RTL Deutschland To Use AI For Interstitials
It’s a first for German television: RTL Deutschland is structurally integrating AI-supported promotional content into its programs for the first time. AI-generated bumpers and interstitials can now be seen on pay-TV, with free-to-air channels to follow. However, employees remain central to the production process.
RTL Deutschland is setting a visionary milestone in the German TV landscape: The company is breaking new ground in the use of innovative technologies by implementing structurally artificial intelligence for the first time in the production of promotional content. AI-generated interstitials – the bumpers that separate program content from advertising – can now be seen on pay-TV on RTL Crime, RTL Living and RTL Passion. In the next step, the technology will also be rolled out in free-to-air TV on channels including Nitro and RTL Up. RTL Deutschland has announced that AI will also be used for clips in RTL Super’s Christmas campaign starting in November.
Employees remain central to production
The trailers are visualized using text-to-video technology developed by Runway, a Bertelsmann partner who was recently presented at Bertelsmann’s “Tech & Data Summit” in Berlin. Based on the creative teams’ text descriptions, the AI generates visual content, while the employees’ creative handwriting remains at the center of the production.
“We place a particular focus on the quality of the AI-generated spots, which are upscaled to TV broadcast standard,” explains Thorsten Braun, Chief Marketing, Brand & Consumer Products Officer at RTL Deutschland. “The goal is to increase creative possibilities in the production of promotional content without compromising on the quality we are known for.” Oliver Schablitzki, Head of Multichannel at RTL Deutschland, adds: “For RTL Deutschland, the production of interstitials and bumpers is a further step towards integrating AI-generated content efficiently and meaningfully into our daily work and structurally anchoring in the company. Our special-interest channels provide the ideal platform for testing the new tool.”
