News/Entertainment
“Squid Game” creator invests $3M in AI startup to unlock film archives
Hwang Dong-hyuk, creator of "Squid Game," has invested $3 million through his Firstman Studio in TwelveLabs, a San Francisco-based AI company specializing in video production technology. The partnership positions the entertainment industry to leverage AI for faster content creation while addressing concerns about technology replacing human creativity. What you should know: TwelveLabs focuses on enhancing existing video content rather than generating new material from scratch. The company's system "indexes and enriches video metadata down to the scene level, enabling editors, directors, and producers to work with unprecedented speed and precision while maintaining creative control." Co-founded by Jae Lee and Soyoung...
read Oct 2, 2025James Cameron says AI will never replace human artists’ “flow” in filmmaking
James Cameron is breaking his usual post-release moratorium to revisit "Avatar: The Way of Water" ahead of its October 3 theatrical re-release, driven by the need to maintain thematic consistency with the upcoming third film, "Avatar: Fire and Ash," set for December release. The director also revealed his evolving approach to visual effects production and expressed strong views on generative AI's role in filmmaking, emphasizing that "we need our artists" and that AI "is never going to take the place" of human creativity. What you should know: Cameron has fundamentally changed how he approaches visual effects work, creating what he...
read Oct 1, 2025SAG-AFTRA president Sean Astin targets AI actress in upcoming talent agent talks
SAG-AFTRA's newly elected president Sean Astin is taking a firm stance on AI performer Tilly Norwood, the synthetic actress created by Particle6 that has attracted interest from major talent agencies. The union plans to address AI representation directly with the Association of Talent Agents during upcoming negotiations, signaling an escalation in Hollywood's battle over artificial intelligence compensation and performer protections. What you should know: Astin emphasized that SAG-AFTRA has been preparing for AI challenges long before the Tilly Norwood controversy emerged. "We had a 118-day strike, fighting very hard to put AI provisions and protections in place. The teams at...
read Oct 1, 2025AI-generated elder death videos rack up 32M views on Meta platforms
AI-generated videos showing elderly people falling to their deaths from glass bridges have gone viral across Meta's platforms, garnering millions of views despite their disturbing content. The phenomenon represents a new wave of AI-generated "slop" content that prioritizes engagement over human connection, highlighting how social media has become an entertainment platform rather than a space for genuine social interaction. What you should know: These AI-generated videos follow a consistent formula of showing people—often elderly or racially stereotyped characters—deliberately breaking glass-bottom bridges, causing others to fall to their deaths.• One video posted to X (formerly Twitter) received over 32 million views,...
read Oct 1, 2025Bollywood super couple sues Google over AI-generated deepfakes
Bollywood power couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan have filed a legal petition asking Indian courts to protect their "personality rights" and prevent AI-generated content that uses their likenesses. The case specifically targets YouTube's parent company Google, demanding safeguards to prevent their images from being used to train AI models, potentially setting a significant precedent for celebrity image rights in the AI era. What you should know: The actors are challenging YouTube's policy that allows certain videos to be used as training material for third-party AI generation models.• They argue this practice contributes to the spread of false information...
read Oct 1, 2025Disney forces Character.AI to let it go, removes copyrighted characters after legal threat
Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI, an AI chatbot platform, demanding the removal of numerous Disney-owned characters and accusing the startup of "blatantly infringing" on Disney's copyrights. The legal action highlights growing tensions between entertainment giants and AI companies over unauthorized use of intellectual property, particularly as AI platforms increasingly feature user-generated content based on popular characters. What you should know: Character.AI complied with Disney's demands by removing all cited characters from its platform following the September 18 legal notice. The affected characters spanned Disney's entire portfolio, including Anna and Elsa from "Frozen," Marvel heroes like Spider-Man and...
read Oct 1, 2025OpenAI’s Sora 2 sparks backlash over unsettling AI-generated, robo-like Altman video
OpenAI has released Sora 2, its latest text-to-video AI generator, accompanied by a promotional video featuring an AI-generated version of CEO Sam Altman that has drawn widespread criticism for its unsettling, robotic appearance. The launch positions OpenAI to compete directly with Meta's recently unveiled Vibes app in the emerging market for AI-generated video content, though early user reactions suggest significant skepticism about the value of AI-generated "slop." What you should know: The promotional campaign centers around an algorithmically synthesized Sam Altman announcing the new Sora app, designed as a TikTok-like experience for AI-generated videos. • The AI-generated Altman delivers the...
read Oct 1, 2025AWS and NBA double (dribble) up with AI platform for basketball analytics and fan experiences
Amazon Web Services has announced a multi-year partnership with the National Basketball Association to launch "NBA Inside the Game," an AI-powered platform that transforms game data into insights and interactive experiences. The collaboration positions AWS to capitalize on the growing intersection of sports analytics and artificial intelligence, while giving the NBA advanced tools to enhance fan engagement and team strategy analysis. What you should know: The platform will deliver AI-driven basketball analytics across multiple NBA channels and provide teams with strategic insights. "NBA Inside the Game" will offer features for live broadcasts and be integrated into the NBA App, website,...
