Technology

Paramount Tests AI Tools in Development as Cost Pressures Mount

Paramount is turning to artificial intelligence at one of the most consequential points in the filmmaking process: deciding what gets made. According to reporting in Bloomberg, the studio has begun testing AI-driven tools designed to assist with script evaluation and early-stage project analysis, as executives look for ways to manage rising costs and increasing uncertainty around audience demand. The tools are not being positioned as replacements for creative judgment.

Source: Paramount Tests AI Tools in Development as Cost Pressures Mount

Hollywood Assistants Are Using AI Despite Their Better Judgment

And, as with previous introductions of new technology into Hollywood, from digital film to email, AI is percolating from the bottom up, starting with the assistant class — on track to become industry standard as today’s underlings (those that survive the continual layoffs, that is) rise to positions of power. Confronted with larger workloads and a shrinking headcount, AI — both the kind officially approved by companies and more surreptitious uses — has made its way via support staff into essential Hollywood workflows.

Source: Hollywood Assistants Are Using AI Despite Their Better Judgment 

Quilty, AI Platform Designed to Change How Scripts Are Developed and Assessed, Launches

Quilty, a new artificial intelligence platform designed to help the entertainment industry make more informed financial and creative decisions, has launched. The technology includes creative analysis for scripts and projects, packaging suggestions, as well as market forecasting about how the film will do commercially. It also offers production planning services.

Source: Quilty, AI Platform Designed to Change How Scripts Are Developed and Assessed, Launches

Commentary: The Disney/Sora fiasco shows the limits of the AI craze

Sora’s demise points to more than the collapse of a big-media financial deal. It’s yet another indication that the allure of AI-created content for paying customers has been vastly overestimated. So too have been the ostensible efficiencies that AI brings to businesses. For example, Walmart has reportedly found that conversion rates — the percentage of consumers who complete an online transaction after an online search — are appreciably lower for consumers who attempt to complete the purchase through ChatGPT.

Source: Commentary: The Disney/Sora fiasco shows the limits of the AI craze

‘Soon publishers won’t stand a chance’: literary world in struggle to detect AI-written books

An editor at one of the “big five” publishing houses said a “cold shiver went down my spine” when the Shy Girl story broke. “It really is a case of ‘there but for the grace of God go I,’” they said. “It’s an issue publishers are keenly aware of. We make it very clear to authors what we expect, we get them to sign contracts and we run their work through multiple AI detection tools, but we know all this is fallible. “Hence the cold shiver: if an author is determined to use AI, then cover their tracks, there’s very little we can do.”

Source: ‘Soon publishers won’t stand a chance’: literary world in struggle to detect AI-written books

As Oscars are awarded: How artificial intelligence is reshaping Hollywood

For companies competing with streaming platforms, this is a way to reduce costs and speed up the launch of new projects. Using AI is important for studios not only from a production perspective but also from a business standpoint. The market often sees such technologies as a signal that a company is improving efficiency, which can boost investor interest and support share prices.

Source: As Oscars are awarded: How artificial intelligence is reshaping Hollywood

SAG-AFTRA Wraps a Month of Studio Talks With No Deal, Will Resume in June

The two sides have addressed an array of subjects, but the thorniest one — as was the case during the 2023 strike — may be artificial intelligence. SAG-AFTRA is looking to assert some control over the use of “synthetic performers” — digital avatars that bear no resemblance to a real-life actor. [R]eal-life actors gain little or nothing from their use, and also have scant leverage to stop studios from using their performances to train AI systems.

Source: SAG-AFTRA Wraps a Month of Studio Talks With No Deal, Will Resume in June

Apple Music Introduces Tagging for AI Songs, Its First Regulation on AI Use

According to a newsletter sent to music industry partners about the new system, Apple Music advises that tags should be applied when a “material portion” of the content has used AI. “These new tagging requirements provide a concrete first step toward the transparency necessary for the industry to establish best practices and policies that work for everyone,” the announcement reads.

Source: Apple Music Introduces Tagging for AI Songs, Its First Regulation on AI Use

The Fight Over AI in Hollywood Is a Battle Between Money and Activism

The number of AI studios blanketing Hollywood, along with the VC dollars to power them, is increasing at an astonishing rate. Hollywood-focused video-generation platform Runway AI revealed a new cash raise of $315 million; Saudi Arabia led a $900 million funding round for Amit Jain’s startup Luma; all-purpose AI giant Anthropic raised $30 billion.

Source: The Fight Over AI in Hollywood Is a Battle Between Money and Activism

Google Brings Lyria 3 Into Gemini, Expands ‘SynthID’ Support

The tech giant debuted Lyria 3 today, touting the DeepMind-developed model as its most advanced music offering to date. At the top level, this refers to automatic prompt-based lyric generation, bolstered control over outputs, and the ability to pump out “more realistic and musically complex tracks.” Against the backdrop of a rapidly evolving AI sector – and increasingly intense competition on the music-generation side – these improvements don’t necessarily come as a surprise.

Source: Google Brings Lyria 3 Into Gemini, Expands ‘SynthID’ Support

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