BBC Chief Unveils AI Agent Iggy in iPlayer Prototype
In a speech at the BBC Radio Theatre, Director-General Matt Brittin said the BBC must reinvent how it serves audiences online.
BBC Director-General Matt Brittin told staff in a speech from the BBC Radio Theatre that the BBC must reinvent how it serves audiences online and move toward a model more like a Silicon Valley technology company, according to deadline.com.
Brittin said the broadcaster should decentralize decision-making and treat digital as the flagship rather than traditional broadcast. He introduced Manon Dave, BBC Media Tech's head of future world design, who redesigned iPlayer with what Brittin described as unlimited scope.
Dave presented an AI agent named Iggy that recommends and summarizes iPlayer content and can speak in different languages. He also showed a personalized "hero" image at the top of iPlayer's home screen driven by algorithm-led recommendations, and a "Vegas mode" option that lets viewers "roll the dice" for suggestions.
Brittin said the BBC plans to begin testing some of Dave's ideas with audiences in the coming weeks.
Leadership and job cuts
Brittin spent 20 years at Google before starting at the BBC in May. Recent job-cut announcements had left BBC staff in gloom.
Quick answers
What is Iggy on BBC iPlayer?
Iggy is an AI agent demonstrated by BBC Media Tech's head of future world design, Manon Dave, that recommends and summarizes iPlayer content and can speak in different languages.
When will the BBC test these iPlayer ideas?
Director-General Matt Brittin said the BBC plans to begin testing some of the ideas with audiences in the coming weeks.
What is iPlayer's "Vegas mode"?
It is a prototype option that lets viewers "roll the dice" for iPlayer suggestions.