AI Lens
AI news, hot topics, advancements, and discussions about how AI is reshaping business and society.
Your focused view on the emerging hot topics in the Age of A.I.
AI Lens
Season 1 Episode 11: How Will AI Transform Entertainment? (Part II)
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Season 1 Episode 11
AI Lens is your focused view on the emerging hot topics in the Age of AI! We provide AI news, advancements and discussions about how AI is reshaping business and society.”
Today we’re diving into one of the most exciting—and sometimes controversial—frontiers of artificial intelligence: the transformation of the entertainment industry. From AI-generated music to personalized interactive streaming, we’ll explore where the technology is today, where it’s headed, and how it might reshape creativity, business, and human experience.
You're listening to AI Lens, your focused view on the emerging hot topics in the age of AI. We provide AI news advancements and discussions about how AI is reshaping business and society. Welcome back to AI Lens.
SPEAKER_00Hi, this is John Zanelli here to ask uncomfortable questions, panic slightly, and occasionally defend humans.
SPEAKER_01And today we're diving into one of the most exciting and sometimes controversial frontiers of artificial intelligence, the transformation of the entertainment industry. From AI-generated music to personalized interactive streaming, we're going to explore where technology is today, where it's headed, and how it might reshape creativity, business, and human experience. This is an extension of our last podcast. So hopefully you'll get a lot out of this discussion today.
SPEAKER_00So, Liz, let me ask you, where should we start?
SPEAKER_01Well, today's AI reality and entertainment. Let's start in the present. How's that?
SPEAKER_00Sounds good.
SPEAKER_01This isn't about someday in the future anymore as a conversation.
SPEAKER_00Right. I mean, this isn't the Jetsons. This is right now, while you're listening to this podcast.
SPEAKER_01AI-powered music tools, you know, they're already reshaping how music is created and monetized. And here's a real, real life headline. Universal Music Group just appointed a chief data officer focused on AI and audience engagement. That that really tells you where the music industry is going.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think another way it's kind of corporate speak for the robots are here and we want to be in charge of them.
SPEAKER_01And that's exactly what how people need to approach AI. It's all about how you manage, how you use AI, not how AI overcomes you. And that news was reported this week across industry publications. I heard about it in music business worldwide, which framed it as a strategic pivot, not a temporary experiment.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I mean, meanwhile, creators at home are constantly hyping in prompts, you know, that they're creating like write me a pop song that sounds sad, happy, but hopeful, with a summer vibe. Boom, song.
SPEAKER_01It happens instantaneously now. Tools like 11 Labs, their new music platform is really letting users generate full tracks. I we've got friends who do this all the time, right? Absolutely. Um, and it's it sounds good. That's what's so scary. Vocals, instrumentals, even emotional tone, and it's generated from English prompts.
SPEAKER_00So hold on, hold on. So what you're saying is my childhood garage ban was unnecessary.
SPEAKER_01Well, painfully, yes. I think it was. All right. And I didn't know you had a teenage garage ban. That's kind of scary in itself.
SPEAKER_00Well, let's move on to the controversy.
SPEAKER_01All right. So recently an AI-generated song was pulled from a streaming platform after there were copyright disputes.
SPEAKER_00And this wasn't some underground thing. This made mainstream tech and entertainment news.
SPEAKER_01Exactly. According to reporting from outlets like The Verge and Billboard, this issue wasn't just ownership, it was identity. The song sounded like a very well-known artist.
SPEAKER_00So correct me if I'm wrong, but the question becomes: if it sounds like you, feels like you, emotionally wrecks me like you, is it you?
SPEAKER_01Congratulations. You've just discovered the next decade of lawsuits. I mean, ultimately, you know, my theory and projection is that intellectual property is gonna go by the wayside. But right now, I think there are gonna be a lot of disputes. So, what what do you think is the next best topic to discuss in the entertainment industry?
SPEAKER_00Well, I think when we talk about entertainment industry, let's talk about AI video generation.
SPEAKER_01Okay, so it's terrifying sometimes. It depends how you are attached to human beings holding cameras, right?
SPEAKER_00Sure, yeah. I mean, so let's talk film.
SPEAKER_01Tools like OpenAI Sora and Google Vio, and they're now capable of generating high-fidelity video scenes from text prompts, and it's becoming more and more easy to use and to create films on your own.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and it's just to underline the how real this is, Sora footage shown earlier this year stunned professional filmmakers. And that's not hype, that's coming from directors on X and LinkedIn saying, wow.
