News/Entertainment
Netflix to introduce AI-generated ads during streams by 2026
Netflix (home of hit, and relevant show, "Black Mirror") is rapidly expanding its advertising strategy with new AI-powered ad formats as streaming companies increasingly rely on ad-supported revenue models. The streaming giant's push into interactive mid-roll and pause advertisements reflects the industry's broader shift toward tiered pricing strategies that balance subscriber affordability with revenue diversification. These developments signal a fundamental transformation in how streaming platforms monetize content beyond traditional subscription fees. The big picture: Netflix announced plans to introduce interactive mid-roll ads and AI-powered pause ads beginning in 2026, following successful tests of pause advertisements that started in July 2024....
read May 15, 2025AI narration impresses on Audible, but human voices still reign
Audible's introduction of AI-powered narration technology represents a significant shift in audiobook production, creating tension between accessibility and artistic quality in digital storytelling. While this technology promises to transform millions of unrecorded books into accessible audio formats, it raises important questions about the value of human performance, the future of voice acting careers, and where automation should complement rather than replace human artistry in creative industries. The big picture: Audible is rolling out a fully integrated AI production pipeline that can auto-generate entire audiobooks with synthetic voices, targeting publishers looking for faster and cheaper alternatives to human narration. The technology...
read May 14, 2025Spoiler alert: AI-driven analysis reveals shift in Apple TV’s “Murderbot” narrative voice
Apple TV+'s adaptation of Martha Wells' beloved Murderbot series attempts to capture the wry humor and complex AI themes of the source material, but struggles with tone and characterization. The translation from page to screen reveals the challenges of adapting a character whose most compelling attributes—sardonic internal monologue and social awkwardness—are difficult to portray visually, especially when the books themselves resist conventional sci-fi hero narratives. The adaptation challenge: Apple TV+'s Murderbot series starring Alexander Skarsgård debuts with mixed results, struggling to translate what made the book series so beloved. The show attempts to portray a security robot (SecUnit) who hacked...
read May 13, 2025Web3 and AI entertainment fund launches with $20M at Cannes
A $20 million investment partnership between Goldfinch and Digital Genesis Fund marks a significant push toward integrating Web3 and AI technologies in entertainment production. This Cannes-launched venture represents a strategic bet on decentralized technologies fundamentally reshaping how media content is funded, created, and distributed—potentially giving creators more autonomy while offering investors unprecedented transparency into project performance. The big picture: British film financier Goldfinch has joined forces with Luxembourg's Digital Genesis Fund to create a $20 million investment initiative focused on Web3 and AI-powered entertainment studios. The partnership aims to revolutionize traditional media production by integrating tokenization, artificial intelligence, and decentralized...
read May 13, 2025Netflix leans into AI to help you find what to watch faster
Netflix is revolutionizing its TV app experience with a major redesign focused on improved discovery and personalization. The overhaul represents the streaming giant's most significant interface update in years, addressing navigation challenges while leveraging AI to enhance content discovery. These changes arrive as streaming services increasingly compete on user experience and recommendation quality to retain subscribers in an increasingly crowded market. The big picture: Netflix is launching a completely redesigned TV app experience that puts content front and center with a streamlined, modern interface. The new design features a prominent top navigation bar replacing the current sidebar, with dedicated sections...
read May 12, 2025Amazon bets on AI to improve the relevancy of ads shown when you pause
Amazon's new AI-powered pause ads represent a significant evolution in streaming advertising technology, enabling contextually relevant commercials that respond directly to the content being viewed. This development marks a strategic shift in how streaming platforms monetize content without disrupting the traditional viewing experience, potentially creating more engaging advertising that viewers might perceive as extensions of the entertainment rather than unwanted interruptions. The big picture: Amazon is enhancing pause ads with artificial intelligence that can analyze what viewers are watching and dynamically generate contextually relevant advertisements when users halt their streams. The technology aims to create advertising that naturally aligns with...
read May 10, 2025Elton John and Dua Lipa join chorus demanding AI transparency and fair use
Over 400 prominent British artists, including Sir Elton John, Dua Lipa, and Kazuo Ishiguro, have mobilized to demand stronger copyright protections against AI usage of their creative works. Their letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer highlights a growing tension between creative industries and AI development, as artists seek transparency and licensing control over how their intellectual property is used to train AI models. This confrontation represents a critical battleground in defining how creative works will be valued and protected in an increasingly AI-driven economy. The big picture: Hundreds of British creative professionals are urging the prime minister to update copyright...
read May 9, 2025AI transforms romance writing: 8 ways to butter it up
Generative AI is transforming the romance writing landscape, offering tools that can analyze, create, and personalize romantic narratives for a substantial market dominated by female readers. This technological development intersects with cultural norms while opening new creative and commercial possibilities in a genre that generates over $1.44 billion in revenue. Understanding how AI can craft emotionally satisfying love stories with optimistic endings could reshape how romance content is produced and consumed. 8 Ways to Use Generative AI for Romance Stories 1. Screening published novels AI can analyze existing romance novels to help readers find stories that match their preferences and...
