What can we expect for the future of live streaming?

Today, live streaming has an undeniable impact on our lives, transforming not only how we consume live content but also why and when. By taking a quick scan of current trends, it is interesting to think about what the future of live streaming will look like, even as early as 2025. Innovations in live streaming have made it possible for us to watch our favorite sports teams or musicians in real-time while on the other side of the globe; share live videos on social media to connect with friends and followers, take part in live conferences with instructors from around the world, and much more. Live streaming offers unprecedented convenience and accessibility and has redefined what it means to connect with each other in real-time. 

As we come to the end of another year, and look ahead to the one to come, we can’t help but wonder what is in store for the future of live streaming. In this article, we explore some of the emerging trends that will further shape how we consume live content. 

Live streaming commerce

Live streaming commerce, also known as live commerce, combines real-time video streaming with online shopping, which allows consumers to view and purchase products during live broadcasts. Live streaming commerce is already being used around the world. In fact, in 2022, China's live-streaming market generated over $150 billion and today is projected to account for 20% of global e-commerce sales within two years. The merging of these two worlds transforms online shopping into a much more interactive experience and enables immediate engagement between buyers and sellers. 

This also helps create a more emotional connection and generate more personalized engagement for consumers, which responds to a demand for more immersive online experiences. Far from a static online shop, live streaming allows consumers to voice concerns about fit, quality, and feel by opening up interactive discourse. But live streaming commerce has practical benefits, too, as it allows brands to leverage audience engagement to refine product promotions while customers gain a much richer understanding of the product before purchasing it, reducing return rates and the environmental impact. 

Integrating AI into the future of live-streaming 

Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly being integrated into live streaming to enhance content delivery, user engagement, and inclusivity. For example, natural language processing and machine learning technologies are now able to produce real-time translations during live streams, making it possible for global audiences to engage with live content regardless of the language spoken while cutting content production costs and increasing audience numbers for publishers. This innovation not only expands the reach of live streams it also creates more global and connected communities by breaking down traditional language and cultural boundaries. 

While AI is opening up content for some, it is also able to put greater restrictions in order to moderate content for others. In parallel with the surge in live content publication, automated algorithms have also been developed to detect and filter harmful or inappropriate content, such as hate speech, nudity or violence, in real-time. These systems use machine learning to continuously monitor, adapt, and improve content deemed sensitive for younger audiences. The technology is able to recognize patterns and act faster as it learns, saving content publishers time and money and creating a safer environment for viewers.

Smoother, faster, and more reliable live-streaming

The future of live streaming is also smoother, faster, and more reliable than ever before. At System73, we’ve developed Edge Intelligence, a solution that leverages AI-driven logistics and peer-to-peer (P2P) technology to create centrally orchestrated broadcast trees that are designed to find the fast delivery route for live content that will ensure excellent QoE. This approach optimizes content delivery in terms of speed, quality, bandwidth, and cost (to content publishers and distributors), to provide high-quality streams even in traditionally hard-to-reach regions with limited CDN coverage. 

By offloading up to 80% of live streaming traffic onto these broadcast trees, we reduce dependence on physical CDNs and edge servers, bypassing congestion and minimizing buffering events. This not only lowers delivery costs but also boosts revenue from live content as consumers are more satisfied with their experience and happy to continue streaming, leading to less churn caused by poor QoE. 

For more information about System73, Edge Intelligence, or to book a call with our team, visit system73.com.