Sky CEO Dana Strong emphasized the critical need for smart AI regulation at the Media & Telecoms 2025 & Beyond Conference. She described AI as a “cultural movement” within Sky, used to enhance, not replace, human creativity. The company is deploying AI across departments like advertising, translation, and post-production to support staff. Strong introduced Sky’s internal “Dragon’s Den of AI” to boost innovation. She warned that decisions made now about AI policies are irreversible: “It’s very hard to put the genie back in the bottle.” The message was clear: get the rules right before harm outweighs the benefits.
Assistive vs. Replacement AI, Ethical Boundaries in Media
Strong details how Sky is actively using AI as a productivity tool across the business. In advertising, AI is optimizing ad delivery and personalization. In content creation, AI assists with translations, editing, and other early-stage production tasks. For sports coverage, AI enables hyper-personalization; and viewers can choose camera angles or player-specific content. Strong labeled these “first-generation tools” that tailor the viewer experience without compromising creativity. But she expressed deep concern about the UK’s proposed copyright opt-out rule. Under this approach, AI firms could scrape and use copyrighted content unless creators explicitly opt out.
Strong called it unfair and dangerous, particularly for small content creators without legal resources to protect their work. “I can’t fathom how a small producer keeps up,” she said. She stressed that copyright should be opt-in, not opt-out. Through initiatives like Sky’s “Dragon’s Den of AI,” the company is nurturing responsible AI use adoption internally. Strong made it clear that Sky sees AI as an assistant, not a replacement, and warned that rushing ahead without thoughtful oversight could leave lasting damage. She urged policymakers and industry leaders to protect creators and set ethical boundaries now, before exploitation becomes normalized and irreversible.
Social-First Marketing, AI Localization for Regional Campaigns
In sports, Sky is using AI to increase content and enrich viewer experiences. The company now streams up to 100 events simultaneously, enabled by AI and cloud infrastructure. Strong said sports volume is up 50% in a year. AI helps customize viewer feeds, offering different camera angles or team-specific highlights. This shift from satellite to IP-based streaming reflects Sky’s tech-first strategy to stay competitive. In marketing, Strong said the future is “social-driven, not TV-driven.” Sky is using AI for localization and automation, tailoring campaigns for regional audiences and platforms. But even as the tech evolves, she stressed Sky’s commitment to creativity and human oversight.
She warned that blindly trusting AI tools, especially without solid policy, could backfire. Strong said Sky aims to “believe in better,” pushing innovation responsibly. She cited the company’s growing English Premier League rights as a sign of its continued investment in sports and tech. Despite rapid changes, Sky’s north star remains content quality and audience trust. Strong views AI as a bridge to better service, not a shortcut to scale. The company continues to invest in AI applications that enhance rather than replace human input. Sky’s strategy is clear: use AI where it helps, but always keep creators at the center.
Copyright at Risk, UK’s Flawed Opt-Out Model
Strong closed her remarks with a warning: AI’s growth demands immediate policy action. If regulation lags, damage will be hard to reverse. “It’s very hard to put the genie back in the bottle,” she repeated. She criticized the UK’s opt-out approach to copyright as short-sighted, especially for small creators. At Sky, AI tools are strategic, not a free-for-all. The company continues to balance automation with ethics and speed with scrutiny. Strong’s core message was simple but urgent: regulate AI responsibly, protect content creators, and innovate with intention. Without smart rules in place, the risks of misuse will eventually outweigh the benefits.
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