News/Entertainment
StubHub eyes $1 billion IPO golden ticket as live events rebound from pandemic slump
StubHub's potential IPO represents a significant milestone in the revival of tech public offerings amid market volatility influenced by President Trump's economic policy changes. While the ticketing marketplace has only held preliminary discussions with bankers, their reported goal of raising over $1 billion signals confidence in their post-pandemic recovery. This development, alongside similar explorations by companies like CoreWeave and Discord, suggests renewed Wall Street appetite for tech listings despite the slow start to the year's IPO market. The big picture: StubHub is testing the waters for a potential initial public offering that could happen before the end of 2025, looking...
read Mar 5, 2025Amazon Prime Video launches AI dubbing in English and Spanish for select content
In infrequent caption-based news, Amazon's Prime Video is introducing AI-assisted dubbing capabilities in English and Spanish, leveraging artificial intelligence to expand audience reach for its content catalog. This development represents another step in media companies adopting AI technology to enhance viewer experiences and potentially capture larger international audiences who prefer watching content in their native languages. The big picture: Prime Video will launch AI-based dubbing for 12 licensed movies and series starting immediately, focusing exclusively on content that doesn't already have existing dubbing options. Key details: The feature aims to serve Prime Video's global customer base, which exceeds 200 million...
read Mar 5, 2025“Divergent” producer launches AI-powered studio to disrupt Hollywood with over 30 projects
An AI-powered film, television, and gaming studio emerges at the intersection of Hollywood's traditional production model and artificial intelligence innovation. Staircase Studios AI, founded by "Divergent" franchise producer Pouya Shahbazian, aims to disrupt entertainment production by leveraging AI workflows to create content more efficiently, backed by notable media investors and targeting projects with budgets under $500,000. The big picture: Staircase Studios AI plans to produce more than 30 projects in the next 3-4 years using AI-driven production methods. The venture is backed by influential media figures including Kenneth Lerer, co-founder of The Huffington Post, and Aryeh Bourkoff, CEO of Liontree....
read Mar 5, 2025Now hear this: Vermillio secures $16 million from Sony Music and DNS Capital
As artificial intelligence reshapes the creative industries, protecting intellectual property has become a critical challenge for artists and media companies. Vermillio's innovative approach to AI licensing and protection, backed by major industry players like Sony Music Entertainment, signals a shift toward more ethical and controlled use of creative content in AI development. The big picture: Vermillio has secured $16 million in Series A funding from Sony Music Entertainment and DNS Capital to protect creative rights as generative AI transforms artistic consent, credit, and compensation frameworks. Key details: The platform leverages TracelDTM technology to monitor IP and NIL content, manage takedowns,...
read Feb 25, 2025AI voiceover in Gabby Petito documentary sparks viewer outrage
The tragic murder of 22-year-old Gabby Petito in 2021 captivated social media and true crime communities as the case unfolded in real-time through her travel vlogs and social media posts. Netflix's new docuseries "American Murder: Gabby Petito" has sparked controversy by using AI technology to recreate Petito's voice for narrating her personal journal entries. Key details of the controversy: Netflix's three-part documentary series employs AI-generated voice technology to narrate Petito's writings, with explicit permission from her family. The series begins with a disclaimer explaining that Petito's journal entries and text messages are narrated using voice recreation technology Director Michael Gasparro...
read Feb 24, 2025AI musicians take center stage at Mip London Korea Showcase
The Korean entertainment industry continues to innovate in content creation, with studios showcasing diverse formats ranging from AI-powered productions to historical dramas at Mip London. The presentations highlighted how Korean studios are leveraging advanced technologies while maintaining their signature storytelling elements across multiple genres. Technology integration and cost efficiency: Studio Meta-K is pioneering AI-driven production methods to address the rising costs of K-drama production, which have tripled in the past three years. The studio employs digital doubles, game engines, deepfake technology, and generative AI to create entirely AI-generated worlds and characters Their "Season" project features AI virtual music artists based...
