Ahead of NAB 2024, Wasabi Technologies has launched Wasabi AiR, which the company claims is the industry’s first AI-enhanced intelligent media storage solution. It merges Wasabi’s efficient, affordable object storage with cutting-edge AI features, such as auto-tagging metadata and multilingual, searchable speech-to-text transcription.

Wasabi AiR

Wasabi AiR integrates artificial intelligence to transform how video content is stored, accessed, and utilized. The new offering combines the cost-effectiveness and high performance of Wasabi’s object storage with sophisticated AI capabilities, including automatic metadata tagging and multilingual searchable speech-to-text transcription.

Key features of the new solution include:

• AI-Enhanced Indexing: Upon uploading, video files are immediately processed to create a detailed, second-by-second metadata index, enhancing the speed and efficiency of content retrieval.
• Comprehensive AI Features: Wasabi AiR utilizes advanced AI technologies such as facial recognition, speech-to-text conversion, multilingual translation, speaker recognition, optical text recognition, logo identification, and sound recognition. These features work together to make vast video archives easily searchable.
• Cost-Effective Pricing Model: Wasabi AiR’s pricing strategy is unique. It charges customers only for storage without additional fees for AI usage. According to Wasabi, this model can reduce costs by up to 80% compared to competitors, making it attractive for media organizations looking to manage large volumes of data efficiently.
• Enhanced Security and Privacy: Wasabi AiR provides immutable storage and multi-user authentication.
• Versatility for Various Use Cases: The service supports a wide range of applications, from post-production and marketing ROI analysis to content customization for diverse geographic audiences, offering a versatile tool for the media and entertainment industry.

Analysis

Wasabi AiR is a natural intersection of cloud storage and artificial intelligence. The new offering addresses several critical challenges organizations face when managing large volumes of video content, including the inefficiencies in content retrieval, the high cost of storage and metadata management, and the complexity of making unstructured data searchable and actionable. By breaking down barriers related to cost, complexity, and accessibility, Wasabi addresses the immediate needs of media organizations and prepares for the future demands of a rapidly evolving media landscape.

As industries such as media & entertainment continue to grapple with the challenges of managing vast amounts of unstructured data, solutions like Wasabi AiR offer a glimpse into a future where content is stored and truly activated—transforming how we create, discover, and interact with digital media.