Mexico, South America Incorporate AI in Public TV

Public television networks in Mexico and South America are transforming their production models by implementing advanced AI, says the Association of Iberoamerican Educational and Cultural Television Stations (ATEI). The association coordinates this initiative, which aims to set a new industry standard for the region's media.

"The countries that are leading the use of AI tools the most are Mexico, Brazil, Colombia — where progress has been truly surprising — Peru, and Chile," says Gabriel Torres, President, ATEI. "We are also the ones pushing the agenda for the responsible and ethical use of Generative AI applied to content creation and editing." 

ATEI groups 170 partners, including public media and educational and cultural institutions from 20 Ibero-American countries. Its reach is amplified by alliances with 11 international news agencies, such as EFE, Deutsche Welle, Xinhua, and RAI. The organization seeks to address the technological asymmetry that exists in the region. Torres notes that some partners, such as those in Cuba and Venezuela, face "technological backwardness or political marginalization." In response, the association positions itself as a "space for socialization to share content, good practices, and experiences" with the explicit goal to reduce these gaps.

This collaborative strategy is fundamental to ensuring that technological modernization is not concentrated solely in the largest markets. Instead, the goal is to distribute it more equitably, elevating the productive capacity of the entire public media ecosystem in the region. 

The application of AI in concrete case studies already demonstrate its feasibility and impact. For example, the documentary series "RevolucionarIA," a production by Canal 44 of the Universidad de Guadalajara (UDG), made intensive use of Generative AI tools for its production. For example, 95% of the visual material was created using this technology, while the scripts and initial research for data systematization were also AI-assisted, always under a rigorous human verification process. The series explores the impact of AI in key sectors such as journalism, cinema, agriculture, health, and education.

Looking ahead, ATEI will launch ATEI.TV, an open-access and free on-demand (VOD) platform designed to centralize and distribute the large-format productions of all associated public media outlets. The platform's objective is to reach young audiences that show a preference for consuming content through digital devices like computers, tablets, and Smart TVs.

ATEI.TV will not only function as a repository for cultural, scientific, and educational content but will also represent a new distribution channel optimized for contemporary consumption habits. This pretends to ensure that high-quality productions from public media have a greater reach and impact on the most strategic demographic for the future. The platform is expected to become the main showcase for AI-driven innovation in the region.