read May 8, 2025Netflix redesign sparks user backlash on social media
Netflix is radically transforming its user interface across TV and mobile platforms, shifting toward a more algorithm-driven content discovery system that prioritizes visual impact and personalization. The redesign represents one of the streaming giant's most significant interface overhauls in years, arriving at a time when competition for viewer attention has never been fiercer. Early user reactions suggest Netflix may face resistance to changes that alter familiar navigation patterns, particularly the decision to relocate genre-specific browsing options away from the main screen. The big picture: Netflix has unveiled a major redesign of its TV interface alongside experimental AI-powered features for mobile...
read May 7, 2025Netflix launches AI search and TikTok-style redesign
Netflix is reinventing its user interface with AI-driven features and a design that better accommodates its expanding content offerings beyond traditional shows and movies. The overhaul, the largest in over a decade, introduces conversational AI search capabilities, vertical video scrolling for mobile users, and improved infrastructure for live events and sports. This redesign positions the streaming giant to compete more effectively against attention-grabbing platforms like TikTok while supporting Netflix's strategic expansion into gaming, live programming, and sports content. The big picture: Netflix's redesign represents its most significant user experience update in more than a decade, fundamentally reimagining how viewers discover...
read May 7, 2025AI revives Jim Fagan’s voice for NBC’s NBA comeback
NBC Sports is reviving a voice from its basketball broadcasting past through AI technology, setting the stage for its NBA comeback after more than two decades. The network announced it will use an AI-generated voice of the late Jim Fagan, who died in 2017, for its NBA coverage beginning in October 2025 when NBC's new 11-year media rights deal takes effect. This nostalgic move aims to recreate the iconic sound that defined NBC's NBA coverage during the Jordan-era 1990s, while raising questions about how networks will blend tradition with technology in sports broadcasting. The big picture: NBC Sports is employing...
read May 6, 2025Console-driven conflicts: Video game firms make final AI offer to SAG-AFTRA amid strike
The video game industry standoff over AI usage has reached a critical juncture as major game companies submit their "final offer" to SAG-AFTRA after nearly 300 days of strike action. This AI-focused dispute represents a significant battleground for performer rights in the digital age, with implications that could reshape how creative professionals are compensated when their likenesses and performances are replicated through artificial intelligence technologies. The big picture: Major video game companies have issued what they call their "final offer" to SAG-AFTRA as the voice and motion capture performers' strike approaches its 300-day mark. The work stoppage, which began July...
read May 3, 2025Sci-fi community condemns Worldcon 2025 for using AI to choose panelists
Science fiction's premier convention Worldcon faces intense backlash after revealing it used AI to help select panelists for its 2025 event. The controversy highlights growing tension between technological efficiency and human curation in creative communities, particularly within science fiction circles where AI ethics and impacts are frequent narrative themes. The big picture: Worldcon organizers admitted using ChatGPT to vet over 1,300 panelist applications for Seattle Worldcon 2025, triggering widespread criticism from the science fiction community. The convention, running since 1939 and home to the prestigious Hugo Awards, explained they implemented the AI system to automate time-consuming online searches during the...
read May 2, 2025Viewers Also Watched: AI-powered Kernel simplifies movie discovery and streaming
Kernel AI transforms movie discovery by enabling users to find content through simple descriptions, streamlining the often frustrating process of remembering film titles. This practical application stands out in a landscape where many companies add AI features without clear purpose, as Kernel's implementation serves a specific need for streaming service subscribers who struggle to recall movie names but can describe plots or scenes. The app's direct integration with streaming platforms further simplifies the viewing experience by reducing multiple steps into a single click. The big picture: Kernel's latest update introduces an AI-powered search feature that helps users find movies and...
read May 1, 2025Novel idea: BBC Studios offers AI Agatha Christie writing course
BBC Studios is resurrecting Agatha Christie through AI technology, creating a digital likeness of the renowned mystery author for an educational series on crime novel writing. This unprecedented use of deepfake technology for creative education raises intriguing questions about digital resurrection for educational purposes, blending human expertise with AI to preserve the wisdom of literary masters who are no longer with us. The big picture: BBC Studios has launched an AI-recreated version of mystery writer Agatha Christie to teach aspiring authors how to craft crime novels through its online education platform. The digital recreation combines the performance of actor Vivien...
read Apr 30, 2025Cleaning up: AI-powered denoisers win Academy Sci-Tech Awards
The Academy Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony is spotlighting significant behind-the-scenes innovations transforming Hollywood's technical landscape. These awards recognize 37 recipients for 14 achievements spanning crucial film production technologies—from enhanced fire stunt safety systems to machine learning denoisers that streamline rendering processes. The recognition comes as the Academy also establishes new guidelines for human creative authorship in the era of Generative AI, highlighting the evolving relationship between technological innovation and traditional filmmaking craftsmanship. The big picture: The 2025 Scientific and Technical Awards will honor innovations across multiple film production disciplines that directly enhance creative possibilities and improve on-set safety protocols....
