Cannes Marché du Film Official Partnership, Netflix-Disney-Amazon Mass Participation... AI Era Accelerates Media Industry Restructuring

CES 2026, taking place from January 6-9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center and Aria Resort, is unveiling the most robust entertainment industry program in its history. Organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), this year's event heralds a full-scale convergence of tech and Hollywood, headlined by a groundbreaking partnership with Cannes Marché du Film, Netflix's dramatically expanded participation, and the collective presence of major media powerhouses including Disney, Amazon, NBCUniversal, Fox Corp., and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD).

The expanded entertainment presence at this massive tech convention, which drew 142,465 attendees last year, reflects the seismic shifts that reshaped the media landscape throughout 2025.

Historic Alliance: Cannes Film Festival Meets CES, Content Tech Innovation Award Established

The CTA and Cannes Marché du Film announced their partnership in May 2025, establishing the "Content Tech Innovation Award" to recognize companies, startups, entrepreneurs, and filmmakers developing breakthrough technologies in filmmaking, production, and distribution.

This collaboration between the world's largest film market and the world's premier tech trade show represents the film industry's proactive response to AI-era technological transformation—and symbolizes the virtual dissolution of boundaries between content and technology.

Jensen Huang Keynote: Setting AI Era Direction

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang will deliver a keynote address on Monday, January 5, outlining the future trajectory of the AI industry. Scheduled one day before the official opening, this speech is considered a critical market-moving event. With Nvidia's stock price surging over 1,300% in the past five years validating Huang's predictive prowess, his remarks are expected to significantly impact the global tech and media sectors.

Wedbush Securities analyst Dan Ives notes: "This year's CES atmosphere centers on new chip announcements, AI-powered consumer products, and the dawn of a new era as global companies seek to leverage $3-4 trillion in AI capital expenditures over the next three years." He characterizes this CES as "one of the most important moments" in AI, with widespread recognition that AI's arrival represents "a paradigm shift still in its early stages."

Variety Entertainment Summit: In-Depth Diagnosis of AI-Era Content Industry

Variety is hosting a comprehensive two-day summit at this year's CES.

January 7: Variety Entertainment Summit

Running from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM at Aria C-Space Studio, this summit features Disney Global Advertising President Rita Ferro, Hasbro Licensing and Entertainment President Kim Boyd, actors Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Simon Helberg, Brillstein Entertainment Partners Chairman & CEO Jon Liebman, Arcana Co-founder & CEO Jonathan Yunger, and Roku Founder, Chairman & CEO Anthony Wood.

Key panels include "The Future of Content," "The New Business of Entertainment," "Experience It! The Future of Events Across Platforms," "Fandom in the Zeitgeist," "AI in Overdrive," and "Big Picture Outlook: Trends Shaping 2026."

January 8: Variety Creator Business Summit

Sponsored by Samsung Ads and running from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, this summit examines "The State of the Creator Economy in Media & Entertainment," "New Hollywood Power Players: The Rise of Creators in TV," "The Power of Creator Brands," "The Age of Live Shopping Has Arrived," "Audience Liberation: The Future of Creator Marketing," and features fireside chats with Evan Shapiro, "The Media Cartographer," and Substack Co-founder Hamish McKenzie.

FTC and FCC Chiefs' Fireside Chat: Regulatory Direction Indicator

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Andrew Ferguson and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Brendan Carr will participate in a Thursday morning fireside chat.

With major M&A reviews underway—including the WBD-Netflix merger, Paramount acquisition battle, and Nexstar-Tegna merger—and long-discussed Big Tech breakup issues still pending, the regulatory chiefs' remarks will serve as crucial indicators of media and tech industry regulatory direction.

Expanding Chinese Tech Company Presence

Analyst Dan Ives anticipates heightened visibility of Chinese tech companies at this year's CES, particularly in robotics and smart vehicles. Xpeng's flying car is expected to be a major exhibition highlight.

Ives notes: "AI demand is accelerating globally, with recent Asia supply chain checks confirming unprecedented sustained demand. This year's CES will inaugurate a new AI consumer era where the public begins following AI revolution's golden path."

