AI revolution in Indian broadcasting – Innovation, inclusion, and the road ahead

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the broadcasting landscape in India, reshaping every stage of content creation, production, distribution, and audience engagement.

Leading Indian news organizations, including India Today, Doordarshan Kisan, Odisha TV, ABP, and Zee News, have adopted AI to transform the way they deliver news and information to millions of viewers across the country.

India Today made headlines by launching Sana, the nation’s first AI anchor, who presents news updates in multiple languages and has become a regular feature on prime time broadcasts, demonstrating the company’s commitment to innovation and efficiency in journalism.

Doordarshan Kisan, the government-run agricultural channel, introduced AI anchors Krish and Bhoomi, who deliver critical information to farmers in up to 50 languages, operating 24/7 and breaking down language barriers for rural and remote audiences.

Odisha TV’s AI anchor, Lisa, further advances regional broadcasting by presenting news in Odia and English across television and digital platforms.

ABP News Network has deployed AI-driven virtual assistants that provide personalized news updates and interactive content to over a million subscribers, enhancing user experience and accessibility. Similarly, Zee News integrates AI and data analytics to deliver real-time, data-backed insights and accurate election predictions, setting new standards for political journalism and viewer trust. Collectively, these initiatives highlight how AI is enabling Indian broadcasters to automate routine tasks, expand multilingual reach, personalize content, and ensure uninterrupted, high-quality news delivery.

Beyond anchors and automation, AI is also revolutionizing the technical and creative aspects of broadcasting. Generative AI tools are being utilized for automated video editing, real-time transcription, captioning, and content summarization, significantly accelerating production workflows and enabling quicker turnaround times for regional and mobile-first news formats. AI-powered analytics and recommendation engines analyze viewer preferences and behavior, allowing broadcasters to deliver highly targeted content and advertisements, thereby increasing audience engagement and revenue potential. Connected TV (CTV) platforms leverage AI to offer interactive menus, real-time suggestions, and personalized playlists, resulting in a more immersive and tailored viewing experience.

The Indian government and industry bodies are actively supporting AI innovation in the broadcasting sector. Initiatives such as the WAVES 2025 summit, organized by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, highlight India’s commitment to fostering responsible and ethical adoption of AI in the media. The summit featured the Create in India Challenge, which attracted nearly one lakh registrations from over 60 countries, encouraging innovation in AI, animation, gaming, and digital media.

The TruthTell Hackathon, a flagship initiative under this challenge, is designed to address the critical need for transparency and trust in journalism by fostering the development of AI-powered tools for real-time fact-checking and misinformation detection in live broadcasts. Organized in collaboration with the India Cellular & Electronics Association (ICEA) and supported by the IndiaAI Mission, this global challenge invites innovators to create solutions that detect and flag false information across text, images, videos, and live streams.

Multilingual and multi-format capabilities are central to the hackathon’s winning solutions, which include tools that detect deepfakes and false news in multiple languages and provide real-time credibility scores using advanced AI analytics. These solutions integrate seamlessly with broadcasting systems, offering automated alerts and interactive dashboards that enable journalists to correct inaccuracies during live events swiftly. The hackathon has attracted widespread global participation, with over 5,600 teams from more than 60 countries registering, including a notable 36 percent representation from women, reflecting a commitment to diversity and innovation.

India’s AI-driven transformation is not without its challenges. Issues such as algorithmic bias, data privacy, misinformation, and the need for robust regulatory frameworks must be addressed to ensure the responsible use of AI. Additionally, infrastructure limitations, skill gaps, and concerns about job displacement require ongoing attention and investment in training and development. However, with its unique combination of technical talent, creative depth, and supportive policies, India is well-positioned to lead the global shift toward AI-powered, innovative, and inclusive broadcasting.

