Peacock bets on AI and vertical video to boost engagement

Peacock is making a bet on AI and mobile-first entertainment by rolling out features to keep viewers entertained on their phones longer. At a press event yesterday, the streaming service previewed several updates designed to transform its mobile app. These include an AI-powered digital representation of TV host Andy Cohen and mobile-optimized live sports streaming.

The platform is introducing three main feature updates:

• Your Bravoverse: Launching on mobile this summer, with living room devices expected later, this feature uses generative AI to stitch short-form clips from more than 5,000 hours of Bravo footage into personalized playlists. An AI-powered digital representation of Andy Cohen acts as the narrator. The system uses computer vision and AI agents to analyze fan behavior, creating more than 600 billion possible viewing variations. This targets dedicated fans; the average Bravo viewer watches about 24 hours of content per month, while some watch up to 75 episodes monthly.
• Vertical Live NBA Broadcasts: Debuting in beta this spring, this feature offers mobile-optimized live sports streaming. The vertical broadcasts will run inside Courtside Live, a mobile feature Peacock introduced during the 2026 NBA All-Star Game that allows users to switch camera angles.
• Mobile Games: Peacock is expanding its mobile gaming lineup through a partnership with Wolf Games, an AI gaming startup. NBCUniversal announced the partnership in October. The collaboration includes two mystery games, Law & Order: Clue Hunter and Public Eye, where players use an AI assistant to solve crimes. Peacock is also adding a daily trivia experience based on the game show Jeopardy!.

These updates build on Peacock’s previous AI experiments. During the 2024 Summer Olympics, the platform introduced a generative AI recap that created personalized 10-minute summaries narrated by an AI voice modeled after sports announcer Al Michaels. The push into short-form mobile video also places Peacock in competition with other streaming platforms. For instance, Disney+ launched its own mobile short-form feed for U.S. users on Thursday, while Netflix plans to expand its short-form video features to promote video podcasts.

The interactive pivot comes as Peacock attempts to accelerate user growth and improve its financial performance. The platform has grown to 44 million subscribers, breaking out of a previous plateau of 41 million subscribers that lasted for three consecutive quarters last year. However, the service continues to operate at a loss, reporting a $552 million loss in Q4 2025.

Why it matters

Peacock is attempting to transform its app into an interactive, mobile-first hub to drive user engagement. This shift represents a critical pivot as the platform seeks to reverse its ongoing financial losses.