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90 Executives Survey Shows AI as a Strategic Advantage for Media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Monday, December 8th 2025 at 10:24 GMT by Variety

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Media & Entertainment Executives Embrace, But Cautiously, Generative AI – A Summary of Variety’s HarrisX Survey Report

Variety’s recent “VIP” feature, What Media & Entertainment Execs Are Saying About Using Gen‑AI (HarrisX, Spring 2024), brings together the voices of 90 senior leaders across film, television, streaming, publishing, advertising and live‑event production to paint a nuanced picture of generative artificial intelligence’s current state in the industry. The report is built on a HarrisX survey that probes attitudes, pilots, governance practices and concerns surrounding AI tools such as ChatGPT, Midjourney, DALL‑E, Stable Diffusion and proprietary studio‑based models. Below is a distilled overview of the key findings, insights and emerging trends highlighted in the article.

1. Methodology & Demographics

• Sample Size & Distribution: 90 senior executives (C‑suite, Vice Presidents and Directors) from 75 companies, covering Hollywood studios, independent producers, streaming services (Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video), publishing houses, ad agencies and live‑event operators.
• Geography: Predominantly North America (68 %), with notable representation from Europe (18 %) and Asia‑Pacific (14 %).
• Response Rate: 83 % of respondents reported having at least one pilot or active deployment of generative AI in a production or business function.

The article links to the full HarrisX survey report for those who want to dig deeper into the raw data.

2. Overall Sentiment

The article stresses that while enthusiasm is high, the industry’s risk‑averse culture means that AI pilots often remain confined to internal R&D labs rather than full‑scale commercial deployment.

3. Use‑Cases Across the Value Chain

a. Creative Development & Pre‑Production

• Script Drafting & Ideation: 54 % of respondents use AI to generate outlines, loglines, or character arcs. Some studios are piloting tools that can “write a 90‑page first‑draft in 48 hours” (ex. a small‑budget indie producer in Toronto).
• Storyboarding & Visual Concepts: 47 % rely on generative image models (e.g., DALL‑E 3) to create concept art and mood boards, speeding up visual approvals.

b. Production & Post‑Production

• Virtual Sets & Visual Effects: 39 % use AI to generate or refine background plates and to automate rotoscoping, cutting VFX costs by 10‑15 % in pilot projects.
• Dialogue & ADR Automation: 25 % experiment with AI‑driven voice cloning for ADR, especially for legacy characters or “de‑duplication” during reshoots.

c. Marketing & Distribution

• Targeted Advertising: 72 % of advertising agencies and studios are employing AI to generate ad creatives (copy & imagery) tailored to micro‑segments. Some agencies claim a 12 % lift in CTR when AI‑generated ads replace human‑crafted ones for certain demographics.
• Recommendation Engines: Streaming platforms (e.g., Netflix) use generative AI to produce dynamic thumbnails and synopses that adapt to user preferences, reportedly boosting viewer engagement by 3–5 % in A/B tests.

d. Operational & Business Intelligence

• Data‑Driven Decision Making: 61 % use AI to mine audience sentiment and to forecast box‑office or streaming performance. A notable example is a Hollywood studio using GPT‑4 to parse Twitter conversations and predict weekend revenue for a mid‑budget release.

4. Governance & Ethical Concerns

The article underscores a pervasive theme: governance. Only 32 % of respondents reported having a formal AI governance framework (data policies, audit trails, bias mitigation). Key concerns include:

• Copyright & IP: 68 % worry about potential copyright infringement when AI is trained on copyrighted works. Several executives cited the recent OpenAI vs. Copyright Office case as a wake‑up call.
• Bias & Representation: 54 % fear that AI outputs could reinforce stereotypes or misrepresent under‑represented groups. A senior VP of a UK broadcaster noted the need for “bias audits” before deploying AI‑generated scripts.
• Deepfake & Authenticity: 43 % expressed anxiety over AI‑deepfakes, particularly in political or high‑stakes content. Some are exploring watermarking and verification tools (e.g., “AI‑auth” badges) to assure audiences of authenticity.
• Human Capital: 39 % are concerned that AI could displace roles (script readers, editors). However, 58 % believe that new AI‑focused roles (AI‑curators, data ethicists) will emerge.

The article links to a Variety piece on “AI Governance in Entertainment,” detailing best practices adopted by a few industry leaders.

5. Case Studies Highlighted

These vignettes illustrate how AI is moving from theoretical promise to tangible ROI, but also how pilot projects often require iterative human refinement.

6. Future Outlook & Recommendations

The Variety article concludes with a set of recommendations for studios and media companies seeking to scale AI responsibly:

1. Build Hybrid Workflows: Combine AI’s speed with human creative intuition. HITL pipelines remain the industry standard.
2. Invest in Governance: Adopt data‑curation protocols, bias audits, and IP clearance mechanisms before scaling.
3. Collaborate Across Sectors: Co‑develop open‑source tools with academia and tech firms to reduce silos.
4. Educate Talent: Offer training on AI literacy to existing crews, ensuring they can collaborate effectively with AI systems.
5. Measure ROI Rigorously: Use KPIs like cost‑savings per post‑production hour, audience engagement lift, and creative quality metrics to justify investment.

The article links to a HarrisX white paper on “AI ROI in Media” for executives interested in more granular financial modeling.

7. Take‑Home Messages

• Opportunity vs. Risk: Almost all executives see generative AI as a strategic advantage, yet many remain cautious about scaling due to legal, ethical and operational risks.
• Pilot‑Heavy Landscape: AI is largely in the experimentation phase, with a few high‑profile pilots achieving measurable benefits.
• Governance Gaps: Less than a third of respondents have formal AI governance in place, indicating a pressing need for industry standards.
• Human Oversight Still King: Even in the most automated pipelines, a human gatekeeper remains essential to ensure quality, authenticity, and brand alignment.

In short, the media and entertainment industry is navigating a “tipping point” where generative AI can redefine how stories are conceived, produced, marketed and monetized. Variety’s article offers a comprehensive snapshot of where executives currently stand—optimistic yet careful, eager to innovate but mindful of the profound implications that AI brings to creativity, commerce and culture.