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AI Media and Ave Partner to Bring Real-Time Captioning to Australian Live Events

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, November 17th 2025 at 17:06 GMT by Toronto Star

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AI Media and Ave Join Forces to Make Australia’s Live Events More Accessible

A landmark announcement made in late April 2024 announced that AI Media, a leading provider of artificial‑intelligence‑driven captioning and accessibility solutions, and Ave, a high‑profile live‑event technology company, have entered into an exclusive partnership. The collaboration will embed AI‑Media’s real‑time captioning engine directly into Ave’s live‑event broadcasting platform, allowing sports competitions, concerts, conferences and other large‑scale events across Australia to deliver instant subtitles, audio descriptions, and other accessibility features to all viewers.

Who Are the Partners?

AI Media is a New Zealand‑based start‑up that has built a reputation for harnessing deep‑learning algorithms to deliver near‑instant captions and sign‑language interpretation for television, radio, and online streams. Their flagship product, CaptionAI, automatically transcribes spoken language into text, while its “caption‑quality” models have been certified by the International Telecommunication Union as meeting the needs of hearing‑impaired audiences.

Ave, on the other hand, is a Perth‑based company that supplies end‑to‑end solutions for live‑streaming events. Its platform—Ave Live—has been used by broadcasters to stream everything from cricket matches to corporate town halls. Ave’s strengths lie in its cloud‑based media transport, low‑latency delivery, and robust compliance with Australian broadcasting standards.

Both companies are headquartered in Australia or the broader Pacific region, and share a commitment to inclusivity, innovation, and meeting regulatory obligations such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Broadcasting Services Act 1992.

What the Partnership Will Deliver

The integration of AI‑Media’s captioning engine into Ave’s platform will unlock a range of accessibility features that were previously expensive or technically challenging for event organisers:

1. Real‑Time Closed Captioning – AI‑Media’s system can deliver captions within 200–300 ms of the spoken word, meaning that viewers in the hearing‑impaired community will see subtitles almost simultaneously with the on‑screen action.

2. Audio Description for the Visually Impaired – By detecting key visual cues—such as camera cuts, crowd noise, and on‑screen graphics—AI‑Media’s algorithms can generate descriptive narration that is fed into Ave’s streaming pipeline.

3. Multi‑Language Support – While the initial rollout focuses on English, AI‑Media’s language models already support French, Spanish, Mandarin, and Hindi. Ave can leverage this capability to offer captions in multiple languages for international audiences.

4. Compliance Monitoring – Ave’s platform now includes a dashboard that tracks the presence and quality of captions in real time, enabling broadcasters to meet the Australian Broadcasting Standards Authority’s requirement for accessibility content.

5. Customisable Overlays – Organisers can choose the font, colour, and placement of subtitles, allowing them to match the aesthetic of their brand while keeping accessibility at the forefront.

These features will be made available to all Ave Live subscribers under a single subscription tier, eliminating the need for separate licensing agreements with third‑party captioning providers.

Why It Matters

Australia has long recognised that accessibility is not a luxury but a legal and moral imperative. The Disability Discrimination Act obligates public broadcasters and event organisers to provide “reasonable adjustments” for people with disabilities. However, until now, the cost and technical complexity of adding captions or audio descriptions to live broadcasts has acted as a barrier, especially for mid‑sized organisers.

The AI‑Media/Ave partnership promises to dramatically lower that barrier by making advanced accessibility tools affordable, scalable, and user‑friendly. As a result:

• Inclusivity – Spectators with hearing or visual impairments can enjoy events in the same format and quality as everyone else, fostering a more inclusive public life.
• Revenue Generation – Broadcasters can tap into a new demographic of viewers, potentially opening new advertising and sponsorship opportunities.
• Regulatory Compliance – Event organisers and broadcasters gain a built‑in mechanism to satisfy regulatory audits and avoid fines or sanctions.
• Competitive Edge – Live‑event operators who adopt the integrated platform can differentiate themselves in a crowded marketplace, showcasing a commitment to accessibility that resonates with modern audiences.

The Road Ahead

The press release highlighted that the partnership will begin with a pilot programme involving a handful of high‑profile events, including the Melbourne International Arts Festival and the Australian Open. AI‑Media and Ave will jointly monitor caption quality, latency, and user feedback during the pilot, then roll out the solution to all of Ave’s customers over the following six months.

Looking beyond Australia, both companies have expressed interest in expanding the partnership to other Commonwealth markets such as New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada. By the end of 2025, they plan to have a fully integrated captioning platform that works across multiple streaming protocols (RTMP, HLS, DASH) and devices (smartphones, smart TVs, VR headsets).

In a statement, AI‑Media CEO Ariella Ritchie said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Ave to bring cutting‑edge accessibility to every Australian screen. Our joint vision is that no one will ever miss out on the excitement of live events because of a technical hurdle.” Ave’s co‑founder Michael Hall echoed this sentiment, noting that “by embedding our platform with AI‑Media’s technology, we can provide instant, high‑quality captions to millions of viewers, setting a new standard for inclusive broadcasting.”

A Broader Impact

Beyond the immediate benefits for viewers and organisers, the partnership is seen as a catalyst for the broader media ecosystem. By demonstrating that AI‑driven captioning can be seamlessly integrated into a live‑streaming pipeline, the collaboration encourages other technology providers to adopt similar solutions. Moreover, the press release pointed out that the partnership will contribute to Australia’s national goal of "Digital Inclusion for All"—an initiative supported by the Department of Communications and the Australian Government that aims to reduce digital exclusion through better technology and policy.

The release also linked to additional resources: a detailed product page on AI‑Media’s website that explains the technical architecture of CaptionAI, a white paper on “Real‑Time Captioning for Live Sports” hosted by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, and an interview with Ave’s CEO in TV Tonight, which elaborates on the company’s future roadmap.

Bottom Line

AI Media and Ave’s exclusive partnership is a significant step toward making Australia’s live‑event landscape more inclusive. By combining AI‑Media’s cutting‑edge captioning engine with Ave’s robust live‑streaming platform, the two companies are providing a scalable, low‑cost solution that meets regulatory standards, enhances the viewer experience, and opens new revenue streams for broadcasters. With pilot programmes already underway and plans for broader market expansion, the partnership positions Australia as a leader in accessible media technology and sets a benchmark for the global industry.