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Peacock to launch AI-driven vertical video, gaming features

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mkeys@thedesk.net

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Key Points

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  • Comcast is adding new artificial intelligence and mobile-focused features to Peacock to deepen engagement with entertainment and sports fans.
  • A new AI-driven “Your Bravoverse” experience will deliver personalized Bravo content through swipe-able vertical video guided by a digital avatar of Andy Cohen.
  • Peacock is also expanding vertical video for live sports and launching new interactive games tied to NBC Universal franchises.

Comcast is introducing a handful of new features in its core streaming service Peacock as part of a broader effort to super-serve entertainment and sports fans and to differentiate itself in a crowded environment of network-owned streaming services.

Many of the featured were previewed at a press event in New York City on Friday, during which executives showed off a personalized, Bravo-focused video experience and phone-friendly vertical videos correlating to live events, including Peacock’s coverage of National Basketball Association (NBA) games.

At the center of the update is “Your Bravoverse,” an artificial intelligence-driven vertical video experience designed around Bravo programming. The feature will offer personalized playlists built from more than 5,000 hours of Bravo footage, allowing viewers to scroll through clips, connected storylines and behind-the-scenes moments in an endlessly swipe-able feed.

The experience will be guided by a digital avatar of “Watch What Happens Live” host Andy Cohen, generated using artificial intelligence and trained to match his voice and presentation style. Peacock users will be able to select their favorite Bravo shows and moments, after which the system will generate tailored playlists that combine highlights from across the network’s library.

NBC Universal said the system uses AI across several stages of the production process, including clip extraction, computer vision tools that identify narrative elements in archived footage and AI agents trained on viewer behavior and Bravo fan interests. The platform will also incorporate editorial oversight from NBC Universal staff to validate the AI-generated playlists.

According to the company, the personalized system could generate more than 600 billion potential viewing combinations.

“Your Bravoverse” will launch this summer and will initially be available on mobile devices before expanding to connected television platforms. The experience will be featured prominently on Peacock’s home page and will also appear within a new vertical video section in the app’s main navigation.

On the vertical video front, NBC Universal said it will add permanent features to Peacock’s mobile interface this summer that allows entertainment and sports fans to consume content and live events in a format that is native on smartphones.

A vertical video option will replace the “downloads” button on Peacock’s navigation bar on supported smartphones, the company said. Downloaded content will remain accessible through user profile settings.

For live events, Peacock will start using artificial intelligence to track, crop and display the action in real-time. The initial launch will involve a beta test that is connected to Peacock’s presentation of NBA games this spring, before the feature rolls out to other events.

The vertical stream will function alongside Peacock’s existing “Courtside Live” feature, which allows viewers to switch between multiple camera angles during games.

NBC Universal said vertical clips introduced across Peacock have increased mobile viewing frequency and helped drive viewers from short-form clips into full live streams: During coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics, the company said 20 percent of viewers who watched highlight clips navigated directly to the live event.

Peacock is also expanding its gaming features as part of a partnership with Wolf Games. Two new mobile titles are planned, including “Law & Order: Clue Hunter,” a mystery-solving game scheduled to debut this spring, and “Public Eye,” an interactive narrative experience launching this summer.

In addition, Peacock will introduce a new “Jeopardy!” mini-game this spring featuring daily trivia rounds, streak challenges and shareable results written by the show’s production team.

Matt Strauss, the Chairman of NBC Universal Media group, said the new features are designed to position Peacock as a more-immersive destination for the company’s entertainment brands.

“The best place for NBC Universal’s fandoms to experience their favorite shows and movies is on our platforms, with Peacock serving as an immersive, premium destination that gives audiences new ways to connect and engage with our content,” Strauss said in a statement.

For Comcast, the focus on live sports and fandom experiences for Peacock is aimed at differentiating the service from others like Paramount Plus, HBO Max and Netflix, which are largely marketed as offering premium content with sports peppered in along the way.

Peacock’s subscription count is significantly lower than that of its peers — Comcast revealed in February that Peacock has 44 million subscribers, with its growth mostly stalling out over the past year.

Other streamers have attracted a larger pool of customers by licensing more premium content and expanding internationally. Comcast has gone in the other direction with Peacock, opting to focus on low-cost, mass-produced reality shows from Bravo and expensive sports rights from the NBA, Major League Baseball and other stakeholders with the hopes that reality shows and sports will make Peacock a must-have in most American homes.

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About the Author:

Matthew Keys

Matthew Keys is the award-winning founder and editor of TheDesk.net, an authoritative voice on broadcast and streaming TV, media and tech. With over ten years of experience, he's a recognized expert in broadcast, streaming, and digital media, with work featured in publications such as StreamTV Insider and Digital Content Next, and past roles at Thomson Reuters and Disney-ABC Television Group.