read Feb 24, 2025Protecting human intellectual property in the AI era
The entertainment industry is grappling with the impact of artificial intelligence on human creativity and content creation, particularly following the 2023 SAG strike. Now, a new study by the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers is predicting significant revenue losses for human creators due to AI competition. Key findings and projections: The European study estimates that AI will reduce human content creator revenues by 21-24% by 2028, representing approximately €22 billion in lost earnings. The research examined the impact across various creative fields, including music, literature, visual arts, and storytelling Experts anticipate that tech companies will be the...
read Feb 22, 2025AI takes center stage at HPA Tech Retreat as entertainment execs ponder future of industry
The Hollywood Professional Association's 2025 Tech Retreat in Palm Springs highlighted the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence in entertainment, coinciding with DNEG Group's acquisition of AI company Metaphysic through its Brahma AI division. The event showcased how AI tools are transforming visual effects, sound design, and creative workflows while raising important questions about industry jobs and skill development. Industry consolidation trends: The media and entertainment sector is experiencing significant convergence among AI companies, with implications for creative workflows and tool availability. I2A2 president Renard Jenkins highlighted potential challenges when favorite tools are acquired by companies that may restrict access or...
read Feb 21, 2025AI firm Stability and prominent board member James Cameron aim to take movie production to the next level
There are titanic shifts occurring at the intersection of film and AI. The intersection of artificial intelligence and filmmaking has reached a new milestone as Stability AI, a leading AI technology developer, positions itself to transform movie production processes. James Cameron, director of the Avatar franchise, serves on the company's board and is actively involved in shaping its direction in the entertainment industry. Strategic vision and leadership: Stability AI has assembled an impressive team of entertainment industry veterans to guide its development of AI tools for filmmaking. The company's board includes James Cameron, while Sean Parker (Napster co-founder) serves as...
read Feb 20, 2025AI production studio Asteria hires VFX veteran and ‘Star Wars’ alum Benjamin Lock
For animation studio Asteria, the hiring of a top visual effects master is now a lock. The emergence of artificial intelligence in film production is taking concrete form with Asteria, a generative AI film and animation studio founded in fall 2024 by Bryn Mooser. The studio combines traditional film expertise with AI technology development, aiming to reshape how movies and TV shows are produced. Latest Development: Visual effects veteran Benjamin Lock joins Asteria to spearhead AI-driven workflow development and contribute to the company's proprietary AI model development. Lock brings over two decades of experience from prestigious studios including Framestore, Aardman,...
read Feb 19, 2025AI transforms fan obsessions into profit for Fandom, linking lovers of ‘Avatar’ to ‘Lord of the Rings’
Lucky for us, there is not one AI to rule them all. The entertainment industry has long sought to understand and monetize fan behavior, with particular focus on younger generations who form deep emotional connections with media properties. Fandom, the world's largest wiki-based entertainment platform, has emerged as a key player in this space, leveraging its massive user base and content repository to help advertisers better understand and target devoted fans. The platform's evolution: Fandom has grown from its 2004 founding as Wikia into a digital powerhouse that hosts approximately 50 million pages of wiki content covering everything from major...
read Feb 19, 2025From patrons to platforms: AI sparks new era in Hollywood history
The film industry is experiencing a significant shift as traditional studio-backed moviemaking faces declining theater attendance and criticism for playing it safe with formulaic content. AI technology is emerging as a potential catalyst for independent filmmakers to bypass traditional studio systems and create innovative content. The current state of Hollywood: Traditional moviemaking in 2025 faces significant challenges with average film budgets ranging from $100 to $150 million and decreasing theater attendance. Marvel's recent Captain America film has received criticism for its overly cautious approach and lack of artistic vision The 2024 Academy Awards faced criticism for being "worse than bad"...
