In almost every industry, it is a massive time for transformation, especially in the media and entertainment industry. 

The drive for better consumer relationships is funneled by data and AI. Databricks Inc. is a software company that provides automated cluster management. “They power all of their advertising targeting with Databricks, or companies like Comcast. We power the X-One platform. When you speak into your voice-activated remote, the reason you’re getting those recommendations is Databricks is under the hood,” commented Steve Sobel, a global industry leader of communication, media and entertainment at Databricks. 

The legacy of content creation is formulated: it sticks or it doesn’t. Where the industry is now, and by extension the world, has presented an opportunity to make some profound positive changes. “We’re in this time now where consumers have more choice than ever before on how they consume content, where they consume content,” said Sobel. “The content now has to find the consumer and that’s all powered by the ability to collect lots of data, the ability to normalize that data, apply machine learning so that you can create a differentiated experience.”

Sobel spoke with theCUBE industry analysts  Rob Strechay at the Databricks Data + AI Summit, during an exclusive broadcast on theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio. They discussed how data analytics and AI are teaming together to bring us more access in half the time. 

Exploring the power of data

What kind of data are companies willing to give in order to have the desired output is interesting, to say the least. When companies have a need, the supply that is required to complete the demand exchange can output challenges as well as resolve them. 

We now almost have digital assistance in our lives for every aspect, every application to deliver these better experiences and to deliver more in the customer journey. The big focus now is within the customer experience. “How do we think about this like more holistically in terms of the full experience? And again, like data and AI is really at the core of powering all of that…And where we sit in all of that is we see a lot of customers that almost think of us as like the glue,” Sobel said.

It is a strategic initiative for Databricks around use cases that are managed by the partner, not the end customer. “So Twilio segment, that’s one,” said Sobel. “We also announced a partnership with Braise recently. Habu which is an awesome clean room partner that’s focused on interoperability … in the last like six months, we’ve probably lined up over a dozen different partnerships that are specifically focused on the AdTech and MarTech space. And frankly, we’re just getting started.”

Here’s the complete video interview, part of SiliconANGLE’s and theCUBE’s coverage of the Databricks Data + AI Summit:

Photo: SiliconANGLE