News/Video
AI video tools undermine the specialness of Hollywood as production costs tumble 95%
Hollywood is confronting an existential shift as AI-powered video generation tools like Luma's Dream Machine and Moonvalley enable anyone to create cinema-quality content from simple text prompts. Companies like Luma AI are developing technology that can transform a person into a monkey with a few taps, while startups are building AI-native studios that slash production costs by up to 95%, fundamentally challenging Hollywood's role as the gatekeeper of professional filmmaking. The big picture: Silicon Valley is pulling the film industry into its orbit as generative AI threatens to flood the market with personalized, on-demand content that could make traditional Hollywood...
read Aug 7, 2025xAI makes Grok video generator free as OpenAI launches GPT-5
Elon Musk's xAI has made its Grok Imagine video generation tool free for all users, marking a strategic move to counter OpenAI's recent GPT-5 upgrade to ChatGPT. The decision positions xAI as one of the few companies offering publicly accessible image-to-video AI generation at no cost, potentially expanding its user base while competing directly with OpenAI's premium offerings. What you should know: Grok Imagine transforms static images into short videos using generative AI technology. Users can either generate new images or upload existing ones through the Grok app on iOS and Android. The tool then presents a simple button to...
read Aug 5, 2025Google’s Genie 3 takes users to new dimensions with interactive 3D worlds from text prompts
Google's DeepMind has unveiled Genie 3, an AI model that can generate interactive 3D worlds from simple text prompts, allowing users to navigate environments with mouse and keyboard controls. This represents a significant leap toward AI-generated video games, with the technology capable of maintaining visual consistency for several minutes while responding to user actions and real-time prompt modifications. Key improvements over Genie 2: The latest version delivers substantial upgrades from its December predecessor, which was limited to 360p resolution and 10-20 second interactions. Genie 3 now operates at 720p resolution with extended interaction periods lasting several minutes. Users can perform...
read Aug 5, 2025Grok launches AI video generator with controversial adult content mode
Elon Musk's Grok app has launched "Grok Imagine," an AI image and video generator that includes a controversial "Spicy" mode for creating adult content. The feature allows users to generate 15-second AI videos and images from text prompts, marking another step in Musk's push to differentiate his AI platform with fewer content restrictions than competitors. What you should know: Grok Imagine is currently available on mobile devices and generates content remarkably quickly, providing multiple results for each prompt. Users can create AI images from text descriptions or upload existing images to convert into short video clips. The tool offers four...
read Aug 5, 2025YouTube Premium’s AI skip feature lets viewers bypass sponsor segments
YouTube's AI-powered "Jump Ahead" feature is now rolling out more widely to Android TV users with Premium subscriptions, allowing viewers to automatically skip commonly skipped video sections like sponsor segments. The feature leverages collective viewer behavior data to identify and jump over portions that other users typically skip, streamlining the viewing experience on television platforms. How it works: The Jump Ahead feature operates differently on Android TV compared to desktop and mobile versions, requiring specific remote control interactions. On TV, users scrub forward through the timeline to see an upper-right toast message, then tap again to activate the "Jumping over...
read Aug 4, 2025New detector spots deepfakes beyond face-swaps with 99% accuracy
Researchers at UC Riverside have developed a "universal" deepfake detector that achieved record-breaking accuracy rates of 95-99% across multiple types of AI-manipulated videos. Unlike existing tools that focus primarily on face-swap detection, this new system can identify completely synthetic videos, background manipulations, and even realistic video game footage that might be mistaken for real content. What you should know: The detector represents a significant breakthrough in combating the growing threat of synthetic media across various applications. It monitors multiple background elements and facial features simultaneously, spotting subtle spatial and temporal inconsistencies that reveal AI manipulation. The system can detect inconsistent...
read Aug 4, 2025Google mocks Apple’s year-long Siri AI delay in new Pixel 10 ad
Google has launched a new Pixel 10 advertisement that directly mocks Apple's delayed Siri AI upgrade, highlighting how Apple Intelligence features promised nearly a year ago still haven't been delivered. The 30-second spot capitalizes on Apple's ongoing struggles with its AI-powered Siri improvements, which were originally promised alongside the iPhone 16 launch but have faced significant technical delays. What you should know: Google's ad targets Apple's unfulfilled AI promises with pointed messaging about waiting for features that never arrive. The narrator suggests users could "just change your phone" if they bought "a new phone because of a feature that's coming...
read Aug 1, 2025Fal builds generative media cloud to solve AI’s speed problem
Fal has built a generative media cloud platform optimized for speed and performance in AI inference, particularly for image, video, and audio models. The company's approach emerged from necessity during the AI infrastructure crunch, when the founding team had to engineer creative solutions around limited GPU capacity to deliver fast, reliable AI model inference. What you should know: Fal positions itself as more than just an inference platform, branding their service as a "generative media cloud" that prioritizes user experience alongside technical performance. The platform specializes in image, video, and audio model inference, addressing the common frustration users face with...
