Ticketmaster Goes All-In on AI, Names Ex-Amazon Exec as Chief Technology Officer

Bot attacks have plagued Ticketmaster for years, so to combat it, the ticketing service is shaking up its executive ranks and going all-in on AI. Ticketmaster has hired Jim Freeman as its chief technology officer, filling a slot left vacant since February after its London-based chief technology officer, Carlos Alvarez-Coch, departed ahead of a deposition in the U.S. government’s antitrust trial against parent company Live Nation. It has also appointed Rachel Smith, a veteran of Block (owner of music service Tidal), to be its first senior vice president of data science and machine learning, and Disney and Stripe product veteran Chuck Mortimore as its next senior vice president of product. As part of the AI push, Ticketmaster has also brought on the team from Raige.ai, an AI startup the company acquired in July. The team will boost Ticketmaster’s adoption of AI tools across the company while also building out the platform’s AI infrastructure. Popular on Variety “Reliable, secure and personalized experiences depend on how effectively we use technology and data,” Saumil Mehta, Ticketmaster’s global president, said in a statement. “Jim, Rachel, Chuck and the Ragie.ai team will help us move faster, build better tools and deliver better outcomes for fans, artists, venues and clients.” Freeman’s remit as chief technology officer will tackle all things AI: building AI tools, using the technology to power fan experiences and ensuring its adoption across Ticketmaster’s organization. Freeman joined the company after a stint as senior adviser at Permira, though he formerly worked as a vice president at Amazon to build and launch Prime Video and its respective device and distribution partnerships. Smith’s work will include an expanded focus on data science and analytics, including tightening integration between data and the company’s broader product development, while Mortimore will help lead product strategy to help combat the company’s bot issues and ensure fans have easier access to both their accounts and their tickets. Pictured top (l. to r.): Jim Freeman, Rachel Smith, Chuck Mortimore