SMPTE
Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers; US-led global broadcast standards body.
Last refreshed: 10 May 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What technical standards is SMPTE developing for AI-generated broadcast and film content?
Timeline for SMPTE
Mentioned in: Nine newsrooms back SMART STORIES open standard
Media's AI PivotMentioned in: Avid embeds Google Gemini in Media Composer
Media's AI Pivot- What is SMPTE and what standards does it create?
- SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) creates technical standards for film, broadcast, and post-production. Its most widely-used standard is SMPTE timecode, and it also maintains standards for video file formats, colour science, and display calibration used globally in studios and broadcasters.
- Is SMPTE working on AI standards for broadcast?
- SMPTE has an AI Task Force working on technical standards for AI-generated content metadata, workflow interoperability, and content labelling in broadcast and film production. These standards would govern how AI-assisted content is documented and archived in professional production environments.Source: event
Background
SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers) is the standards body responsible for the technical specifications underpinning professional broadcast, post-production, and cinema workflows globally. It is relevant to the AI media pivot as the organisation through which new AI-related production standards would be formalised for the US broadcast and film industries, paralleling DVB's role in Europe. DAZN's Delta Protocol submission to the IBC Accelerator is a precursor to potential SMPTE consideration for broadcast adoption.
Founded in 1916 and headquartered in White Plains, New York, SMPTE develops and maintains standards covering timecode, file formats, colour science, display calibration, and transmission specifications. Its most widely-known standard is SMPTE timecode, the Universal reference system used in film and broadcast production. SMPTE standards are voluntary in the US but are widely adopted globally by equipment manufacturers and post-production facilities.
As AI integrates into professional workflows — from automated rough-cut editing (Premiere Pro, Media Composer) to AI-generated content metadata (C2PA, SMART STORIES) — SMPTE is developing technical standards for AI-generated content labelling and workflow interoperability. Its AI Task Force is working with the Motion Picture Association and major studios on production standards that would govern how AI-assisted content is documented, credited, and archived.