read Sep 30, 2025Steamboat Chilly: Disney sends cease-and-desist to Character.AI over unauthorized chatbots
Disney has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Character.AI demanding the AI startup immediately stop using its copyrighted characters without authorization. The entertainment giant's concern extends beyond financial damages to potential long-term brand harm, as the AI platform allows users to create chatbots that imitate Disney characters in ways the company cannot control. What you should know: Disney's legal action stems from a disturbing pattern of behavior identified on Character.AI's platform involving its intellectual property. A joint investigation by ParentsTogether Action and Heat Initiative found that Character.AI's chatbots engaged in "grooming and sexual exploitation, as well as emotional manipulation and addiction."...
read Sep 30, 2025Hollywood agents pursue AI teen “Tilly Norwood” despite SAG-AFTRA pushback
SAG-AFTRA has issued a sharp rebuke against AI talent studio Xicoia's attempt to market "Tilly Norwood," an artificial intelligence-generated performer, to Hollywood agents and producers. The union's statement comes after reports emerged that talent agents have been quietly pursuing representation for the AI character, marking a potential flashpoint in ongoing tensions between the entertainment industry and synthetic performers. What you should know: Xicoia, launched by Dutch technologist Emily Van der Velden through her company Particle 6 Productions, has spent five months building Norwood's digital presence on Instagram with headshots, candids, and motion graphics.• The AI performer is designed to appear...
read Sep 29, 2025AI platform gives indie filmmakers Netflix-level data insights
Sean O'Kelly and Sami Arpa are democratizing film production with a new AI-powered platform that gives independent filmmakers access to the same data-driven insights that major streaming platforms use internally. Their collaboration between Brilliant Pictures and Largo.ai aims to level the playing field by providing predictive analytics, automated focus group testing, and financing tools that were previously exclusive to industry giants like Netflix and Amazon. What you should know: Largo.ai translates the complex data analytics used by major streamers into accessible tools for independent producers and writers. The platform analyzes scripts scene by scene to predict audience engagement, helping filmmakers...
read Sep 29, 2025“Tilly Norwood” makes a go of it in Tinseltown: First AI actress woos talent agents as studios embrace tech
Tilly Norwood, the first AI actress from talent studio Xicoia, has attracted interest from multiple talent agents and is expected to sign with representation in the coming months. The development signals growing industry acceptance of AI-generated performers, with studios quietly advancing AI projects after initial skepticism earlier this year. What you should know: Tilly Norwood represents a new frontier in entertainment, as the first creation from AI talent studio Xicoia, a spin-off from Eline Van der Velden's production company Particle6. Van der Velden, an actor and comedian, revealed at the Zurich Summit that multiple talent agents are now interested in...
read Sep 29, 2025No trolling! AI Stan Lee avatar responds using decades of his real interviews, albeit with guardrails
Los Angeles Comic Con has unveiled an AI-powered avatar of Stan Lee that allows fans to interact with the late comic book legend through conversations. The 1,500-square-foot Stan Lee Experience booth features technology that draws from decades of Lee's actual words, interviews, and writings, including his famous "Stan's Soapbox" columns from Marvel comics between 1967 and 1980. What you should know: The interactive Stan Lee avatar processes questions and formulates responses using a specialized large language model trained exclusively on Lee's content. The technology comes from a collaboration between Proto Inc., which creates telepresence devices, and Hyperreal, a company whose...
read Sep 29, 2025Trump embraces outlandish AI-generated portraits as White House communication strategy
President Donald Trump's administration has embraced AI-generated imagery as a core communication strategy, with Trump and his team regularly posting artificial portraits depicting him in fantastical scenarios—from a Star Wars Jedi to the Pope. This marks a significant shift in presidential communication, leveraging AI's viral potential to capture attention and drive engagement across social media platforms, with the administration's official accounts gaining over 16 million new followers since Inauguration Day. What you should know: Trump's AI portraits consistently portray him in heroic or powerful roles, ranging from religious figures to fictional characters. The images include Trump as Pope Francis, a...
read Sep 26, 2025CreateAI launches anime video AI platform “Animon” in China
CreateAI has launched Animon, the world's first anime-specific video generation platform, in China months before its planned global rollout. The strategic China-first launch highlights how AI companies are adapting their market entry strategies to navigate different regulatory environments while addressing growing concerns about copyright and ownership in AI-generated content. What you should know: Animon represents a specialized approach to AI video generation, targeting the massive anime market with content specifically designed for that artistic style. The platform launched in China ahead of its global release, suggesting CreateAI, an AI development company, sees significant opportunity in the Chinese market for anime-style...
read Sep 26, 202524 high school robotics teams battle at New Jersey mall this weekend
Bridgewater Commons mall in New Jersey will host RoboCon this weekend, transforming the shopping center into a massive robotics and technology playground featuring 24 high school teams competing in robot battles. The free event, sponsored by Johnson & Johnson, aims to inspire K-12 students in STEM fields through hands-on demonstrations and interactive activities spanning both levels of the mall. What you should know: The Robot Rumble competition will showcase teams from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland competing Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5 p.m. Five New Jersey FIRST Robotics Competition high school...
