SKB Says Asking 'B tv A.Dot' Led to Longer Viewing and More Purchases
IT DAILY ·
✦ AI Summary
SK Broadband said TV content discovery is shifting from remote-control menu searches to AI conversational discovery.
'B tv A.Dot' is an AI-based media service launched in September 2024, with 1.7 million MAU and 21 million monthly conversations.
In SK Broadband's tally, 55% of customers who had media-related conversations chose content based on AI answers, and the company said it plans to connect B tv A.Dot with subscription products and set-top boxes.
The way people search for content on TV is shifting from remote-control menu searches to AI-powered conversational discovery. SK Broadband announced details related to this change on the 17th.
SK Broadband's 'B tv A.Dot' is an AI-based media service that supports searches across VOD, OTT, and live broadcasts through natural-language conversation. Even if users do not know the title or cast, they can enter their viewing situation or preferences and receive related content recommendations. For example, they can ask for movies to watch with children or currently popular dramas.
'B tv A.Dot' was launched in September 2024. It currently has 1.7 million MAU, and monthly conversation volume has topped 21 million. By simple calculation, each user has about 12 AI conversations per month on average.
According to SK Broadband's tally, more than half of users of the generative AI service 'B tv A.Dot' chose content based on AI answers. SK Broadband said it presented the service's features and usage scale since launch, explaining that many users are selecting content by referring to AI responses.
SK Broadband said it analyzed B tv A.Dot usage data to mark the service's second anniversary since launch. The analysis covered customers who had media-related conversations on B tv A.Dot.
According to SK Broadband, 55% of those customers selected content from AI answers. It said this contrasts with existing TV search methods, which required users to enter the exact title or name of a person, or manually move through multiple menus.
SK Broadband said conversational AI takes vague requests such as genre, mood, viewing companions, and available viewing time, and uses them as conditions for content discovery. Based on this, it said TV usage is shifting from searching for predetermined titles to deciding what to watch through AI conversation.
As a background to this change, the company pointed to the longer time it takes to decide what to watch as OTT and VOD options increase. SK Broadband said this is known as content selection fatigue, and AI may be used to ease it.
SK Broadband said this change is also meaningful from the perspective of an IPTV operator. That is because it can convert users who drop off during the discovery stage into actual playback and purchases.
Content consumption metrics varied depending on whether users used B tv A.Dot and how long they kept using it. Customers who used the service for 5 consecutive months had 1.7 times as many monthly days of A.Dot use as the comparison group, 1.8 times the conversation volume, and 1.6 times the VOD viewing time. The comparison group consisted of non-users and users with less than 1 month of use.
The streaming usage rate for B tv A.Dot users, including VOD, YouTube, and OTT, was 80.4%. That was 3.3 times the 24.1% streaming usage rate of non-users. The VOD purchase rate was also 5 percentage points higher among A.Dot users than among all B tv customers.
However, these figures are the result of a comparison between user groups intended to show the association between AI use and content consumption. Since customers who consume more content may be more likely to actively use AI features, it is difficult to conclude that AI use itself directly caused increases in viewing time and purchase rates. If changes in consumption before and after service use are disclosed in the future, or if comparisons are disclosed between customers with similar usage tendencies, the effect of AI recommendations could be confirmed more specifically.
SK Broadband said it plans to link the AI discovery experience on B tv with subscription products and set-top boxes, and expand B tv's smart media hub.
In line with that, it recently launched 'B tv+ max,' an all-in-one subscription product that added content from the three terrestrial broadcasters, and also recently unveiled the 'AI 5 set-top box' with a home object concept.
To mark the second anniversary of B tv A.Dot's launch and Chuseok, SK Broadband will run a B Cash giveaway event from the 18th to the 27th. No separate application is required to participate; users are automatically entered when they talk with B tv A.Dot during the event period. B Cash worth 1,000 points will be given to 40,000 customers who participate in conversations, and 1,000 points will also be awarded to 10,000 customers who start their first conversation with B tv A.Dot. In addition, 10 participants will be selected by lottery to receive an additional 50,000 points each.
Yoo Chang-min, head of B tv service planning at SK Broadband, said the last 2 years of usage data confirmed that B tv A.Dot leads from content discovery to actual usage behavior. He added that the company plans to provide an AI media service that encompasses recommendations, benefits, and purchasing experiences by advancing its understanding of customers' preferences and situations.
Source: IT DAILY · Lee Ja-young
Original: https://www.itdaily.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=241670
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Source: IT DAILY
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