Accenture study reveals streaming's growing battle for viewer attention

Conn Mc Gillion Published 12/06/2026

While the streaming industry has never seemed more popular across platforms such as Twitch and Kick, a new study suggests that viewers’ attention is increasingly being pulled toward other forms of media. The study, released by Accenture, found that streamers are competing with a growing number of alternatives for viewers’ time and attention.

These alternatives include social media doomscrolling, increasing AI usage through tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Grok, as well as podcasts and music. The question is: what makes these forms of media more appealing than sitting down to watch a long-form livestream?

Situational Entertainment

The study, which included 6,000 consumers across 10 countries, examined which forms of entertainment consumers are most likely to turn to in different situations.

For example, when feeling bored, respondents in 2025 were most likely to choose social video content, compared to social media in 2023 and subscription video-on-demand services (SVOD) in 2022.

The table screenshot below summarises the study’s findings:

Image credit: Accenture

The data suggests that SVOD platforms were the dominant choice among respondents in 2022. However, the growing popularity of short-form content such as Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts appears to have shifted audience preferences in recent years.

Researchers and commentators have frequently debated social media’s impact on attention spans and media consumption habits, although the extent of those effects remains contested. One interpretation of the findings is that users increasingly favour media formats that provide quicker and more immediate engagement.

Many of the entertainment forms are better suited to providing immediate engagement in 2025 than they were in previous years. For example, for loneliness and engaging in cultural conversation, respondents were most likely to turn to social media. For background noise, users would turn on music, as opposed to streams.

To learn new skills or facts, users were more likely to gravitate towards AI tools rather than traditional platforms such as YouTube or search engines. More and more streamers seem to be diversifying their content offerings to reflect these changing habits, with popular streamer FaZe Banks even launching a new financial podcast.

Audience attention spans and preference for immediate access to information may play a role in these trends, as many of these preferred platforms and services provide fast, convenient solutions to users’ needs and interests.

The Adoption of AI

The report also stated that 90% of media executives expect the continued adoption of AI to be a major disruptive force across streaming and other major media industries in the years ahead. Meanwhile, 72% said they are actively preparing their organisations for increased AI integration, with the goal of becoming “AI-ready” companies.

In regards to Twitch and Kick, the integration of AI has not been without controversy. Twitch, for example, recently adopted AI summaries for certain content, a feature that has received criticism from some users since its introduction. However, the move demonstrates that Twitch is among the major platforms willing to experiment with AI-powered features in an effort to improve user experience and engagement.

Whether AI will ultimately improve viewer retention remains unclear. However, the growing adoption of AI across the media industry suggests that platforms increasingly view the technology as an important tool for attracting and retaining audiences.

Some industry observers have suggested that streaming platforms could eventually adopt features similar to TikTok, Instagram Reels, or YouTube Shorts to better surface content and improve discoverability. While many creators remain sceptical of AI’s role in content creation, the survey findings indicate that media executives see AI as a key part of their long-term strategy.

YouTube as a comparison

YouTube succeeds in delivering long form content that maintains viewer retention. Image credit: dexerto.com

Image credit: Kick, Twitch, YouTube

One interesting finding from the survey is that YouTube is enjoying continued success with long-form content. While the platform has also embraced livestreaming through YouTube Live, its success appears to be driven by a combination of on-demand viewing, content discovery, and user engagement. This raises an important question: why is YouTube able to maintain strong engagement with long-form content compared to streaming-focused platforms such as Twitch and Kick? This is particularly notable given that Kick remains heavily associated with gambling and casino streamers.

One major factor is YouTube’s on-demand nature. Not only does the platform offer an extensive library of videos, but viewers can also watch archived livestreams in the same format. While Twitch and Kick offer similar functionality through VODs, many broadcasts are either removed after a set period or receive far less visibility than YouTube’s archived content.

YouTube’s recommendation system is another significant advantage. The platform is designed to continually surface relevant content to users based on their interests and viewing habits, increasing the likelihood that viewers will continue watching. As a result, creators benefit from greater long-term discoverability than they might on livestream-focused platforms.

The answer for streaming platforms such as Twitch and Kick may not simply be better algorithms, but broader improvements to content discovery and long-term viewer engagement. While long-form content appears to be facing increasing competition from social media, AI tools, podcasts, and music, YouTube demonstrates that audiences are still willing to engage with longer content when it is easily accessible and effectively recommended.

Feature image credit: Accenture

Conn Mc Gillion

About Conn Mc Gillion

Conn Mc Gillion is an editor and iGaming content specialist with experience across online casino & sweepstakes platforms. He has worked on US facing gambling and promotional content, focusing on clarity, compliance, and user-focused optimisation. Conn’s editorial approach prioritises transparency, accurate promotional breakdowns, and responsible play guidance.

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