A bit different from the thought leadership, but it reminded me of a recent experience.
It’s so true - when technology makes the experience feel more human - it’s the real game changer - but it can also ruin the experience if f done wrong. Here’s how I have had both - good and bad experiences.
A simple example is my conversations with ChatGPT. Over time, they’ve started feeling less like using a tool and more like chatting with a buddy. That’s what makes the experience engaging.
But I’ve also experienced the opposite.
I recently joined a personal training and diet program. A WhatsApp group was created with me, my trainer, and my dietitian for daily updates, progress tracking, and questions. After a few days, I realized most of the replies were actually coming from a bot. What disappointed me wasn’t the use of AI - it was that I wasn’t told. The messages were presented as if they were from my trainer or dietitian.
Honestly, I wouldn’t have had an issue if they had simply said, “This is our AI assistant helping us manage responses.” What mattered was transparency and whether it added real value. Instead, the replies felt generic and repetitive, so I stopped interacting in the group within just 2 weeks - long before I eventually found out they were actually bot-generated.
That made me realize something: The use of tools without real value and transparency has no meaning. Experiences can be really enhanced greatly when AI or any tool for that matter does not simply replace people, but it enables humans to deliver more meaningful, personalized experiences.
The more digital the world becomes, the more we crave what feels real. The entertainment and media industry hit $3.5 trillion in 2025, up 5.3%, and it's still climbing.
Here's the shift: consumers love the convenience and choice of digital, but they're increasingly drawn to experiences that offer genuine connection and presence. The result? A surge in live and immersive formats.
See what's behind the change in our Global Entertainment & Media Outlook 2026–2030: https://pwc.to/GEMO2026
#LiveEntertainment
#SharedReality
Thank you for sharing these insights, Erik Dane. As premium entertainment becomes increasingly immersive, social, and experiential, SCREENX and 4DX are uniquely positioned to offer audiences something they simply cannot replicate at home. SCREENX’s collaboration with filmmakers during production marks an exciting new chapter, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the perfect film to showcase it. I can’t wait to experience it in SCREENX!