Demonstrating tangible benefits eliminates doubts about value: Baskar Subramanian, Amagi

“How you create content is changing dramatically at the backend and that’s where the opportunity lies for Amagi,” says Baskar Subramanian, Co-Founder & CEO, Amagi, in a conversation with exchange4media, diving into how the rise in people consuming content online is changing things.  

Amagi, a SaaS technology company that provides end-to-end cloud-managed live and on-demand video infrastructure for TV and OTT, aims to help clients improve operational efficiencies, expand audience reach, and increase revenues.

AI and ML are transforming the media industry, and Amagi is leading this shift for some of the biggest names in the business. Another big change is how television is getting modernised, improving streaming models. “The adoption of AI and ML technologies driving cost optimisation and increased monetisation possibilities for our customers are the two big realms of possibilities for us as a company,” Subramanian adds, sharing a glimpse into Amagi’s ambitions.

Advertising has traditionally focused on the perception of value, rather than tangible benefits. Subramanian believes the rise of performance marketing can bring much-needed change. “If you can demonstrate tangible benefits, there’s no room for doubt about the value,” he states. With performance becoming a central focus, Subramanian sees the potential for Connected TV to showcase its true value, making it easier for advertisers to accept and leverage.

Subramanian also points out the fragmentation in the media space with various formats like FAST 2.0 and CTV. He suggests that the focus should be on the quality of the consumer experience rather than the jargon associated with these formats. “Ultimately, you want to reach consumers. So, it’s about the quality of the consumers you are reaching and the quality of experience you are providing to these consumers,” he says, urging the industry to simplify the conversation and focus on delivering real value to consumers.

As Amagi operates in 13 global locations, Subramanian sees strong trends emerging across different regions. Globalisation of content and timeless storytelling are major themes, with content from varied cultures and geographies reaching new audiences. From Korean content gaining popularity in India to Bollywood becoming more globally recognised, the universal appeal of good storytelling is clear, he highlights. 

Another key trend Amagi is observing is the rise of intelligent programming. Subramanian believes personalisation is the future, with AI playing a central role. “Personalisation combined with personalised advertising models offers tremendous opportunities to custom-create content and advertising, seamlessly integrating them into the system,” he explains.

As content creation accelerates, challenges around content discovery are growing too. Subramanian notes that despite advances in recommendation engines, the problem persists. FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) has helped some by enabling serendipitous content discovery, but it remains a major hurdle.

The future of content and advertising is deeply tied to AI. Amagi’s vision for the future includes both augmentation technologies, which enhance operations, and autonomous technologies, which replace certain human elements in the media value chain. In 2025, there will be significant advancements, though challenges will likely remain.