Video & AI: the transformation of Hollywood & Madison Avenue
Watch leading filmmakers and media & advertising execs discuss the possibilities, based on today's realities (& also demo their use of today's AI tools)
Here’s your Monday morning brAIn dump! First, “the AI:10” - 10 key media-related AI headlines from last week (the votes in last week’s poll were virtually unanimous to keep these up front!). Next, “the mAIn event” (my feature story). Then, “the cocktAIl” - my special AI event mixology. Finally, “the AI legal case tracker” - updates on the key generative AI copyright infringement cases. So let’s get right into it!
I. the AI:10 - 10 “quick hit” AI headlines from last week
(1) Surprise, surprise - blockbuster AI-driven earnings and Wall Street love for Microsoft and Google (not so much for Meta). Read about last week’s massive earning reports here.
(2) The US Patent Office just clarified all things about AI and patentability, right? Well not really, but they issued additional guidance on April 11th. Read about it here.
(3) The FTC just put the final nail in the coffin for non-competes. So what does this have to do with AI, you ask? Well, now Big Tech employees focused on AI - who are in massive demand - are really free to roam to others. Read more here.
(4) AI’s future’s so bright, its gotta wear shades! Yes, old-school brand Ray-Ban, in partnership with Meta, is introducing new smart glasses with multimodal AI. So how good are they? Read more here. They’re certainly not your father’s Ray-Bans.
(5) The metaverse is so yesterday, says Zuck, AI is where it’s at — literally everywhere! Read how Meta’s new AI chatbot is in all of the behemoth’s social media weapons, and being pushed hard.
(6) Mona Lisa can now explain her enigmatic smile, thanks to Microsoft! Read (and watch) more here.
(7) Sam Altman wants to be Steve Jobs, plain and simple. OpenAI’s CEO recently teamed up with Apple’s chief designer Jony Ive to develop an AI-powered personal device of some kind. And they’re looking to raise $1 billion to do it. But will it be Jobs-worthy? Read more here.
(8) I see your $1 billion, and raise you $5 billion (says Musk). Yes, our increasingly disgruntled and off-kilter friend Elon is reportedly close to raising $6 billion to fund his xAI startup from “damn the torpedos” VC Sequoia and others. Read more here.
(9) Yet another AI-powered music app, yet more likely copyright infringement. Startup Udio just raised $10 million to train/scrape more of its AI on copyrighted songs, all without license or consent. But this time, the investors may surprise you — artists Will.i.am and Common are amongst them. Read more here.
(10) Are LLMs about to hit a wall? Read this analysis here via TheWrap that discusses how more data, more compute power, and more energy do not necessarily a more sophisticated generative AI make.
II. Video & AI: the transformation of Hollywood & Madison Avenue
Last week, I hosted a virtual roundtable with three major players in the world of entertainment, advertising and AI. Founder Thobey Campion (formerly of Vice Media) gave a live demo of his genAI “story visualization system” Lore Machine - and then two long-time entertainment execs, Zac Ryder (former Executive Creative Director at Anonymous Content) and Benjamin Palmer discuss how they have integrated Lore Machine and other genAI tools into their video production.
All of us also discuss the coming transformation of media, entertainment and advertising. It’s a session that is fascinating, thought-provoking and simply worth watching. Watch or listen by clicking on this actual video - or clicking through this button to find it on Digital Hollywood’s site.
What do you think? Send me your feedback and thoughts at peter@creativemedia.biz.
III. the cocktAIl- your AI mix of “must attend” AI events
After all, it’s always happy hour somewhere!
(1) CogX Festival Los Angeles AI & Transformational Tech” 1-day conference takes place next week - Tuesday, May 7th at the Fairmont Century Plaza hotel. Looks to be an event worth attending (I’ll be there). Reach out to me via peter@creativemedia.biz to schedule a meeting. And REGISTER VIA THIS LINK FOR 50% OFF.
(2) AI LA’s big “A.I. on the Lot” event is just over 2 weeks away on May 16th! It’s a “must attend” event (I’ll be there too). Get 20% off now when you register using promo code “PETER” as you check out. REGISTER VIA THIS LINK. And let me know if you want to meet. Reach out to me at peter@creativemedia.biz.
(3) Check out Digital Hollywood’s first generative AI-focused virtual summit, “The Digital Hollywood AI Summer Summit,” coming soon on July 22nd - 25th. The sessions are comprehensive and outstanding. I’ll be moderating two of them. Learn more here via this link.
check out Creative Media and our AI-focused services
IV. the AI legal case tracker - updates on key AI litigation
Rather than lay out the facts of each case - and the latest developments - in every newsletter, click on this “AI case tracker” tab on “the brAIn” website. You’ll get all the up-to-date information you need. These are the cases I track (there were many important developments this past week).
(1) The New York Times v. Microsoft & OpenAI
(2) Sarah Silverman, et al. v. Meta
(3) Sarah Silverman v. OpenAI
(4) Universal Music Group, et al. v. Anthropic
(5) Getty Images v. Stability AI and Midjourney