Could 5G and AI signal the next generation of live streaming?

Over the past few years, technological innovations have skyrocketed. So, let’s take a look at some of the developments that could signal the next generation of live streaming, and what industries this might impact.

Applications of live streaming

Live streaming is utilized in a wide range of industries, for a variety of purposes, from informational seminars, to entertainment, marketing, and even online casinos. Many modern online casino platforms offer a wide range of live streamed casino games with live dealers such as poker, blackjack, roulette, bingo, and game-show themed games. Players can log into the live rooms and play in real time, with real players, interacting with both the dealer and players alike. As such, live streaming has allowed online casinos to offer an authentic and immersive service as an alternative to on-demand games.

Similarly, live streams are often used to create a virtual environment to mirror the interaction of in-person events, without the need for attendees to physically travel to a set location. This allows businesses to host conferences, product launches, training sessions, and more, in a way that is more accessible to those attending. With this in mind, technological innovations have the potential to affect a wide range of industries and applications. Perhaps two of the most exciting of these advancements have been in 5G and AI.

5G at the Austrian Grand Prix

Recently, MotoGP tested transmission technology at the Red Bull Ring in Spielberg. The tech, which was developed by the Naklos Team at ORS, used a low latency encoder, 5G broadcast transmitters, and prototype smartphones to give viewers a new way of enjoying the motorsport. A 5G core enabled the broadcasters to send several signals live from the racetrack directly to the audience, which they could receive from the smartphone.

Thanks to this technology, the audience was able to personalize the live content they were seeing – several signals showed many different viewpoints during the race, including a Servus TV signal and onboard cameras that filmed the race from the perspective of the drivers themselves. In the future, it is hoped that this technology could provide a unique way of following live content.

Rise of AI hosts

AI is seeing a massive uptake around the world. With this in mind, Chinese technology giant Tencent headed to the drawing board and launched a platform that allows people to create their own AI avatars. These AI avatars are trained by using either bespoke or common scripts, and by absorbing the gestures commonly used during live streams to create an authentic human-like experience. AI livestreamers are said to be able to effectively present livestream shows, adapting to answer audience questions whilst mitigating the risks of human error.

Tencent is by no means the only company that offers such a platform – there are many services that create AI livestream hosts, particularly in China. These hosts are supposedly so effective that they are seen as being better than human livestreamers. This has led many major brands and e-commerce sites to experiment with using AI hosts for their live streams in order to sell products or educate the audience.

As you can see, both 5G and AI technologies have the potential to revolutionize the livestreaming market, influencing how they are viewed, how they are broadcasted, and who presents them. That said, only time will tell the extent to which these innovations are here to stay.