avoids legal risks, and resonates with global audiences, expanding reach and engagement. Bhatti: Why is culture such an important aspect of the entertainment industry? Phillips: Media is a global industry; and therefore, considering culture in filmmaking is essential to ensure content resonates with diverse audiences and is compliant with local regulations. By incorporating cultural sensitivity, filmmakers create authentic, engaging stories that promote cross-cultural understanding, contributing to a more harmonious world. This approach enhances the appeal and success of content in various markets globally by building trust and loyalty among viewers, making them more likely to engage with and support the content. Bhatti: Why is it important for the entertainment industry to embrace data-driven solutions? Phillips: William Goldman famously said, “Nobody knows anything…Every time out, it’s a guess and, if you’re lucky, an educated one.” Data-driven solutions provide precise, timely insights into regulatory compliance and audience preferences, enabling content creation with cross-cultural appeal and promoting distribution efficiency. These solutions ensure consistent, repeatable outcomes and scalability, helping companies stay ahead of trends and maximize viewer engagement. Without data-driven strategies, companies risk inefficiencies and missed opportunities, ultimately hindering growth and profitability in a highly competitive market. Bhatti: How is Spherex different from its competitors? Phillips: We have developed a first-of-its-kind platform called Spherex AI , which offers global video compliance and cultural intelligence in one solution. Unlike other platforms, Spherex AI integrates multimodal analysis combining visual, audio, and text data—to ensure thorough and accurate content evaluation and understanding. Our AI detects thousands of cultural events, interprets context, and classifies every scene by territory and business objective. With its unique geographic dimension, SpherexAI predicts how content will be received in over 200 countries and territories, providing unparalleled accuracy and relevance to expand audience reach and engagement, boost revenue, and ensure brand safety. No one else does what we do. Bhatti: Can you provide some case studies of where Spherex is supporting the industry? Phillips: Spherex has demonstrated its effectiveness across various sectors in the entertainment industry. We helped a leading streaming platform expand its international reach using Spherex AI . The platform broadened its audience by ensuring content met global regulatory standards and cultural expectations, which increased subscriber engagement. Similarly, a major film studio significantly reduced costs and increased efficiency by automating content analysis for compliance checks and cultural sensitivity. This allowed the studio to focus more on creative production. Finally, a major TV network improved viewer engagement by adapting content to be culturally sensitive and relevant, fostering a positive viewing experience for international audiences. These examples illustrate how Spherex streamlines processes, reduces costs and guarantees compliance, making it a powerful tool for global content distribution and audience engagement. Looking to the future, we hope Spherex will become the global standard for video compliance and cultural intelligence in the next five years. Our AI technology will be adopted by local regulators to classify content, ensuring consistency and compliance worldwide. We’ll expand our services to include short-form video and advertising, enabling creators to reach broader audiences across all media. By staying ahead of evolving regulations and cultural trends, Spherex will shape the future of global content distribution, fostering cross-cultural understanding and enhancing viewer engagement. We will be an essential partner for media companies seeking to maximize their global impact, drive revenue growth, and protect their brands.
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