Google APAC chief calls AI a “magic wand” for Asia’s $60B media sector

Google’s Sanjay Gupta positioned artificial intelligence as the transformative force that will propel Asia-Pacific to the forefront of global storytelling, calling AI a “magic wand” for the region’s media creators during his keynote at the APOS conference in Indonesia. The Google APAC president’s vision comes as Asia contributes only 15% to global media revenues despite having 50% of the world’s population, suggesting massive untapped potential for AI-driven growth in the region’s $60 billion media and entertainment sector.

The big picture: Gupta showcased AI’s creative potential through Google’s collaboration with Warner Bros. Discovery to bring “The Wizard of Oz” to the Sphere in Las Vegas, demonstrating how AI can expand original footage beyond its frame limitations.

• The 1939 Technicolor classic, originally shot in 4:3 aspect ratio with 35mm cameras, required upscaling for the venue’s giant 16K screen through collaboration involving “thousands of researchers, producers, programmers from the film and technology world.”
• “To me, the real magic was the ability to create digital imagery, to expand shots beyond what was originally in frame,” Gupta explained. “What was unthinkable just a few years ago is now a stunning reality.”

Key details: Asia’s media consumption and creation landscape has undergone dramatic transformation, with content reaching global audiences at unprecedented speed and scale.

• Over 20 million videos are uploaded daily to YouTube globally, with creators like Indonesia’s Justin Tobias amassing more than 15 million subscribers and 6.7 billion views.
• The average person in Asia now watches over seven hours of stories daily across 5 billion screens — up from 2 billion screens just a decade ago.
• While “The Wizard of Oz” took 17 years to go from theaters to television and another 24 years to reach homes on VHS, today’s digital tools have created “instantaneous” global connections.

How AI augments creativity: Rather than replacing human storytellers, AI serves as a powerful enhancement tool for capturing previously impossible shots and breaking down traditional barriers.

• Director Darren Aronofsky uses AI tools to capture challenging shots like “a day old baby’s hand, holding a mother’s finger, or showing inside the human body and filming the formation of cells.”
• Toonsutra, a media company, leverages AI for real-time translation of films into “1000 different languages with the right lip sync for every character,” effectively removing traditional barriers to consumption.

Why Asia is positioned to lead: Gupta identified two critical advantages that position the region at the forefront of global storytelling’s future.

• Demographics favor the region with “50% of world’s population, 60% of global youth” who are “young and open to experimentation” with emerging technologies.
• Asia possesses a “deep culture of storytelling” spanning from Indonesia’s traditional forms to Japan’s Kabuki theater, from the ancient Ramayana epic to modern anime, K-dramas and web series.

Important stats: The numbers reveal both Asia’s current success and massive growth potential in global media markets.

• More people watch K-dramas outside Korea than within the country.
• India produces content consumed globally for over 45 billion hours on YouTube.
• Asia currently contributes only 15% to global media revenues despite its population dominance, suggesting “huge headroom for us to grow and capture.”

What they’re saying: Gupta addressed industry concerns about AI adoption while emphasizing collaboration and protection of creativity.

• “This room, the room of storytellers, I believe, are the wizards, if you will, and AI is a magic wand,” Gupta declared.
• “I think we need to think about AI as a great tool, which is augmenting our business. It’s an add-on, it’s a plus,” he explained during a fireside chat with Vivek Couto, executive director of Media Partners Asia, which organizes APOS.
• Drawing parallels to past technological disruptions, he noted how the music industry initially feared digital transformation but ultimately thrived.
• “The power of how we can work together across stakeholders, to ensure that we are able to protect that creativity and help actually make it flourish is the opportunity.”

The bottom line: Gupta concluded with a challenge to media professionals: “If anything is possible, what would you create, and how would you transform your business with the magic wand of AI?”