Virgin Media has created its own AI robots to monitor its television network quality in real-time in a bid to quickly identify and resolve any issues when they occur.
The company said the AI robots watch TV services as viewers experience them and, using automated monitoring, continuously check channels for any degradation of service, including any issues with video and audio quality.
If an issue is detected, alerts are automatically sent to human monitoring teams.
Over 220 channels are being monitored overall, with the most-watched channels checked every six minutes.
Virgin Media said that following the initial launch, the company will explore potential future enhancements. These could include how AI can identify a broader range of service issues and further strengthen monitoring capabilities.
Jeanie York, Virgin Media O2’s Chief Technology Officer, said: “Creating and launching these new TV robots means we’re able to identify and address any service issues faster and more accurately than ever before, and in some cases before a customer even realises there was a problem. This new capability is another innovative step in giving our customers a great experience and ensuring we provide the reliable TV service they expect.”
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