Video is increasingly central to our lives, and its global future is likely to follow Asia’s video giants in being live, social, and shoppable, an Andreesen Horowitz article argues.

Why it matters

“In the future – and, increasingly, the present – video is no longer going to be something that we passively watch; it’s going to be something that we do.”

Whereas the first phase of internet video was laid-back, says Connie Chan, what follows will be far more interactive and up to date, with key examples originating in Asia.

Look at TikTok: “Real-time interactivity is baked into the viewing experience, rather than being relegated to the comments.”

Where it’s going

Education

Some platforms such as the Chinese language teaching platform Wukong has pupils taking instant quizzes, which provide instant feedback to teachers: both sides are aided.

Skills

Like education, new platforms are making the cost of difficult skill developments – like playing the piano – much cheaper, as in the case of Peilian.

Livestream commerce

Still nascent outside Asia, but provides the possibility of real-time responses to product questions.

Looking ahead

While examples are currently limited, the “huge impact on unit economics” that Chan points out will be key, as will interactive video’s proven ability to grow the entire market.

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Sourced from Andreesen Horowitz