According to a recent report by Ernst & Young, AI adoption in the media and entertainment sector can increase revenue by 10 percent and reduce production costs by 15 percent. Indian companies are already leveraging generative AI tools for creative purposes, campaign optimization, content performance improvement, and audience engagement. AI is now the default technology for rendering workflows, de-aging/re-aging effects, rotoscoping, and 2D-to-3D conversion, reducing rendering and editing timelines and enabling quick turnaround for regional and mobile-first content.

In summary, AI is empowering India’s broadcasting sector to deliver more efficient, personalized, and accessible content, while also setting new standards for creativity, transparency, and ethical media governance. The future of Indian broadcasting will be defined by the responsible integration of AI, ensuring that technology amplifies human creativity and upholds the core values of journalism and public trust.

Global scenario
In 2025, artificial intelligence is fundamentally reshaping the broadcasting industry across every stage of content creation, production, distribution, and audience engagement. AI-driven automation now handles routine tasks such as subtitling, video editing, metadata tagging, and compliance monitoring, significantly increasing operational efficiency and freeing creative staff to focus on higher-value work. Advanced AI tools enable real-time translation, captioning, and highlight generation, making content more accessible and engaging for global audiences.

Personalized content delivery, powered by AI recommendation engines, ensures that viewers receive tailored experiences, whether through dynamic ad insertion, customized programming, or interactive storytelling. The integration of immersive technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality, alongside cloud-based workflows and IP-based transmission, further enhances flexibility and scalability in broadcast operations.

AI will enhance remote production and cloud-based operations in broadcasting by automating and streamlining a wide range of processes, enabling greater efficiency, flexibility, and creativity for production teams. Through the use of AI-driven tools, routine tasks such as video editing, metadata tagging, content moderation, and quality control can be performed automatically, reducing manual workloads and minimizing errors while freeing staff to focus on higher-level storytelling and creative direction.

Cloud-based platforms, empowered by AI, enable teams to collaborate in real-time from any location, facilitating seamless editing, live switching, and content management across distributed workflows. AI also plays a crucial role in optimizing resource allocation, monitoring equipment health, and predicting maintenance needs, ensuring uninterrupted production schedules and cost savings. Additionally, AI enables advanced features such as real-time analytics, automated camera and audio control, intelligent content curation, and the generation of instant highlights or recaps—capabilities that are especially valuable for live events and breaking news.

Furthermore, AI supports personalization at scale by analyzing viewer data to deliver tailored recommendations, targeted advertising, and interactive experiences that enhance audience engagement and retention. Overall, the integration of AI with remote and cloud-based workflows yields faster turnaround times, higher content quality, an expanded global reach, and a more immersive, responsive, and efficient broadcast environment.

Integrating artificial intelligence into IP-based workflows presents a range of significant challenges that organizations must carefully navigate. One of the primary challenges lies in the quality and integration of data, as IP workflows often involve large, siloed datasets that are difficult to compile and standardize for practical AI training and analysis. Compatibility issues between legacy systems and modern AI tools further complicate seamless integration, often necessitating costly infrastructure upgrades.

Legal and regulatory concerns are also prominent, with ambiguity surrounding the ownership and liability of AI-generated intellectual property, as well as the need for strict compliance with data privacy and patent laws. Ethical considerations, such as the risk of bias in AI-driven decision-making and resistance to change among IP professionals, add another layer of complexity.

As AI continues to evolve, it raises essential considerations regarding content authenticity, data privacy, and the need for new skills in the workforce.

Many organizations face infrastructure and talent gaps, struggling to secure the necessary technical resources and skilled personnel to develop and maintain AI solutions. High development costs and security vulnerabilities associated with handling sensitive intellectual property (IP) data further underscore the need for robust planning and risk management.

To overcome these challenges, organizations can adopt strategies such as partnering with specialized firms for data standardization, leveraging explainable AI for auditability, collaborating with external vendors for expertise, and implementing phased adoption of AI tools to build trust and minimize disruption. Ultimately, while AI offers transformative potential for IP workflows, a thoughtful and incremental approach is essential for successful integration.

Overall, AI in 2025 is at the core of a more efficient, personalized, and innovative broadcasting landscape.