The week's developments on the intersection of AI and creative content | 13.02.24

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This week, the buzz was all about AI shaking up the filmmaking scene with the release of OpenAI’s Sora — a sophisticated AI model capable of producing hyper-realistic videos from text. The tech has both wowed and unsettled creators, sparking a heated debate on the future of creativity and the ethical boundaries of AI in filmmaking. Is this filmmaking’s watershed moment?

Elsewhere, media executives are considering legal action against AI using copyrighted content, VFX artists are divided over OpenAI's announcement of Sora, and Apple unveils Keyframer, an AI-Driven tool designed to bring 2D images to life.

We cover these stories, plus an in-depth look at Spike Jonze's optimistic portrayal of AI in "Her" and a showcase of Harold Cohen's innovative partnership with his AI robot AARON.

— Charlie and the Research and Intelligence Team

P.S. You can now register your interest for CogX Festival LA 6-9 May, where we’ll be talking all things AI, Impact, and Transformational Tech!

Cinema and Industry

🎥 OpenAI’s Sora isn't ready to replace Hollywood. While Sora is setting new standards in video diffusion quality and realism, limitations in continuity and creative control - alongside the all too common copyright concerns - suggest AI Hollywood filmmaking remains out of reach… for now.

💸 Digital media bosses divided on AI Deals. Media executives are at a crossroads between pursuing lucrative licensing deals with AI firms like OpenAI or fighting them over copyright disputes. But could The New York Times’ lawsuit on ChatGPT content offer some guidance?

🤖  In the age of AI, is Her an optimistic time capsule? A decade on, Spike Jonze's "Her" still sets the standard for AI representation in film, offering a nuanced, non-antagonistic exploration of artificial consciousness and emotional depth unmatched by its contemporaries. 

🗣️ What was discussed at The RightsTech AI Summit 2024 in LA? The summit delved deep into the evolving challenges of generative AI in media, stirring crucial debates on copyright, fair use, and the urgent need for legislative clarity on AI training data.

Arts and Entertainment

🤖 What does the new Sora AI mean for VFX artists? The creative community is divided over OpenAI's announcement of Sora. While some VFX artists view it as a threat to their careers, others see the potential for integration and creativity enhancement.

🤔 Should your company apologise for using AI art? Well… It's complicated. While AI offers a tantalising shortcut for image production, it also stirs controversy over intellectual property rights, the role of tech in the creative process and the diminishing value of human creativity. 

🎨 AI art that’s more than a gimmick? Meet AARON. The British painter Harold Cohen's four-decade collaboration with his image-generating robot, AARON, showcases a sophisticated evolution from abstract linework to richly detailed scenes.

📷 Apple unveils Keyframer: AI-Driven animation for your photos. Apple's Keyframer - a new generative AI tool - promises to bring motion to 2D images with simple text prompts, leveraging GPT4 to create animations directly from SVG files.

In case you missed it

OpenAI's latest text-to-video model, named Sora, uses written prompts to generate intricate 1-minute videos using artificial intelligence. Check them out here:

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