read Jul 30, 2025YouTube’s AI will now detect teen users and apply safety protections
YouTube is implementing AI-powered age verification to automatically identify teen users and apply age-appropriate protections across its platform. The machine learning system will analyze account signals including longevity, search patterns, and viewing habits to determine whether users are over or under 18, then automatically enable safeguards like disabling personalized ads and limiting repetitive content recommendations. What you should know: YouTube's AI age verification system represents a shift from manual age reporting to automated detection based on user behavior patterns. The AI will interpret "a variety of signals" including account age, types of videos searched, and viewing categories to make age...
read Jul 29, 2025Google expands AI Mode with 4 major features including video support
Google is expanding its AI Mode with four major features, including video capabilities for Search Live, a new Canvas planning tool, PDF upload support, and integration with Google Lens on desktop Chrome. These updates position Google's AI search experience as a more comprehensive workspace for research, planning, and document analysis, directly competing with ChatGPT's similar features. What you should know: AI Mode will soon support file uploads beyond just text and images, allowing users to upload PDFs and ask detailed questions about documents.• Uploaded files will be analyzed and cross-referenced with relevant web information, rolling out to stable in the...
read Jul 29, 2025Google’s NotebookLM adds video overviews with AI-generated slideshows
Google's NotebookLM has launched Video Overviews, a new AI feature that creates narrated slideshows from users' saved documents. The addition gives users a visual alternative to the platform's existing Audio Overviews, helping make complex information more accessible through AI-generated visuals combined with content from uploaded materials. What you should know: Video Overviews transforms documents into visual presentations with AI-generated narration and graphics. The AI host creates new visuals to illustrate key points while incorporating images, diagrams, quotes, and numbers directly from user documents. Google describes the feature as "uniquely effective for explaining data, demonstrating processes and making abstract concepts more...
read Jul 29, 2025User reviews spring (roll) to life as Yelp launches AI-generated restaurant videos using submitted pics
Yelp has launched AI-generated videos that automatically compile user-posted photos and videos into short promotional content about restaurants and businesses. The feature, now available nationwide on Yelp's iOS app, uses multiple AI tools to create scripted voiceovers and captions that tell compelling stories based on user reviews, representing a significant shift toward automated content creation in local business discovery. How it works: Yelp combines several AI technologies to create finished videos from user-generated content. OpenAI's large language models write text descriptions and narrator scripts, organize story topics, and handle proofreading tasks. ElevenLabs generates the AI narrator's voice, while Amazon Transcribe...
read Jul 28, 2025Stealth mode, indeed: Meta sued for torrenting 2,396 adult videos to train AI
Adult entertainment company Strike 3 Holdings has filed a lawsuit alleging that Meta pirated and distributed pornographic content for years to accelerate AI training data downloads through BitTorrent networks. The lawsuit claims Meta used a "tit-for-tat" strategy of seeding popular adult videos to gain faster access to massive datasets, potentially exposing minors to explicit content without age verification while hiding its piracy activities through stealth networks. What you should know: Strike 3 Holdings alleges Meta has been torrenting and seeding copyrighted adult videos since at least 2018 as part of its AI training data collection strategy.• The company claims to...
read Jul 25, 2025Apple shares workshop videos on responsible AI development and accessibility
Apple has released video recordings from its 2024 Workshop on Human-Centered Machine Learning, showcasing the company's commitment to responsible AI development and accessibility-focused research. The nearly three hours of content, originally presented in August 2024, features presentations from Apple researchers and academic experts exploring model interpretability, accessibility, and strategies to prevent negative AI outcomes. What you should know: The workshop videos cover eight specialized topics ranging from user interface improvements to accessibility innovations for people with disabilities. • Topics include "Engineering Better UIs via Collaboration with Screen-Aware Foundation Models" by Kevin Moran from the University of Central Florida and "Speech...
read Jul 24, 2025Sora vs. Veo 3, Fight! OpenAI readies Sora 2 with audio to challenge Google
OpenAI is reportedly preparing to release Sora 2, the next iteration of its text-to-video AI model, setting up a direct confrontation with Google's Veo 3 model. This battle represents more than just visual quality—it's about creating complete audiovisual experiences that could define the future of AI-generated content creation. The big picture: While OpenAI's original Sora impressed with high-quality visuals, it produced silent videos, whereas Google's Veo 3 already integrates synchronized audio, speech, and environmental sounds. Veo 3 can generate videos where viewers hear "the gentle splash of liquid, the clink of ceramic, and even the hum of a diner around...
read Jul 23, 2025Google expands AI photo-to-video tools to Photos and YouTube Shorts
Google is expanding its AI-powered photo-to-video capabilities to Google Photos and YouTube Shorts, bringing the technology that debuted in its Gemini app to a broader audience. The rollout represents Google's push to democratize AI video generation tools, though these implementations come with more limitations than the original Gemini version. What you should know: The new features use Google's older Veo 2 video model rather than the more advanced Veo 3 that powers Gemini's photo-to-video tool. Google Photos users can create six-second video clips from still images, while YouTube Shorts allows variable clip lengths. Unlike Gemini, neither tool accepts custom prompts—users...
read Jul 21, 2025Netflix debuts AI-created building collapse scenes in “The Eternaut.” Here’s where you can spot it.
Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos revealed during the company's latest earnings call that the streaming giant used AI-generated content in its original series "The Eternaut," marking the first time Netflix has incorporated AI-created footage in an original production. The AI was used to generate scenes of a building collapsing in the post-apocalyptic drama, completing the visual effects sequence "10 times faster than it could have been completed with traditional VFX tools and workflow." What you should know: The AI-generated content appears in two brief shots showing portions of a building falling to the ground in episode 6 at the 59:50 mark....
read Jul 21, 2025Destination unknown: AI creates fake travel destinations so convincing they fool real tourists
Artificial intelligence has evolved beyond generating fake product reviews and suspicious emails—it's now creating entirely fictional travel destinations that can fool even savvy travelers. A couple recently drove hours to experience the "Kuak Skyride," a picturesque mountaintop cable car they'd discovered through a compelling online video featuring smiling tourists and professional narration. When they arrived at the supposed location in Malaysia, they found only a small town whose residents had never heard of any cable car attraction. The video that misled them was generated entirely by Veo 3, Google's advanced AI video creation tool, according to a recent investigation by...
read Jul 18, 2025Netflix has strong second-quarter while moving into live sports, AI experimentation
Netflix exceeded Wall Street's second-quarter expectations with strong performance driven by popular returning shows and live programming, while providing optimistic guidance for the rest of 2025. The streaming giant's strategic expansion into live sports, events, and AI-powered content creation signals its evolution beyond traditional on-demand viewing as it seeks new growth avenues after dominating the first phase of the streaming wars. What you should know: Netflix's financial performance surpassed analyst predictions, though shares dipped slightly in after-hours trading despite a remarkable 128% stock surge over the past year to around $1,253 per share. The company maintained its content spending guidance...
read Jul 18, 2025Netflix deploys AI for first time in original production to create visual effects for “The Eternauts”
Netflix has used generative artificial intelligence to create visual effects on screen for the first time in one of its original productions, according to co-CEO Ted Sarandos. The streaming giant deployed AI technology to generate a building collapse scene in the Argentine science fiction series "The Eternauts," marking a significant milestone in the entertainment industry's adoption of AI-generated content. What you should know: Netflix's use of generative AI represents the first time the company has incorporated AI-created visual effects into final footage for an original series or film. The AI technology was used specifically to create a scene showing a...
read Jul 17, 2025Roblox launches AI age verification for teens amid safety concerns
Roblox is rolling out new safety features that use AI to scan video selfies of teens to verify their ages, enabling access to unfiltered chatting through a new "Trusted Connections" system. The platform aims to keep users engaged while addressing mounting concerns about child safety, following reports of at least 24 arrests related to grooming and abuse on the platform. What you should know: The new age verification system requires users to submit video selfies that are analyzed by AI against a "diverse dataset" to estimate age. Users who appear under 13 automatically lose access to age-inappropriate features, while those...
read Jul 15, 2025Google’s $250/month Veo 3 forces users to pay extra over stubborn subtitle bug
Google's generative video model Veo 3 continues to add garbled, nonsensical subtitles to user-generated videos more than a month after launch, despite explicit user requests for no captions. The persistent issue is forcing users to spend additional money regenerating clips or use external tools to remove unwanted text, highlighting the challenges of correcting problems in major AI models once they're deployed. The big picture: Veo 3 represents Google's latest attempt to compete in the generative video space, allowing users to create videos with sound and dialogue for the first time. Academy Award-nominated director Darren Aronofsky used the tool to create...
read Jul 14, 2025Moonvalley brings Disney, TikTok alum as it raises $84M for ethical AI video generation
Moonvalley, an AI research company focused on "ethical" video generation, has secured $84 million in additional funding led by General Catalyst, with strategic investments from CAA and Comcast Ventures. The startup claims to differentiate itself by training its AI models exclusively on licensed content, positioning itself as a responsible alternative to competitors who use unlicensed material for training data. What you should know: Moonvalley recently launched Marey, which it describes as the industry's "first production-grade AI generative videography platform built for professional filmmakers and visionary brands." The company works through its filmmaking arm, Asteria, led by Bryn Mooser, to develop...
read Jul 14, 2025Wrap-id fire marketing witnessed as Popeyes uses AI to create McDonald’s diss track in 3 days
Popeyes launched an AI-generated diss track targeting McDonald's over the timing of their Snack Wrap return, which came just one day after Popeyes introduced its own Chicken Wraps. The satirical "Wrap Battle" video, created using Google's Veo 3 AI model, represents a new frontier in rapid-response marketing where brands can produce polished campaigns in days rather than weeks. What you should know: AI filmmaker PJ Accetturo partnered with Popeyes to create the campaign, using a combination of AI tools to produce both the music and video content. The track was produced using Suno, an AI music production platform, with human...
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