In a nutshell: Warner Bros. Discovery has partnered with Google Cloud to routinely generate AI-powered closed captions for content material on its Max video streaming platform. The captioning will initially be rolled out for unscripted programming, with plans to doubtlessly increase it to motion pictures, TV exhibits, and different content material.

Google will make the most of a brand new generative AI instrument referred to as Caption AI to make sure most accuracy. The expertise is predicated on the search large’s Vertex AI improvement platform for generative AI software program and is designed to transform speech into textual content with a excessive diploma of precision.

The brand new instrument is reported to cut back manufacturing prices by as much as 50 p.c and the time required to generate captions by as much as 80 p.c in comparison with guide captioning. In keeping with WBD’s Avi Saxena, utilizing AI-generated closed captions has not solely helped the corporate speed up the method and minimize prices but additionally improved total effectivity.

Regardless of the AI enhancement, WBD will nonetheless depend on human oversight to make sure the accuracy of the captions. The corporate additionally claimed that its “data-driven method” will allow steady refinement and coaching of the Caption AI workflow to additional decrease errors and improve accuracy.

Whereas AI-generated closed captions could also be sooner and cheaper to supply, it stays to be seen if they may meet the accuracy ranges that Google and WBD are aiming for. As of 2024, all main generative AI fashions, together with Google’s Gemini, OpenAI’s GPT-4, and Anthropic’s Claude, are identified to hallucinate to various levels. Subsequently, sustaining human oversight is a prudent method that might save WBD from potential inaccuracies and embarrassment sooner or later.

Max (previously HBO Max) affords a wide selection of TV exhibits from HBO, in addition to motion pictures and authentic programming. A number of the platform’s greatest hits embody the fantasy drama Sport of Thrones, its spinoff collection Home of the Dragon, and the zombie apocalypse collection The Final of Us, tailored from the online game of the identical title. Different well-liked exhibits embody Hacks, Station Eleven, and The Staircase, amongst others.