Seven West Media scales AI development with in-house ‘factory’

Seven West Media is working to “rapidly develop” AI-based pilots following successful trials around its 7Plus users’ viewing habits.

The media organisation has formed a team of data scientists, solution architects, machine learning engineers and data engineers to focus on generative AI and machine learning.

Some of the personnel are internal; others are employed by technology vendor Databricks but will work out of Seven's Sydney offices.

Speaking to iTnews’ sister publication Digital Nation, Seven West Media’s audience intelligence and growth director Andrew Brain said the team aims to “spin up” several pilots in the next “eight to nine months.”

Brain said Seven West Media is already using a “bunch of” large language models internally to respond to internal queries such as identifying the top 10 shows in a relevant period.

“It just gives [staff] a way of getting their hands on metrics or insights a lot quicker than what they ever had previously or couldn't do previously, which gives them more time to act, to make different decisions moving forward," he said.

Additionally, a team from Databricks is working with Seven West Media’s Sydney-based data, digital content and programming, digital marketing and sales teams “to create and test AI and generative AI solutions".

Specifically, these will focus on generating “AI-driven insights designed to enhance content relevance, optimise advertising strategies and drive audience engagement to new levels”.

In a statement, Brain said the unit will “empower all business units and non-technical users to query Seven’s extensive data repository, providing real-time insights to drive strategic decision-making and operational excellence”.

The media organisation has been working with Databricks to predict what 7Plus viewers are likely to watch up to 28 days in advance using machine learning.

The company said these trials had achieved a 94 percent success rate [pdf] with audience predictions.

The predictions are intended to enable Seven West Media’s sales teams to better sell advertising-based video-on-demand (AVOD) space, with teams able to use intelligence in meetings with brands and advertising agencies.