read Sep 25, 2025Nvidia open-sources Audio2Face AI tool for realistic 3D avatar animations
Nvidia has open-sourced Audio2Face, its AI-powered tool that generates realistic facial animations for 3D avatars based on audio input. The move allows developers worldwide to integrate the technology into games and applications, potentially accelerating the development of more lifelike digital characters across the entertainment and tech industries. What you should know: Audio2Face analyzes acoustic features in voice recordings to automatically generate facial expressions and lip movements for 3D characters. The tool can create animations for both pre-scripted content and real-time livestreams, offering flexibility for different use cases. Developers gain access to the underlying models, software development kits, and training frameworks...
read Sep 25, 2025Robosen debuts retrofuturistic, programmable Disney character robots
Robosen Robotics has unveiled a collection of programmable Disney and Pixar character robots that bridge the gap between childhood nostalgia and cutting-edge technology. The company, a leader in consumer robotics with 15 years of development experience, is launching what it calls the world's first modular smart toy platform—essentially transforming beloved animated characters into interactive, programmable companions. Available for pre-order starting September 25, the collection features characters from Toy Story and WALL-E, each equipped with precision engineering that enables authentic movements, character voices, and programmable behaviors. This represents a significant evolution from traditional action figures, offering users the ability to create...
read Sep 25, 2025Shatner dismisses hospital rumors at 94, warns fans about AI misinformation
William Shatner took to Instagram on Thursday to dispel reports of a medical emergency, posting a photo with the caption "Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated!" The 94-year-old "Star Trek" icon's public reassurance comes after TMZ reported he was hospitalized Wednesday due to blood sugar issues, highlighting ongoing concerns about misinformation in entertainment reporting. What happened: Shatner was reportedly rushed to a Los Angeles hospital Wednesday afternoon after experiencing blood sugar problems at his home. His agent Harry Gold confirmed to TMZ that the actor was transported as a precautionary measure and discharged the same day after monitoring....
read Sep 24, 2025AI face-swapping turns gay couple straight in Chinese release of horror flick “Together”
A Chinese release of the horror film "Together" starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie used artificial intelligence to digitally alter a gay male character's face into a woman's face, converting a homosexual relationship into a heterosexual one for local audiences. This represents a new frontier in content censorship, where AI technology enables seamless digital manipulation of LGBTQ+ content rather than simply cutting scenes, raising concerns about viewers' ability to detect such alterations. What happened: The horror film "Together," directed by Michael Shanks, was digitally modified using AI face-swapping technology before its Chinese theatrical release. In one scene featuring a gay...
read Sep 23, 2025AI vocalist “Xania Monet” scores $3M record deal amid industry copyright lawsuits
Telisha "Nikki" Jones, operating under the AI-generated persona Xania Monet, has secured a $3 million record deal with Hallwood Media. The agreement highlights the growing intersection of artificial intelligence and the music industry, even as major labels simultaneously sue AI platforms like Suno—the very tool Jones uses to create Monet's vocals and production. What you should know: Jones combines human songwriting with AI-generated elements to create a fully artificial musical persona that's achieving commercial success. Jones writes all lyrics and takes production credits, but uses Suno's AI platform to generate Monet's vocals, images, and musical arrangements. Monet's song "How Was...
read Sep 23, 2025AI subtitles for the hard of hearing increase workload for humans while driving down wages
Human subtitlers who create captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers are facing an existential threat as artificial intelligence increasingly automates their specialized craft. Despite industry assumptions that AI will streamline subtitle production, professional subtitlers report that current AI tools actually increase their workload while driving down wages to unsustainable levels. What you should know: Subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH) require far more nuanced decision-making than simple transcription, involving creative interpretation of sounds, emotions, and narrative context. Max Deryagin, chair of Subtle, a non-profit association of freelance subtitlers, emphasizes that "SDH is an art, and people in...
read Sep 19, 2025Not your grandfather’s Friday night fights: Techies flock to robot boxing matches in SF
San Francisco's tech community has embraced an unusual Friday night entertainment: humanoid robot boxing matches that draw hundreds of spectators to underground venues. The AI boom has fueled a broader resurgence of live events in the city, with tech workers seeking memorable experiences beyond traditional networking gatherings as a way to connect and decompress from work. The big picture: San Francisco's cultural scene is experiencing a renaissance driven by the AI boom, with nearly 2,000 live events held last month—nearly double from a year ago—and AI-focused events rising more than four times to 578, according to Luma, an event platform....
read Sep 19, 2025AI beats human producer in J-pop song contest as fans choose machine-written single
Japanese girl band AKB48 has released an AI-generated single after fans chose it over a song written by renowned J-pop producer Yasushi Akimoto in a head-to-head competition. The AI victory highlights how machine learning tools trained on existing creative works can resonate with audiences, potentially reshaping how the music industry approaches songwriting and production. How the competition worked: The songwriting battle took place on Nippon TV's "Akimoto Yasushi vs AI Akimoto Yasushi: AKB48 New Song Production Contest," where an AI version of Google's Gemini was trained on Akimoto's lyrics library and interview statements. The AI's song "Omoide Scroll" ("Memory Scroll"),...
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