Acquisition bolsters capabilities for TV viewer engagement and deeper media insights

Samba TV, the leading provider of television technology and omniscreen advertising and analytics globally, announced today it has acquired Disruptel, a pioneering startup in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) focused on innovating the future of AI and Connected TV experiences. The acquisition bolsters Samba AI™, a suite of advanced AI and ML technologies to unlock new capabilities in the Connected TV market.

Integrating Disruptel’s capabilities within Samba TV’s existing Samba AI technology infrastructure will help enable the next generation of cutting-edge content recognition technology and non-intrusive ad unit development. The acquisition will also help drive expanded capabilities for both television manufacturers and publishers, while creating a more immersive and engaging viewing experience for consumers with on-screen content information and recommendations.

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“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are transforming nearly every aspect of our lives today, and we are excited about its growing relevance in television,” said Samba TV Co-Founder and CEO Ashwin Navin. “After unveiling Samba AI at CES, we have been making critical investments in Samba AI to support every facet of the Connected TV ecosystem. From the same company that introduced content recognition algorithms in Connected TVs, we are excited to share how AI will unlock a more engaging viewing experience for the content we love. Samba TV continues to lead the market in providing the technical innovations shaping the future of television with big data and machine learning.”

Disruptel’s machine learning technology intelligently deconstructs the on-screen content in real-time, identifying the people, brands and products that appear. This ML-powered video analysis goes beyond just the program or ad appearing on the TV, and can understand product placement, logo appearances, and integrated advertising which will provide advertisers deeper insight into the value of their investments across every content platform viewed on the biggest screen in the home.

“AI is the future of TV, and Samba TV shares our vision for what that will look like,” said Disruptel CEO Alex Quinn. “With more TV data, in more countries, and from more TV brands than any other company in the world, Samba AI is the perfect home for our machine learning expertise so that we can be in a position to lead the industry in AI.”

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Samba TV will integrate Disruptel’s technology into Samba AI, enabling a more immersive viewing experience for linear and streaming audiences. Samba AI is a turnkey solution that allows television manufacturers to offer a “smart pause” functionality that displays supplemental information about on-screen actors and actresses, as well as non-intrusive pause ad units that are embedded within the additional information. Samba TV plans to unveil new Samba AI-driven experiences for TV manufacturers in January at CES. Later in 2023, the company expects to deploy Samba AI technology to support advanced content recommendations, in-stream brand experiences, and new innovative interactive features.

Navin continued, “This acquisition brings us closer to the living room viewing experience we have all been dreaming about, where consumers are empowered to go deeper into the content they are viewing, advertisers will gain greater insights into the value of their sponsorships and TV manufacturers will capture new opportunities to differentiate their incredible products.”