2025 AGENDA

Leading industry analysts present data and research on the current state and future growth opportunities in the games, digital media and entertainment sectors. 

This panel of industry leaders explores the current trends shaping investment strategies in gaming, digital media, and entertainment. Panelists will discuss where venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors are directing their funds, how evolving consumer behaviors are influencing these decisions, and the types of projects and companies that are attracting attention. Learn how macroeconomic shifts and emerging technologies like AI and Web3 are impacting funding priorities.

More information to be announced soon.

More information to be announced soon.

More information to be announced soon.

There is a lot of excitement around the potential for artificial intelligence (AI) to bring about generational change in the games, digital media and entertainment industries, enhancing productivity, benefiting work flow processes and opening up new business models. The reality, however, may be the “peak of inflated expectations” according to IT research firm Gartner. This panel of experts will provide a reality check and discuss the opportunity in the context of the challenges of implementing AI in games, digital media and entertainment businesses today. Where should companies be focusing? Where are investors placing the biggest bets? What will it take for AI to emerge with tangible benefits for businesses in digital entertainment?

Lawsuits continue to fly over the use of copyrighted works to train generative AI models, but a market is also developing around training data and datasets across text, music, images and video. Who is buying and who is selling? What patterns and lessons can be gleaned from their early experiences?

What role does data transparency play in the debate? A panel of leading licensing, copyright and AI executives will discuss the latest developments around AI licensing and litigation, and where the respective industries go from here.

The creator economy is transforming industries, reshaping how content is produced, distributed, and consumed. As creators build businesses around their personal brands, platforms evolve, and enabling technologies flourish, investors are finding new opportunities to drive growth in this dynamic space. This panel brings together industry leaders, venture capitalists, and successful entrepreneurs to discuss the unique challenges and immense potential of investing in the creator ecosystem. Topics will include evaluating companies that empower creators, spotting trends in creator-centric technologies, navigating platform dependency risks, and understanding the shifting dynamics of monetization and intellectual property in this vibrant economy.

Many creators and rights owners would like to exclude their works from AI training datasets. But simply stating a preference probably is not sufficient given the vast, automated scale at which AI systems operate. Other rights owners are looking to license their archives for training but need to be able to track their use. Startups and content management companies are developing strategies and machine-readable tools to automate the process of opting out, and of opting in. But how effective are they? What are the strengths and limitations of each? Most importantly, will policymakers settle on an opt-in or opt-out standard for the use of copyrighted works in AI, and how should rights owners and developers respond?

The games and interactive entertainment industry is booming, driven by advancements in technology, evolving consumer behaviors, and innovative monetization models. From AAA game studios and indie developers to virtual worlds, esports, AI, web3 and interactive storytelling platforms, the sector offers diverse investment opportunities with global reach. This panel features leading investors, gaming entrepreneurs, and industry strategists exploring the dynamics of investing in this high-growth space. Topics include identifying emerging trends, evaluating the potential of gaming platforms and ecosystems, understanding user acquisition and retention strategies, and navigating challenges such as IP ownership and market competition. 

AI-generated deepfakes are the scourge of celebrities and politicians. But the ability to license your image or voice, or create your own digital avatar, could provide new monetization opportunities for artists and performers. Can AI-manipulated content reliably be identified? How can artists and performers protect and manage their name, image, likeness and voice? What is the status of legislation to establish and protect NILV rights? 

As audiences consume content across an expanding array of platforms—from streaming services and social media to gaming and virtual worlds—the entertainment industry is undergoing a profound transformation. Building the future of multi-platform entertainment requires innovation, adaptability, and a deep understanding of audience behavior. This panel brings together creative visionaries, tech innovators, and business leaders to explore how content creators and companies are navigating this complex ecosystem. Topics will include crafting stories that resonate across platforms, leveraging emerging technologies like AI and VR, and creating sustainable business models in a fragmented media landscape. How is the convergence of storytelling, technology, and interactivity reshaping the entertainment experience for a new generation?

Collective management and licensing has played a vital role in many rights-based industries over the decades. But AI presents unique challenges, from attribution to allocation of royalties. What role, if any, will collective rights management play in the age of AI. Are current CMOs up to the task? What systems need to be in place to manage rights at AI scale?

In a landscape defined by convergence and competition, mergers and acquisitions are reshaping the entertainment, media, and technology industries. This panel will explore the forces driving consolidation, from the pursuit of scale and content dominance to the integration of innovative technologies.Key topics will include: Strategies for aligning creative and technological assets to maximize deal value; the evolving role of content as a competitive advantage in an era of streaming wars and platform proliferation; navigating regulatory hurdles and antitrust concerns in high-stakes transactions; and how new technologies like AI, blockchain, and VR are influencing M&A strategies. Join top executives, dealmakers, and analysts for an in-depth discussion on how consolidation is shaping the future of these intersecting industries—and what it means for players of all sizes.

More information to be announced soon.