DOHA: Qatar Airways, the operator of the largest number of Starlink-equipped widebody aircraft, unveiled the “Sky Studio Challenge”, an industry-first Starlink-powered creative experiment developed in collaboration with Google.
The challenge successfully demonstrated for the first time that full commercials can be generated, produced, finalised, and uploaded onboard during a single, ultra-long-haul flight at 35,000 feet using Qatar Airways’ Starlink connectivity.
The activation took place on November 17, 2025, onboard a Qatar Airways Starlink-enabled Airbus A350 operating a 15-hour flight from Doha to Atlanta. Using Google’s latest Gemini video and image AI generation models, two commercials were created entirely inflight. As the first global challenge to generate, render, edit, and publish full AI-produced films before landing, the “Sky Studio Challenge” relied on Starlink speeds that rival most home broadband networks, enabling heavy file transfers, complex scene generation, real-time cloud workflows, and live collaboration with teams on the ground.
The challenge brought together two of the most influential figures in AI film-making: PJ Accetturo and Torey Kohara. Accetturo is known for the viral Kalshi NBA Finals spot and collaborations with Grok and IM8. Kohara, a prolific tech-focused director behind major Google campaigns, is celebrated for soft, cinematic narratives that transform complex technical concepts into emotionally resonant films.
Qatar Airways Senior Vice President Marketing and Corporate Communications, Babar Rahman, said: “This first-of-its-kind challenge demonstrates why Qatar Airways is leading the industry in inflight connectivity, which our passengers can experience today rather than months or years from now. As the first airline to offer Starlink in the MENA region, we are already setting new benchmarks and delivering industry-first achievements at an unprecedented pace.”
Google Regional Marketing Director Middle East and Africa, Najeeb Jarrar, said: “It’s amazing to see our AI tools and models, including our state-of-the-art video generation model, Veo 3.1, being utilised to tell the story of Qatar Airways in an interactive and creative way. As a marketer, this allows us to create ads and deliver great work with a brief-to-launch timeline measured in hours.”