read Feb 19, 2025AI-generated comics faceplant against the likes of Marvel
Content marketing and digital media professionals have been closely monitoring AI's impact on creative industries, particularly in visual storytelling and entertainment. Pocket Entertainment's recent launch of Pocket Toons represents one of the first major attempts to use AI for end-to-end comic book creation. The core technology: Pocket Entertainment's proprietary AI system called Blaze! aims to automate the comic creation process by handling backgrounds, scenes, coloring, and quality control. The company claims their technology can produce comics 20 times faster and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional methods Blaze! is designed to handle both visual and narrative elements...
read Feb 19, 2025AI on the red carpet as Runway announces film festival jury for 3rd annual event
Runway, a prominent AI technology developer, continues to advance the intersection of artificial intelligence and filmmaking with its third annual AI Film Festival. The festival, which showcases AI-enhanced content, will feature screenings in New York and Los Angeles in June 2025. Event Details and Structure: The AI Film Festival will commence with a screening event in New York on June 5, followed by a Los Angeles showing on June 12. The festival represents a significant platform for showcasing how AI technology is being integrated into film and content creation Runway's co-founder and CEO Cristobal Valenzuela will serve as a key...
read Feb 13, 2025The ‘Netflix of AI’ has 50K people on its waitlist
The rapid evolution of AI-powered creative tools has led to new platforms that enable content creation without traditional production resources or technical skills. Showrunner, developed by Fable Studio, represents a significant advancement in AI-generated entertainment by allowing users to create personalized animated television episodes. Platform Overview: Showrunner positions itself as a Netflix-style platform where users can generate custom animated content through AI-driven tools and intuitive interfaces. The system allows users to create episodes ranging from 2 to 16 minutes in length, complete with AI-generated dialogue and voice acting Users guide the creative process by selecting genres and providing specific prompts...
read Feb 13, 2025Scarlett Johansson urges AI regulation after fake celebrity video spreads
The rise of AI-generated deepfake videos has created new challenges in combating hate speech and misinformation online. A recent incident involving Scarlett Johansson and other celebrities highlights the growing intersection of artificial intelligence, social media activism, and the fight against antisemitism. The incident in focus: An AI-generated video featuring Scarlett Johansson and other prominent Jewish celebrities responding to Kanye West's antisemitic remarks has sparked debate about AI regulation and content authenticity. The deepfake video showed Johansson and others wearing protest attire, set to the Jewish folk song "Hava Nagila" The video was created by Ori Bejerano, a self-described generative AI...
read Feb 12, 2025Scarlett Johansson condemns AI-generated viral video featuring fellow Hollywood celebs
The emergence of AI-generated deepfake videos has become a significant concern for celebrities and public figures, particularly when these videos are used to make political statements without consent. Recently, an unauthorized AI-generated video featuring fabricated versions of multiple Hollywood celebrities protesting against Kanye West's antisemitic statements has sparked controversy and raised important questions about AI regulation. Initial incident and response: A viral AI-generated video depicted several celebrities, including Scarlett Johansson, Jack Black, and Steven Spielberg, wearing protest shirts and making statements against antisemitism. The video showed AI versions of celebrities wearing t-shirts featuring the Star of David inside a hand...
read Feb 12, 2025‘Doomers’: The new play inspired by Sam Altman’s 2023 OpenAI ouster
The new play "Doomers" draws inspiration from Sam Altman's brief removal as CEO of OpenAI in 2023, exploring the tensions surrounding artificial intelligence in Silicon Valley. The production uniquely credits AI chatbots ChatGPT and Claude as dramaturgical collaborators in its creation. The production setup: Matthew Gasda directs this crisis-driven narrative that unfolds over a single night in San Francisco, centering on the aftermath of a tech CEO's dismissal from a company called MindMesh. The story focuses on Seth, the ousted CEO played by Sam Hyrkin, as he schemes to reclaim his position while his company's board grapples with the leadership...
