What should you be Looking Out for in 2025?
As we enter 2025, what trends will we bring with us from 2024, or what will we be leaving behind? The streaming landscape is continuously evolving, so we’re taking a look at what themes will be defining innovation and growth this year. Read further to see how AI, hyper-personalized content and prioritizing user experiences will be the focus for many service providers.
AI Will Still Dominate
AI has become a trial blazer within the media and entertainment industry, not only for personalization but also for supporting teams to produce and deliver content by improving their workflows. In content production, AI assists in script analysis, audience reception prediction, and even preliminary editing suggestions, helping platforms create more engaging content while optimizing production costs. By having a deeper understanding of users, our AI solution can allow teams to predict what content is successful with subscribers and, therefore, can allocate budget more effectively. When it comes to AI-powered dubbing technology, there have been significant strides in generating natural-sounding voice translations that maintain the original actors’ delivery, breaking down language barriers in global content distribution. This year, we will continue to see advancements in AI that will improve different aspects of the workflows – in both pre- and post-production.
The whole perception of AI within the industry has become more positive in the second half of 2024, going from people thinking of it as a threat to now looking at it as a supportive tool to help with repetitive and mundane tasks. In the past year, like most of the industry we’ve noticed more interest in generative AI. One example that has had an extremely positive reaction from the industry was that our AI solution utilizes generative AI to produce more emotive, engaging, personalized row titles to bring users and content even closer.
As AI becomes more commonly used and the awareness amongst consumers increases, there is a need for providers to be more transparent on what user data is used and how it is used. Traditional solutions, mostly delivered as black boxes, struggle with transparency and to provide users with the relevant context as to why certain content is presented to users. Leaving them to guess if and how it matches their interests and watching behavior. The transparency of algorithms is an idea that has been discussed in studies such as Johansson’s choice blindness research. This was an experiment that showed how people often fail to notice when their choices are manipulated, similarly streaming platforms could benefit from being more explicit about how their recommendations are generated. On the other hand, there is an argument that users should understand how their viewing choices affect future recommendations, similar to how Johansson’s participants needed to understand the true nature of their choice-making process. Also, in most countries, the need for privacy is overtaking context, more consumers are becoming wary of their data being used for AI tools. This will continue to be a priority for service providers to ensure that users have full transparency and the option to understand how their data is used.
With solutions like ours, all of the data we utilize for creating tailored experiences is anonymous so this removes the concern for privacy. We can also provide detailed information about the context of why content is presented to the user and how it fits their priorities.
Hyper-Personalized Content
Gone are the days of one-size-fits-all content recommendations. Personalization is no longer a luxury – it’s a necessity. 75% of viewers claim they are more likely to continue using a platform that offers personalized content suggestions. With artificial intelligence and machine learning advancements, OTT platforms can analyze user data more effectively, delivering content recommendations tailored to individual tastes.
Enrich your user experience by not just personalizing the recommendations, but with a solution like ours, you can include hyper-personalized content within ads, upsell offers and notifications. While the user interface is undoubtedly crucial, there is much more to consider when creating a seamless and personalized experience for users. There is more than one touchpoint with users, as competition and other churn factors become more intense, services need to show users they know them throughout their whole user journey.
Utilizing AI and data systems now consider not just viewing history, but also mood patterns, watching time preferences and even environmental factors to suggest content. A viewer watching on a rainy Sunday afternoon might receive different recommendations than they would on a busy Wednesday evening. This level of customization enhances user engagement and retention, setting platforms apart in a crowded market.
Subscribers like Sports Fans
All the trends above help keep users engaged and hooked to your service. When you think of loyalty, you might particularly think of sports fans. Fans don’t just enjoy the sports event, they also watch interviews, highlights, UGC content and more. They actively seek to consume different formats of content for the sports and teams they love. As streaming is becoming a more social experience, platforms are finding ways to create viewing opportunities for subscribers. Platforms now incorporate robust sharing features, watch parties and community discussion forums. These social elements help create engaged communities around content, increasing viewer retention and engagement.
User Experience is Key
User experience stands at the forefront of OTT platform evolution in 2025, with platforms innovating beyond basic interface improvements. The focus has shifted to creating seamless, intuitive experiences that adapt to individual viewing habits. Cross-device synchronization has become remarkably smooth, allowing viewers to start watching on their phones during their commute and seamlessly transition to their smart TV at home without missing a second.
Prioritizing personalization and content discovery keeps your user engaged, if your viewers can always and easily find something to watch they will keep returning to your service. The shift continues towards more intelligent, adaptive and user-centric streaming experiences that prioritize individual preferences while maintaining ease of use and accessibility.
Business Model Innovation
The subscription landscape is becoming more blurred. Hybrid models combining ad-supported and premium tiers are now commonplace, giving viewers more control over their entertainment spending. As ad tiers are becoming more popular, providers need to ensure they are providing a good ad experience, not just a cheaper subscription. A recent study found that viewers don’t mind ads, it’s just the experiences they don’t like.
Bundling continues to be a way for operators to keep their numbers higher and this will be a theme throughout 2025. These bundles, combining subscriptions at discounted rates, aim to enhance value for consumers while expanding the platforms’ reach. It’s not only about saving costs but also creating a more convenient service for consumers. According to data, 79% of subscribers believe that having all of their memberships in one place would help them manage their household expenses in the face of the cost of living crisis. In addition to making lives easier for customers, it also provides convenience for the operators, being able to manage subscriptions from partners within one place.
As we progress through 2025, the OTT landscape continues to evolve. The successful platforms will be those that can balance innovation with user experience, content quality with convenience and global reach with local relevance. The future of streaming is not just about content delivery – it’s about creating immersive, personalized entertainment experiences that resonate with viewers on multiple levels.
