AI dubbing for streaming: The secret weapon in the global content wars

The global streaming wars have a new, secret weapon. Its goal is to make entire content catalogs accessible – and captivating – in every language. For content distributors, media companies and streaming platforms, the pressure to deliver a consistent stream of new hits is immense. The traditional approach to dubbing has long been a logistical and financial bottleneck, making it nearly impossible to scale global content at the pace the market demands. But what if there was a way to break free from these constraints, monetizing content that was previously too time- and cost-prohibitive to take global?

This is the promise of AI dubbing, a revolutionary approach that is transforming the streaming landscape, making it possible to create global hits and unlock new revenue streams. At RWS, we believe stories, culture and entertainment deserve a global stage. By blending cutting-edge artificial intelligence with indispensable human expertise, we're unlocking new markets – and making meaningful global connections at a pace and scale previously unimaginable.

In this guide, we'll explore how AI dubbing is rewriting the rules for streaming distribution, what the data-driven results look like and how a strategic partner can help you turn your content catalog into a global powerhouse, leaving no content behind.

Your content catalog is your most valuable asset. But how much of that value is currently untapped? Think of the thousands of hours of back-catalog content, documentaries, reality shows and long-running series that sit dormant, their stories unheard in vast, new markets.

The cost of traditional dubbing for all of this content would be astronomical, and its turnaround time simply doesn't make business sense. This creates a localization barrier to entry where content with immense potential is left behind, unable to generate new revenue streams.

This is the central challenge that AI dubbing is built to solve. It is the key to unlocking the potential of these ‘sleeping giants' in your content library. It gives you the power to transform a vast, single-language catalog into a multilingual content machine, expanding your total addressable market without the traditional costs.

This shift fundamentally changes the economics of streaming, allowing you to breathe new life into older content and maximize the value of every minute of media you own.

The days when subtitles were the only path to a global audience are over. While subtitles are an essential tool for accessibility, they often come at the expense of an immersive viewing experience, requiring viewers to divert their attention from the visuals to read text. AI dubbing offers a compelling alternative, and the results speak for themselves.

The data from our work on major FAST (Free Ad-supported Streaming TV) platforms is compelling: AI-dubbed content has led to a 78% increase in watch time and a 60% increase in average view duration on our dubbed content. These numbers are evidence of a powerful boost in audience engagement and a testament to the fact that global audiences want choice. When content is localized authentically, that choice encourages greater view engagement and audience retention.

The streaming world has seen turbulent times when it comes to dubbing on global hits. What's become clear is that viewer trust is paramount. Audiences have a low tolerance for anything that feels inauthentic and generic AI outputs can feel flat and disconnected, breaking the immersive experience that keeps viewers engaged.

That’s why RWS’s approach to artificial intelligence dubbing is built on a foundation of Genuine Intelligence. Our advanced AI models generate emotionally impactful voices that capture the tone of the original performance. But technology is only the start. Every single audio track is meticulously reviewed by our in-country cultural ambassadors and creative specialists. These experts verify cultural nuance, refine emotional delivery and ensure the final audio is flawlessly human. This human-in-the-loop process is how we empower you to localize your content catalog with confidence, knowing every story will connect authentically with audiences everywhere. 

For streaming platforms, the traditional trade-off between quality, speed and cost has always been a barrier to unlocking the full value of a content library. AI dubbing fundamentally changes this equation.

Our approach makes video localization possible at a scale and pace that traditional methods simply cannot match. By automating much of the production process, we dramatically reduce the turnaround time and costs, allowing you to monetize thousands of hours of back-catalog content quickly and efficiently. Our AI preserves the emotional intent of the original performance, while our human experts provide the final layer of quality assurance. The result is a scalable solution that delivers audience-ready dubbed content, turning dormant assets into new revenue streams.

The world of streaming is defined by pace, scale and engagement. Success depends on finding new ways to balance technology and creative craft – at speed. One example comes from Fremantle, who have been using AI dubbing to reimagine how their iconic shows reach new audiences.

Rob Cocker, SVP of Digital and Social at Fremantle, shared how the rollout of AI dubbing for The Joy of Painting opened the show up to a previously untapped global audience. “The increase in views, watch time, and subscribers since we’ve been working with AI dubbing has been astounding. We’re talking percentage increases in the 1000s in as little as three months. The compelling results mean we’re now testing the rollout across other social channels and languages.” 

This real-world success story proves that AI dubbing has already become a scalable way to overcome the barriers of global content distribution and transform the localization model for streaming. 

The rise of AI has democratized content creation. AI dubbing now democratizes content reach. It empowers you to break free from the limitations of language, turning your content catalog into a truly global goldmine.

Ready to harness this innovation and unlock the full potential of your content?