read Apr 29, 2025Jon M. Chu believes human creativity will outlast AI
Filmmaker Jon M. Chu's criticism of AI in Hollywood highlights a growing tension between technology and creative industries. The director of blockbusters like "Wicked" and "Crazy Rich Asians" has taken a strong stance against what he views as unethical AI training practices that have commandeered copyrighted entertainment content without proper authorization. Despite his concerns, Chu maintains optimism about human creativity's enduring value in an increasingly AI-driven world, representing the complex relationship many entertainment professionals have with emerging technologies. The big picture: Despite his Silicon Valley upbringing and comfort with technology, Jon M. Chu believes AI companies committed an "original sin"...
read Apr 27, 2025Netflix AI upscaling of ‘A Different World’ sparks controversy
Netflix's addition of "A Different World" has spotlighted the darker side of AI upscaling technology, as viewers encounter distorted faces, illegible text, and bizarrely misshapen elements in what should be a nostalgic viewing experience. This case highlights the growing tension between streaming platforms' rush to modernize classic content and the technical limitations of current AI upscaling techniques, raising important questions about quality control and viewer experience in the streaming era. The big picture: Netflix's version of the 1980s sitcom "A Different World" is suffering from apparent AI upscaling issues that dramatically degrade the viewing experience. Viewers have reported nightmarish distortions...
read Apr 26, 2025Celine Dion’s team slams unauthorized AI-generated music
Celine Dion's team has taken a public stand against AI-generated music falsely attributed to the legendary singer, highlighting the growing challenge performers face in protecting their artistry in the age of artificial intelligence. Despite her ongoing battle with Stiff Person Syndrome, which has limited her recording and touring activity since 2022, Dion has made several high-profile appearances showcasing her enduring vocal talent, making the unauthorized AI replications particularly concerning for her team and fans. The warning: Dion's representatives issued a formal statement on Instagram addressing unauthorized AI-generated songs circulating online that falsely claim to feature the singer's voice. "These recordings...
read Apr 26, 2025Selling your face to AI could cost more than you think
Actors are increasingly feeling the consequences of selling their likenesses for AI-generated videos, as companies use these digital replicas in ways that can damage reputations or promote questionable content. This emerging trend highlights the tensions between quick cash opportunities for struggling performers and the long-term implications of losing control over how their image appears across digital media. The big picture: Actor complaints about misused AI likenesses reveal a growing problem as the technology becomes more sophisticated and financially lucrative for companies. Adam Coy, a 29-year-old New York actor, licensed his face and voice to MCM for just $1,000, only to...
read Apr 26, 2025South Korea’s webcomics industry blends tradition with AI-driven innovation
South Korea's webcomics industry is witnessing a creative transformation as generative AI becomes integrated into the production process. Legendary cartoonist Lee Hyun-se exemplifies this shift—while maintaining his artistic integrity, he's leveraging AI to extend the legacy of his iconic characters. This evolution marks a significant turning point for an industry that has already successfully transitioned from print magazines to digital platforms, now commanding a global audience of hundreds of millions of readers. The big picture: Established South Korean cartoonists are experimenting with AI tools to enhance their storytelling capabilities while preserving their artistic voice. Lee Hyun-se, creator of the 1983...
read Apr 24, 2025AI-generated films now eligible for Oscar awards in technology-neutral decision
The Oscar stage has opened its doors to AI-generated cinema, marking a significant shift in how the film industry views artificial intelligence as a creative tool. This decision mirrors similar acceptance in the music industry, where AI-assisted works can already win Grammy Awards, and signals Hollywood's evolving relationship with generative technology as it balances innovation with preserving human creative authorship. The big picture: The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced that films utilizing generative AI will now be eligible for Oscar nominations, with a crucial caveat about human creativity. The Academy stated that AI tools "neither help nor...
read Apr 23, 2025AI-powered ‘Baby Invasion’ game features unsettling infant faces
Harmony Korine's latest project "Baby Invasion" pushes the boundaries between film and video games, marking a significant evolution in his experimental multimedia approach. The FPS game/film hybrid, created through his EDGLRD design collective, represents a growing trend of filmmakers using gaming engines and AI technology to challenge traditional cinematic formats. The project's deliberately provocative aesthetic and disregard for audience expectations reinforces Korine's position as one of contemporary art's most divisive and boundary-pushing creators. The big picture: "Baby Invasion" premiered at the 2024 Venice Film Festival as an ultra-realistic multiplayer FPS experience featuring mercenaries who use baby-faced avatars to conceal their...
read Apr 19, 2025LG unveils 2025 OLED evo G5 and C5 AI TVs with pre-order deals
LG has launched its highly anticipated 2025 OLED evo TV lineup for pre-order, featuring significant upgrades in both the premium G5 and mid-tier C5 series. These new models represent the latest evolution in LG's OLED technology, offering enhanced brightness, advanced AI processing, and specialized gaming features that position them at the forefront of the high-end television market. The big picture: LG's new OLED evo models introduce substantial improvements over previous generations, with the G5 boasting a 45% brightness increase compared to last year's G4. Both series feature "Perfect Black" and "Perfect Color" Certifications, continuing OLED's reputation for exceptional contrast and...
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