Netflix's $82.7 Billion WBD Acquisition Proposal: Tech-Hollywood Collision Climax

2025 marked the apex of tech-Hollywood collision, with Netflix proposing $82.7 billion (approximately ₩120 trillion) to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery's studio and streaming divisions. Oracle-backed Paramount Skydance is also pursuing a hostile takeover of WBD. Oracle's entrance—a core player in global AI competition—into media M&A frontlines starkly illustrates how tech capital is restructuring the content industry.

For traditional media professionals, fluency in tech language has shifted from optional to survival imperative. This explains why CES presence has become essential for media companies.

Netflix, Disney, Amazon: Total CES Mobilization

Netflix, which traditionally avoided the convention floor practices of hardware manufacturers like Sony, Samsung, and Panasonic operating massive booth spaces, has changed strategies this year. Having aggressively pursued advertising business over the past three-plus years, Netflix is hosting a "speakeasy" happy hour event for advertisers, tech vendors, and media stakeholders. Netflix's willingness to change its spots after nearly 30 years, combined with the WBD acquisition attempt, demonstrates the company's aggressive transformation.

Disney is showcasing advertising technology capabilities through its "Tech and Data Showcase." Amazon Ads has secured substantial space at Aria Resort & Casino, serving as base camp for advertising business stakeholders.

Fox Corp., Warner Bros. Discovery, and NBCUniversal are also reinforcing tech-centric strategies in linear and streaming advertising domains, speaking on panels by day and entertaining clients by night. Medialink's parent company United Talent Agency (UTA) has also established a foothold at Aria, conducting panel series examining entertainment-technology convergence under the "Future Decoded" brand.

NBCUniversal Unveils Major AI-Powered Advertising Products

NBCUniversal previewed its new AI-powered advertising solution suite to media at New York's 30 Rockefeller Plaza on December 17, ahead of CES 2026. The event, attended by Global Advertising and Partnerships Chairman Mark Marshall and other executives, introduced "AI-powered Contextual Targeting in Live," "Live Total Impact," and "Performance Insight Hub."

Marshall stated: "Premium video has become more valuable than ever to advertisers, and through these new innovations, we're delivering solutions our clients have requested, backed by the power of NBCUniversal's entire cross-platform ecosystem, setting new success standards for the industry."

AI-Powered Live Contextual Targeting: Real-Time Moment Capture Advertising

The most notable product is "AI-powered Live Contextual Targeting." This tool targets VOD content and live programming including sports, with AI continuously scanning content to automatically match appropriate ads or creative to the most relevant moments as they unfold in VOD or live.

Ryan McConville, VP and CPO of Advertising Platforms & Operations, demonstrated the tool's functionality. For example, a Bounty cleaning ad airs first in the next commercial break immediately after an NFL game fumble, or a State Farm ad featuring Caitlin Clark airs instantly after an NBA buzzer-beater three-pointer. The objective is straightforward: deliver timely, relevant advertising to consumers.

Three New Peacock Ad Units

NBCUniversal also unveiled three new ad units for streaming platform Peacock. "Arrival Ads" are the first ad format introduced to user profile pages, enabling brands to capture first impressions when viewers access the platform. "Live-in-Browse" allows brands to stand out through in-screen experiences on the Peacock homepage when viewers begin scrolling. "Full-Screen Pause Ads" enable advertisers to access high-impact formats through programmatic guaranteed deals.

Albertsons Shopper Data Integration

NBCUniversal has also enabled advertisers to purchase NBCU streaming ads using shopper data from major U.S. supermarket chain Albertsons. This strategy connects viewing data with actual purchase data to maximize advertising effectiveness.

As NBCUniversal prepares for 2026 as a year of major events, advertisers can deploy these new tools across diverse major events including NBC's 100th anniversary celebration, Super Bowl, NBA All-Star Weekend, Winter Olympics, and Telemundo's FIFA World Cup coverage. Marshall confirmed these new tools will operate across NBCUniversal's entire portfolio—broadcast, cable, and streaming—spanning sports, news, entertainment, and Spanish-language programming.

AI: Threat or Opportunity? Hollywood Veterans' Perspectives

Brillstein Entertainment Partners Chairman Jon Liebman observes: "Hollywood has repeatedly proclaimed technology would destroy the business, but the opposite has actually occurred." Every technological change—from 1920s sound movies to 1980s home video to 1990s internet—ultimately became growth drivers through global content distribution.

