According to external sources, mainstream entertainment platforms are gradually diluting single content boundaries to integrated applications covering video, music, podcasts, books, games and shopping. This change is driven not only by a slowdown in user growth, but also by AI ' s lowering of the threshold for multi-content form operation and distribution.
Platform for all free time
According to the article, during the past decade, the streaming media platforms have been mainly competing around single content types, such as music, long video, podcasts or sound books. Competition objectives are now changing. The platform wants to be the default open application when the user is free, and not be limited to a particular content.
There are two direct reasons behind this change. First, the market for entertainment applications has matured, new users have slowed down, and the platform is more focused on long-staying and single-user income. Second, a growing number of creators operate in a multi-content format, and the Platform tends to concentrate on the same product.
Netflix and YouTube are expanding.
The article listed Netflix as having joined games, live sports, offline events and short video clips and podcasts in recent years, with the aim of covering the time of the user, not just the traditional view time.
Spotify is no longer just a music stream. In addition to podcasts, the platform also includes video podcasts, interactive reviews, story functions, news functions, as well as fitness courses, audio books, audio magazines and even sales of physical books.
YouTube's expansion is even more pronounced. It adds short videos to the long video to respond to TikTok's competition, while covering podcasts, games, music, video, sports, news and shopping. Users can view both free video content supported by advertising and live, or rent and purchase video.
- Netflix Extension to Game, Sports, Short Video, Podcast
- Spotify extended to video podcasts, audio books and fitness
- YouTube covers live, video, shopping, etc.
AI decides on next distribution capacity
The article argues that when the content form no longer constitutes a significant difference, the value of the platform will depend more on whether it can connect the user more quickly to the next desired, wanted to hear or wanted to play, which is where AI works.
Spotify is testing a tool that allows users to adjust their "favourable portraits" and is developing a function that allows direct dialogue with AI to generate recommended results or create playlists, and is no longer limited to music content.
The joint CEO of Netflix, Greg Peters, had indicated to investors that the new model structure was improving individualized recommendations and increasing product overlay speed. It is also mentioned that AI Auxiliary Programming is helping these companies to move forward with new content blocks more quickly.
YouTube uses the generated AI for creator tools, search, dialogue functions, playlist generation and auto-playing. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai has also positioned AI as an important part of YouTube's experience for creators and viewers.
According to the article, as the boundaries between music, video, podcasts, books and games continue to fade, future competition is no longer just a matter of content, but who can be the entertainment portal for users to use by default.