JioStar, a major media company formed from the merger of Disney’s Star India and Reliance’s Viacom18, has appointed Stephan Bugaj as Senior VP of GenAI content and technology. Bugaj is an Emmy Award-winning creative technologist.
JioStar Invests in Artificial Intelligence
This appointment signals a significant push by JioStar into artificial intelligence-driven content development. The company intends to build out interactive storytelling and AI-powered production workflows across its entertainment offerings.
Bugaj most recently served as chief creative officer at Genvid Entertainment, where he developed the Massively Interactive Live Event format. This format combines streaming video with gaming mechanics and real-time audience participation. He also led the creation of AI-integrated creative pipelines for filmmakers and oversaw projects merging live engagement with scripted content.
Extensive Industry Experience
The new Senior VP brings over three decades of experience to JioStar, with previous roles at Pixar Animation Studios, Telltale Games, DJ2 Entertainment, and Hanson Robotics. His expertise includes systems architecture for AI content creation, adaptive storytelling, and digital production infrastructure.
In his new role, Bugaj will focus on advancing JioStar’s existing AI initiatives, including conversational user interfaces, companion-screen engagement tools, and AI-enhanced content production systems. The company aims to deliver interactive entertainment formats designed for digital audiences.
Bugaj received an Emmy for outstanding innovation in emerging media in 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is JioStar?
JioStar is the entity formed from the merger of Disney’s Star India and Reliance’s Viacom18.
What was Stephan Bugaj’s previous role?
Stephan Bugaj most recently served as chief creative officer at Genvid Entertainment.
What kind of AI initiatives is JioStar pursuing?
JioStar is pursuing AI initiatives including conversational user interfaces, companion-screen engagement tools, and AI-enhanced content production systems.
As JioStar integrates Bugaj’s expertise, it could potentially lead to new interactive entertainment formats and more personalized content experiences. It remains to be seen how these AI-driven initiatives will impact the company’s reach and engagement with its vast audience.