Liebman emphasizes: "When appropriately leveraged, technology becomes a tool for what we now have: global content distribution. While nobody knows exactly what AI will do to our business, our fears should be tempered by what technology has historically done for the entertainment business—driving growth in every era."

Arcana CEO Jonathan Yunger, whose company is an AI-powered content creation platform and studio, offers balanced perspective: "AI tools can make real differences in maintaining or elevating production value while reducing costs," while noting "AI doesn't work without creatives, without storytellers."

SAG-AFTRA Skips CES Amid Contract Negotiations

Technology's advance provides cause for concern among Hollywood writers, directors, and actors. Major above-the-line unions face contract negotiations with studios and streamers within weeks.

SAG-AFTRA, which has prioritized CES in recent years, has recalibrated strategy this year. Instead of the "Labor, Innovation and Technology Summit" co-hosted with other unions at the Las Vegas venue, the union plans to deliver messages through other year-round opportunities, focusing on contract negotiation preparation.

Negotiations as contentious as the 2023 simultaneous SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America (WGA) strikes are anticipated, making the union's strategic choice noteworthy.

Implications for Korean Content and Tech Industries

CES 2026's demonstration of global media-tech industry transformation delivers several critical messages for Korea's content industry:

1. Content-Tech Convergence Strategy Imperative

Netflix's WBD acquisition attempt, Oracle's Paramount Skydance support, and the Cannes-CES partnership demonstrate the virtual dissolution of content-tech boundaries. Korean broadcasters, studios, and entertainment companies must accelerate beyond simple content production to securing technological capabilities and strategic alliances with tech companies.

2. AI Advertising Technology Adoption Acceleration Needed

NBCUniversal's "AI-powered Live Contextual Targeting" presents a new paradigm for maximizing advertising effectiveness in sports broadcasts and live events. Korean broadcasters should explore AI-based contextual advertising technology implementation for live content including K League, KBO, and various awards ceremonies to maximize advertising revenue. Peacock's "Arrival Ads" and "Live-in-Browse" formats significantly inform domestic OTT platforms including Wavve, Tving, and Coupang Play.

3. Strategic Utilization of AI Content Creation Tools

The emergence of AI-powered content creation platforms like Arcana presents new possibilities for production cost reduction while maintaining quality. Strategic AI tool utilization should be explored to sustain K-content's global competitiveness while enhancing production efficiency. However, as Arcana CEO Jonathan Yunger notes, "AI doesn't work without storytellers"—creator-centric AI utilization is key.

4. Advertising-Based Streaming (AVOD/FAST) Market Strategy Enhancement

Global streamers Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and NBCUniversal extensively showcasing advertising business capabilities at CES reflects growing importance of advertising-based streaming models. K-content FAST channel expansion and global advertising market strategy have become increasingly critical.

5. Creator Economy Connectivity

The separate Variety Creator Business Summit reflects the creator economy's elevated status. New business model development is needed, including creator ecosystem cultivation based on K-pop and K-drama fandom, and live commerce integration.

6. Global Regulatory Environment Monitoring

U.S. M&A review direction and Big Tech regulatory stance emerging from FTC and FCC chiefs' remarks may impact Korean companies' global partnership strategies. Meticulous monitoring of global regulatory environment changes is necessary.

7. Strategic Value of CES Field Participation

CES, where global media, advertising, and tech decision-makers collectively gather, has evolved beyond simple exhibition to core business negotiation and networking platform. Expanded CES participation and strategic programming by Korean content and tech companies can become vital launchpads for global market penetration.

Conclusion

CES 2026 has evolved beyond a consumer electronics and IT trade show to become a core platform determining the global media and entertainment industry's future. Symbolized by Netflix's $82.7 billion WBD acquisition attempt, unprecedented industry restructuring is underway with converging tech-Hollywood mega M&A, $3-4 trillion AI investment over the next three years, rapid advancement of AI-powered advertising technology represented by NBCUniversal, explosive growth of advertising-based streaming, and the creator economy's rise.

Korea's content industry must actively capitalize on these transformation currents, leveraging K-content's global recognition. Technology literacy enhancement, strategic utilization of AI tools and AI advertising technology, advertising-based model diversification, and partnership expansion with global tech companies are more urgent imperatives than ever.