IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Media and Entertainment 2025 Predictions
This IDC study provides IDC's top 10 predictions for the media and entertainment industry for 2025 and beyond. "The media and entertainment industry has embraced modernization of production, distribution, and monetization for streaming applications through the adoption of a hybrid model consisting of both facility and cloud-based services," said Alex Holtz, research director, Worldwide Media and Entertainment Digital Strategies at IDC. "As M&E organizations continue to transition to cloud services, they have the unique opportunity to adopt advanced technologies including generative artificial intelligence, machine learning, and data analytics to improve workflow automation with intelligent decisioning while unleashing the business cycle flywheel effect delivering higher levels of efficiency and productivity and superior user experiences, culminating in higher monetization, lower costs, and a focus on profitability."
IDC FutureScape Figure
Executive Summary
IDC FutureScape Predictions
Summary of External Drivers
Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers
Prediction 1: By the End of 2025, GenAI-Driven Automated and Personalized Ad Creation with Intelligent Decisioning for Content, Placement, and Localization Will Be Implemented by 25% of All Brands and Ad Agencies
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 2: By the End of 2025, 25% of All Major Media Technology Vendors with Revenue Greater than $100 Million Will Expand Services Across All Five Ecosystem Business Cycle Pillars
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 3: By the End of 2026, 20% of Media Companies Will Adopt GenAI-Driven Media Operations That Aggregate Performance Metrics and Automatically Execute Improvements or Present Options for Human Decisioning
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 4: By the End of 2026, GenAI-Based Self-Determined Viewing Experiences Based on Intelligent Profiles Will Be Adopted by 50% of All Sports-Focused, Over-the-Top Streaming Service Providers
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 5: By the End of 2027, Unified Application Programming Interface Standards for Cloud Media Services Will Be Approved by Standards Committees and Deployed by 80% of Major Worldwide Cloud-Based M&E Vendors
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 6: By the End of 2027, Virtual Production with Cloud-Based Media Asset Linking and Management Will Be Adopted by 50% of Motion Pictures and 25% of the Broadcast Industries
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 7: By the End of 2028, the Automated Assembly of Suggested Scenes, Compiling Camera Views, Audio, Graphics, and Other Sources for Director Selection Will Be Implemented by 25% of All Live Productions
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 8: By the End of 2028, Automated Editing via the Assembly of Raw Video into Scenes That Best Represent a Script and Applying Technical Attributes Will Be Implemented by 20% of the Postproduction Industry
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 9: By the End of 2029, CTV Operating Systems That Facilitate and Automate Interactive Social and Gaming Services into a Unified UX/UI Will Represent 33% of the Worldwide CTV Installed Base
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Prediction 10: By the End of 2029, 100% of Cloud-Based Media Factories for Content Creation, Production, Distribution, and Monetization Will Be Adopted by 25% of the Broadcast Industry
Associated Drivers
IT Impact
Guidance
Advice for Technology Buyers
People
Process
Technology
External Drivers: Detail
AI-Driven Business Models — Moving from AI Experimentation to Monetization
The Drive to Automate — Toward a Data-Driven Future
AI-Driven Workplace Transformation — Building Tomorrow's Workforce Today
Battling Against Technical Debt — Overcoming Hurdles to IT Modernization
Connected TV Adoption — Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV, UX/UI Advancements in Connected TV, and Interactive Services Acting as Key Drivers
Media and Entertainment Cloud Adoption and Convergence — Hybrid Adoption of Both Facility and Cloud-Based Services and Ecosystem Consolidation
Remote Production Adoption — Leveraging Media Creative Experts Globally
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