This customer case study describes how Belgian communications company Telenet is using artificial intelligence technology from Media Distillery to address the apparently simple problem of identifying when television programmes actually start.
Since the first video recorders were available, viewers have had to deal with the problem that programmes rarely begin at the advertised time.
While broadcasters can use various technical systems to signal more accurate start times, they are often inconsistently available across channels.
Using artificial intelligence to understand what is inside video, Media Distillery can detect audiovisual cues that mark the beginning of a programme.
Once trained for a particular channel, this allows actual programme start times to be identified with remarkable accuracy.
This approach has been successfully applied by Telenet to deliver a smarter programme guide.
The system automatically updates the advertised programme times supplied by broadcasters to reflect the actual transmission, so that the accurate start times can be used when viewing recordings or replay programmes.
The result is a much more enjoyable viewing experience that meets the expectations of viewers and is consistent across all channels.
This is only the beginning of the possibilities that can be unlocked using artificial intelligence to enhance the viewing experience and create new commercial opportunities.