Screen & Broadcast

BBC tests AI assistant for discovery on iPlayer

The British public broadcaster is working on experimental features for recommendations, summaries and multilingual interaction.

Translated from Dutch by AI

The BBC is preparing tests of new iPlayer features involving artificial intelligence. An internally presented concept included an assistant called Iggy, a more personalised home screen and a function that selects the next programme itself.

According to Broadband TV News, the proposals were presented to BBC staff during an internal meeting with director-general Matt Brittin. They concern a concept for a revamped iPlayer experience, not an announced definitive product launch.

One of the components shown was Iggy, an AI assistant intended to help viewers find programmes. The assistant could provide summaries and communicate with users in multiple languages. The available reporting does not make clear which language model, data sources or safety checks the BBC intends to use for this.

A homepage was also proposed that responds more strongly to individual viewing behaviour. The BBC already personalises iPlayer by adapting recommendations and rows to programmes watched previously. The new concept would make that logic more visible with a personalised hero image and recommendations appearing more prominently on the homepage.

A more striking experiment was called Vegas mode. Under this system, iPlayer would select the next programme itself, so users would not have to search through a catalogue. Technically, this is a form of automated content discovery; editorially, the choice shifts partly from the viewer and traditional broadcaster logic to a recommendation system.

For the BBC, the move is part of a broader digital direction. Brittin, who previously worked at Google, wants, according to the reports, to experiment more quickly and assess digital products more strongly on usage, active accounts and viewing time. For a public broadcaster, this raises the question of how reach is measured alongside public value, editorial diversity and the discoverability of less obvious programmes.

The BBC has not yet announced a definitive timetable for a broad launch. The sources consulted report that some ideas could be tested with the public in the coming weeks. This does not mean that Iggy or Vegas mode will automatically appear in the final version of iPlayer.

For producers and broadcasters, the distribution layer is particularly relevant. If recommendations, summaries and multilingual interaction determine which programmes are visible, metadata, rights information, subtitles and editorial classification will carry greater weight. In a public test, the BBC will also need to explain how viewing history is used and how users retain influence over personalisation.

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