Tubi CEO Anjali Sud on the future of free streaming

DETROIT - Tubi CEO Anjali Sud may helm one of the fastest-growing streaming platforms in the world, but her passion for accessibility, creativity, and community runs deep, all the way back to her roots in Flint, Michigan.

In a recent interview with FOX 2 Detroit, Sud reflected on her journey and discussed how Tubi’s unique approach to free entertainment is reshaping the way people watch TV and movies – and vice-versa.

World’s largest free streaming library

Big picture view:

Tubi is a streaming platform available on just about all smart TVs and other devices. With nearly 300,000 movies and TV episodes and over 100 million monthly active users, it has quietly become the largest content library in streaming. And unlike competitors, it’s completely free.

"No credit cards, no friction. You just start watching," Sud explained.

Beyond its size, Sud is proud that Tubi amplifies stories that reflect real communities.

"What we hear a lot is that audiences just feel seen by the depth of content that reflects their world on Tubi," she said. "We've gone out and worked with all these independent filmmakers and distributors and kind of said, we're not going to decide what quality looks like in Hollywood. We're going to let our audience tell us what quality means."

How free streaming can be profitable

The backstory:

Tubi recently hit a major milestone: profitability. But it didn't happen overnight.

"Maybe like five, six years ago, most studios wouldn't even license their content to Tubi," Sud recalled. "And I think over the last few years, we really proved that it’s actually a growing, exciting business."

That success, Sud noted, gives Tubi control of its destiny – the freedom to reinvest in its content, technology, and creators. Unlike other platforms raising prices or introducing paid ad tiers, Tubi plans to "double down" on its free, ad-supported model.

"We believe the future of entertainment will be free," she continued. "That’s why I came to Tubi."

"Ads aren’t a bug"

Dig deeper:

While many users view commercials as a nuisance, they are an integral part of Tubi’s free model.

Sud revealed that the company recently launched AI-powered ad targeting, where algorithms analyze scenes to match ads seamlessly and make them feel less interruptive – showing a candy commercial during ‘Willy Wonka,’ for example.

"Ads aren’t a bug; they’re a feature," Sud emphasized. "They're a way that we can fund our investment in stories while keeping it free for consumers. And so it's our job to make ads, the experience, actually not feel annoying and to feel useful."

Free sports on Tubi

Kicking Off:

This Thanksgiving, Tubi will stream the traditional Detroit Lions - Green Bay Packers game live, for free and in 4K. For Sud, the moment is personal.

"I’ve spent every Thanksgiving in Flint, Michigan with my family watching the Lions," she said. "For me, it’s very full circle that we’re now bringing that to more audiences."

Tubi first made headlines by streaming the Super Bowl earlier this year, becoming the most-streamed in history, and Sud believes this model marks a major shift in how audiences experience major events.

"Historically, big sporting events don't get streamed for free to everybody in 4K quality," she offered. "And I think what's exciting about it is just being able to give more people access to the game in great quality without having to pay a lot of money to watch."

A mission to democratize storytelling

What's next:

Looking ahead, Sud envisions an entertainment landscape where more creators, not just studios, shape what audiences watch.

You're going to have many more amateur or independent storytellers be able to make really high quality, long-form content," Sud predicted. "And that's, I think, the big opportunity for us as we go into this next phase."

Her mission is simple but sweeping: "To give all people access to all the world’s stories."

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