How Hollywood Marketing & Content Execs Can Leverage AI ‘Simulation’

Every day since ChatGPT launched, everyone from studio heads to streaming and network execs has been asking me the same question: “How do we use AI to get faster/better/smarter?” 

It’s a hot topic, with a simple answer: The biggest edge AI provides is simulation. 

Why? Simulation is the key to solving the slow iteration problem. Whether it’s optimizing content or a marketing campaign in entertainment, the current process to complete an iterative cycle is slow and expensive. An iterative cycle is ideation, development, testing and refinement. This cycle occurs in both the content and marketing teams.  

What if you could solve this in a day or an hour? Speed is what’s important. 

This is where AI-powered simulation can rapidly accelerate the process, identifying valuable paths early while avoiding expensive mistakes. It’s like A/B testing on steroids.  

CGI has had “previz” for years to help quickly simulate specific scenes before moving forward. We can do the same with content or marketing concepts.  

Two types of AI unlock simulation. The first is predictive AI, which employs data analysis methods that predict and anticipate future events. This technology forms the backbone of recommendation systems like Netflix and ad spend strategies on Facebook. Predictive AI also powers apps like Google Maps, helping you simulate different scenarios, visualize routes and estimate arrival times.  

The second type of AI that unlocks simulation is generative AI, which can produce various types of content, including text, imagery, audio and even video. Large language models (LLMs) are the driving force behind generative AI. LLMs digest vast quantities of text data and infer relationships between words within the text. Products such as ChatGPT and Midjourney are good examples of generative AI.  

Used together, predictive AI and generative AI solve the slow iteration problem for both content and marketing execs.  

Imagine you’re a content team overseeing the development of a new series about Olympic swimming legend Michael Phelps. The concept is to detail Phelps’ origin story and the trials and tribulations on his way to winning eight gold medals. 

The team is looking for insights into the story and options for who can play Phelps. For this fictional example, let’s focus specifically on casting. Three names keep getting put forward for the coveted role: John Krasinski, Chris Evans and Liam Hemsworth. 

Here’s where the magic happens: Using predictive AI, you can get rapid insights into each talent’s impact on the demand (and other commercial outcomes) for the series. Then, digging deeper, you can see predictions of which audiences and fan groups will resonate most with each actor. Finally, the team can leverage these insights in their decision-making process.  

Then using generative AI, you can visualize key scenes with the most impactful talent, bringing the script to life and aligning creatives and decision makers. 

And the mind-blowing part is you can do all of this in a single day. 

Now imagine being in charge of the marketing campaign for the Phelps series. Creative has sent the scripts and indicated some general thoughts, but positioning ideas are needed on which to iterate. 

Let’s say the team comes up with 10 positioning approaches to market the series. In the old days of traditional research, a task like this would have you waiting months and paying through the nose, especially if you’re exploring markets beyond the U.S. But this is where the strength of predictive AI shines. 

It can quickly simulate the audience demand for all 10 strategies. giving you a fast gauge of which approach will resonate the most. Then with generative AI, you can start creating key campaign assets and concept art to bring the positioning to life.  

Now these campaign assets aren’t the final version by any stretch, but look at what you’ve achieved in one day: 

While fast simulation and iteration are already adopted by leading execs in entertainment, the future is even more promising and powerful.  

Within the next few months, predictive AI and penetrative AI will further combine to help identify the best concepts and turn them into previz for trailers, ads and promo ideas within minuscule time frames. As a result, this high-quality text-to-video will continue to become more readily available.  

Will it create the final trailer? No way. But this incredible technology provides multiple options to iterate on at a speed never thought possible.  

David Stiff is CEO of Vault.AI, which provides artificial intelligence-powered consumer insights for leading streaming services, TV networks and film studios.

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