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Colin Petrie-Norris, founder and former CEO of Xumo, has established a new venture called Fairground Entertainment, which aims to serve as both a studio and a platform for creators leveraging advanced generative Artificial Intelligence technologies for visual entertainment content. Fairground intends to enable a broad community of creators—from individuals and small teams to established studios—by providing training, support, and access to the latest generative Artificial Intelligence tools, as well as opportunities for exposure and content distribution across the streaming landscape.
Backed by an initial seed investment led by Viant Technologies, a company that co-founded Xumo alongside Petrie-Norris, Fairground will not develop generative Artificial Intelligence tools itself. Instead, its model focuses on curating leading-edge technologies and making them accessible to content creators while integrating these tools into the larger entertainment ecosystem. The company plans to debut its first Artificial Intelligence-generated television series later in 2025, with an initial focus on repurposing public domain stories in innovative formats and working with rightsholders to refresh existing IP. Fairground’s approach draws from Xumo´s FAST (free ad-supported streaming TV) strategy, embracing both a direct-to-consumer element and a B2B service for wider industry adoption and distribution.
Petrie-Norris positions Fairground as an enabler in the increasingly complex and fragmented space of Artificial Intelligence content creation, aiming to bring structure and opportunity for creators and content owners seeking to navigate these rapidly evolving technologies. The company will use its own branded streaming service, in addition to distributing original programming through major third-party streaming partners, to help Artificial Intelligence-powered content reach television screens. Fairground’s ambition includes democratizing storytelling, reducing production barriers, and guiding the refinement of Artificial Intelligence-generated content so it meets the standards and expectations of TV audiences. Additionally, the venture foresees a strong synergy between advertising and Artificial Intelligence-driven content, with Viant’s advertising solutions expected to play a supporting role as the Fairground platform matures and the content library grows.