read Feb 10, 2025ChatGPT Super Bowl ad made by humans eases AI fears (of ads not made by humans)
The Super Bowl LVIII marked OpenAI's first venture into Super Bowl advertising with a commercial for ChatGPT, reaching an estimated 130 million US viewers. The 60-second spot, costing approximately $14 million, used artistic animation to trace humanity's technological evolution. Creative approach and execution: The commercial, titled "The Intelligence Age," employed black-and-white pointillism-style animation to chronicle human innovation throughout history. Beginning with a single pulsing dot, the narrative progresses through pivotal inventions like fire, space exploration, and the internet, before culminating with artificial intelligence The entire commercial was created by human artists and designers, deliberately avoiding the use of AI tools...
read Feb 8, 2025Oscars may mandate AI disclosure for films after recent controversies
The Motion Picture Academy is actively exploring mandatory AI disclosure requirements for Oscar submissions following the use of AI technology in several high-profile films including "The Brutalist" and "Emilia Pérez." Current state of AI in film: The Academy currently provides an optional disclosure form for AI use but is investigating mandatory requirements for the 2026 Oscars rules. The Academy's SciTech Council is developing recommended language for the new requirements Visual Effects Society Awards has nominated several AI-based tools in their emerging technology category AI applications range from facial performance modification to voice enhancement and audio processing Notable implementations: Major films...
read Feb 7, 2025Simpson’s star Hank Azaria condemns AI voices replacing humans
Hank Azaria, veteran voice actor of "The Simpsons," has expressed concerns about artificial intelligence potentially replicating his numerous character voices from the show's 36-year run. Key concerns and context: Azaria, who has voiced iconic characters like Moe the bartender and Chief Wiggum since 1989, addressed the growing threat of AI voice replication in a New York Times piece. The actor has created over 100 distinct character voices during his tenure on "The Simpsons" With 36 years of recorded dialogue available, Azaria believes AI has substantial material to analyze and potentially replicate his performances His character Moe alone has expressed numerous...
read Feb 6, 2025OpenAI kicks off first Super Bowl ad amid AI marketing surge
OpenAI plans to air its first television commercial during the 2025 Super Bowl, marking a significant shift in the company's marketing strategy and following Google's similar AI-focused advertisement from the previous year. Major development: OpenAI's entry into mainstream advertising represents a strategic move to reach a massive global audience through America's most-watched sporting event. The commercial will air during Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on February 9, 2025 The company will pay approximately $8 million for a 30-second advertising slot, up from $7 million in 2024 The 2024 Super Bowl reached an estimated 210 million viewers,...
read Feb 5, 2025Marvel rebukes AI concerns in Fantastic Four poster
Marvel's recent release of promotional posters for "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" sparked controversy over suspected AI usage, leading to an official denial from the studio. The controversy explained: Social media users identified several irregularities in the promotional posters released alongside the film's teaser trailer. Fans spotted anatomical errors, including characters with four fingers Multiple instances of the same woman's face appeared across different posters The inconsistencies prompted immediate speculation about AI-generated artwork Official response: Marvel Studios took a firm stance against the AI speculation through an official statement to IndieWire. A studio spokesperson explicitly denied any AI involvement in...
read Feb 5, 2025Mediapro, Google partner to create AI tools for Spanish media and news professionals
Spanish broadcaster Mediapro and Google Cloud have expanded their partnership to develop generative AI solutions specifically for the media and entertainment industry. Partnership Overview: Mediapro and Google Cloud unveiled their enhanced collaboration at ISE 2025 in Barcelona, focusing on developing AI-powered creative tools and platforms. The partnership builds on their initial collaboration from 2023, which involved several proof-of-concept projects A new creativity lab will be established to develop specialized platforms for image and video generation The initiative brings together professionals from Mediapro's AI Center of Innovation and Google Cloud experts Key Development Plans: The collaboration's first major project will be...
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