Canal+ uses AI to provide personalized entertainment.

Key Information

• Canal+ uses AI from Google and OpenAI to offer personalized content recommendations based on subscriber preferences.
• The company aims to become a “super-aggregator” by simplifying content discovery for its expanding subscriber base.
• Canal+ seeks to boost its future growth through cost optimization, production expansion, and global content accessibility.

Canal+ aims to become a leader in personalized entertainment by leveraging the power of Google Cloud and OpenAI’s artificial intelligence. Starting in June, subscribers will be able to request specific types of content, such as “a comforting romantic comedy” or “an epic historical series,” and receive tailor-made recommendations through OpenAI’s ChatGPT technology.

A New Era of Personalized Entertainment

According to Canal+, this partnership brings unprecedented innovation to the entertainment sector. Subscribers receive suggestions that match their preferences, mood, and current desires. Maxime Saada, Chairman of the Canal+ Management Board, defines a specific mission for his company as a super-aggregator. In this role, the group brings together various services and platforms to help subscribers navigate through the massive offering.

The goal is to help viewers discover what they need more quickly, Saada told AFP. While other platforms already use AI systems, Canal+ is taking an additional step. The group is deploying Google Cloud AI to speed up video indexing in Europe and Africa by mid-2026.

This technology facilitates the creation of personalized homepages reflecting each subscriber’s viewing history. Additionally, Canal+ plans to use Veo 3, Google’s AI video technology, empowering producers and directors to pre-visualize scenes or create impossible special effects. Saada ensures that this technology complements but does not replace human actors, and the financial details of the agreements with Google and OpenAI remain confidential.

Ambitious Expansion Plans

Canal+ supports its ambitious expansion projects with the recent acquisition of South African giant MultiChoice. This step boosts the number of subscribers to 42.3 million in over seventy countries, quadrupling over the past decade. Saada describes 2025 as a successful transformation year, reaching a critical mass for the group. The company now prioritizes the revitalization of MultiChoice, following the closure of the Showmax streaming platform in early March.

A €100 million investment plan drives subscriber growth. By 2030, the media group expects an annual savings of €400 million through cost synergies between Canal+ and MultiChoice, exceeding initial expectations. In 2026, Canal+ focuses on improving profitability in Europe.

The company is currently conducting cost audits and introducing entry-level subscriptions with advertising in France. Additionally, some tariffs are increasing, and the group now prohibits sharing accounts outside the household. Since splitting from parent company Vivendi in December 2024, Canal+ is listed on the London Stock Exchange. The share price doubled last year, demonstrating the company’s resilience after initial challenges.

Commitment to Content Production

The company is confident in its future value and remains committed to its production pillar. Saada highlights the consolidation of production companies across Europe and Africa, managing thousands of hours of content. The goal is to make this content globally accessible.

For example, a children’s film featuring Pippi Longstocking is in development, in collaboration with the same producers behind the successful Paddington franchise. Canal+ also collaborates with British media group Sky for series co-development and co-production. Additionally, the company has acquired a majority stake in Lucky Red, one of Italy’s leading film production and distribution companies.

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