Rudy Lai
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AI @ Warner Bros. Discovery

Film, streaming, TV networks
Industry
Last updated
July 3, 2025 at 10:44 AM

Summary

  • Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) has progressively integrated AI into content discovery, captioning, advertising, and operational workflows, partnering with major tech players like Intel, Google, and AWS, resulting in improved content accessibility and personalized ad targeting.
  • In 2024-2025, WBD faced increased legal and strategic challenges around AI, including multiple high-profile lawsuits against AI firms like Midjourney and MiniMax over copyright infringement on iconic IP such as DC characters, reflecting heightened protectionism of intellectual property amid generative AI disruptions.
  • WBD's AI adoption has evolved from traditional AI-driven metadata and stream optimization in 2019 and 2023 to mature generative AI-powered tools for captioning (Google Vertex AI) and content intelligence platforms, culminating in executive appointments for AI leadership and pursuing significant cost savings and operational efficiencies, positioning AI as a core enabler of future streaming and entertainment growth.

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5 AI Use Cases at Warner Bros. Discovery

Operational Efficiency
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
By leveraging AWS Graviton and AI-driven machine learning models, WBD has optimized ML inference speeds and reduced infrastructure costs significantly, enabling faster data processing and more agile workflows. [1]
Content Protection
2025
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Risk
Facing AI-generated infringement risks, Warner Bros. Discovery actively enforces copyrights through lawsuits against AI firms unlawfully using its proprietary characters and content to protect intellectual property and associated revenue streams. [1][2]
Ad Targeting
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Revenue
WBD employs AI models to analyze viewer preferences and optimize ad placements, including generative AI creating interactive shoppable ads that link content items to purchases, thereby increasing advertising effectiveness and revenue streams. [1][2]
Closed Captioning
2024
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Costs
WBD has implemented AI-powered caption generation using Google Cloud's Vertex AI platform to automate and accelerate closed caption creation for streaming content, improving accessibility and reducing operational costs. [1][2]
Content Discovery
2019
Customer Facing
Traditional
Generative
Agentic
Outcome
Warner Bros. Discovery uses AI to analyze video metadata and viewer behavior to improve recommendations and help audiences find relevant content faster, enhancing user engagement on streaming platforms. [1][2]

Timeline

2026 Q1: no updates

2025 Q4

2 updates

WBD realizes substantial cost savings (60%) and faster ML inference with AWS Graviton; rumored Netflix acquisition highlights WBD's rich AI data assets and IP value; continued deployment of generative AI platforms to enhance content and viewer experience.

2025 Q3

2 updates

WBD aggressively protected its IP by suing AI image generator Midjourney for copyright infringement of DC and other characters, seeking damages and injunction; also joined joint lawsuits against Chinese AI firm MiniMax over similar allegations, emphasizing the commercial value of its franchises.

2025 Q2

2 updates

WBD launched a generative AI-powered intelligence platform with AWS to enhance storytelling for cycling event coverage; announced accelerator program cohort featuring AI-powered video intelligence platform ViralMoment.

2025 Q1

2 updates

Senior Director of Engineering Deepa Paranjpe highlighted use of AI/ML to improve workflows and empower content discovery; WBD incorporated AI insights to optimize ad impact in collaboration with DirecTV.

2024 Q4

2 updates

WBD appointed Anish Agarwal as VP of AI and Automation, signaling formalized AI leadership; deployed generative AI in advertising to create interactive shoppable ads based on in-show items.

2024 Q3

2 updates

Warner Bros. Discovery partnered with Google Cloud to deploy AI-powered closed captioning using Google's Vertex AI, improving efficiency and reducing costs on Max streaming service.

2024 Q2

2 updates

WBD clarified AI usage focused on improving ad targeting and content discovery but denied plans to replace entertainment productions with AI-generated programming; faced investor resistance on AI transparency reporting.

2024 Q1: no updates

2023 Q4

2 updates

WBD focused on advanced machine learning including computer vision and NLP, with key personnel such as ML platform engineer Frank Shen supporting media stream stability and model productization.

2023 Q3: no updates

2023 Q2: no updates

2023 Q1: no updates

2022 Q4: no updates

2022 Q3: no updates

2022 Q2: no updates

2022 Q1: no updates

2021 Q4: no updates

2021 Q3: no updates

2021 Q2: no updates

2021 Q1: no updates

2020 Q4: no updates

2020 Q3: no updates

2020 Q2: no updates

2020 Q1: no updates

2019 Q4

1 updates

Warner Bros. began leveraging Intel AI technology to enrich video metadata and enhance content discovery efficiency.