SPEAKER_01Right. According to multiple tech journalists covering OpenAI's demos, the concern wasn't quality, it was the speed.
SPEAKER_00Absolutely. And and look, AI is in the production pipeline as as it stands now already. Let's talk about that a little bit.
SPEAKER_01Right. It's touching every stage, I think, in the entertainment business in terms of production. You can get ideas for scripts, what some people call script ideation. You can get casting previews, automated editing of scripts you write, VFX generation, dubbing and localization.
SPEAKER_00All of which what used to require maybe what hundreds of people?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, probably thousands across global supply chains.
SPEAKER_00So Hollywood's reaction has basically been cool. Also, please don't replace us. Seems a little hypocritical, maybe.
SPEAKER_01You know, I've been listening to a lot of podcasts about this issue where people are afraid of being replaced by AI. And during all of the technical advances, the progress during the Industrial Revolution, the internet boom, all of that actually created more jobs than were lost. And if you think about it, most of the jobs today weren't around when I was in high school.
SPEAKER_00But people haven't really let go of the fear, right? So, and that tension showed up very clearly during you know recent labor negotiations. According to coverage from Variety and the Hollywood Reporter, AI protections were a central issue. And at CS, I also saw there was the chief labor negotiator for the Actors Guild, and he was talking about how they wanted an even plane filled with AI. So they wanted them to get royalties and other things, these AI creations, thinking that somehow with an even plane filled, that people prefer the human actor over the AI generated actor. So so there's still a fear out there about it, and it's interesting to see how they cope with it and how they how they want to try and manage it.
SPEAKER_01You know, well, and that brings us to the future and why people may be frightened because I've had this debate before. One very strong possibility is the future will hold personalized interactive streaming. So let's let's you know, this is pretty much full sci-fi, but it's coming, you know, and we need to deal with it responsibly.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so defined responsibly though.
SPEAKER_01Well, all right, imagine this. Your TV doesn't just recommend a show, it creates one. You know now how, like if you're on Netflix or one of the other streaming, the AI in there will actually keep record of your watching trends, and then it'll recommend shows to you. What they're talking about now is it won't just know your trends, it'll know what you prefer in the type of movies, the setting, it I mean, everything. And you can interact with it and say, you know what, I don't want it set in Greece, let's set it in Tuscany, and it'll automatically change. I mean, these are things that are probably very real and coming down the pipeline.
SPEAKER_00So let me get this straight. So you're telling me Netflix will stop asking, are you still watching? And instead, it's gonna ask things like, Do you want the villain redeemed or destroyed?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, pretty much exactly. It'll ask you, yeah, and you or you can just suggest it.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, why not?
SPEAKER_01You can adjust the ending, the pacing, the genre, the emotional arc. So basically, you choose your own adventure, but emotionally you can manipulate exactly what you want.
SPEAKER_00You know, it's it's interesting in that we talk about AI's sort of this revolution in the way we think about work, but it's maybe not just work, right? It's how we think about how entertainment's delivered to us as well.
SPEAKER_01Well, and that's it. It's also the business of entertainment. And ultimately, it could bring more jobs if it's approached the right way, just like every other advancement in history has brought more jobs. The building blocks already exist for this to happen. According to AI Research Labs publishing last year, we already have script generating models, and and most people can do this using Chat GPT, Copilot, any of those. We already have scene rendering models, we already have music scoring engines, and we already have real-time interaction systems borrowed from the gaming industry.
SPEAKER_00So the missing piece?
SPEAKER_01It's basically mass interaction integration of all of these things together to create movies.
SPEAKER_00Now it's interesting you say that because that's really historically speaking, that's really happened suddenly, right? So then everyone pretends it was obvious. But let's back up for a second. You talked about screen or sorry, scene rendering models and this kind of real-time interaction stuff. I saw a demo on Cling, which is a new, a new tool. And basically, you create what looks like a realistic person who's in essence an avatar. It will literally mimic your facial movements and body movements exactly how you do it. So you can actually direct this as an individual, this person, this artificial person, and it is fascinating what it what it how it looks and how how it flows and how realistic it is. It's absolutely stunning.
SPEAKER_01So is that the one where you it'll mimic your own facial expressions with the movements and gestures, everything? Wow. Wow, okay. Well, let's talk about the impact on traditional the traditional entertainment business. You know, I really think studios are kind of in a tricky spot right now.
SPEAKER_00I agree.
SPEAKER_01AI is gonna democratize creativity, basically, but it also will dismantle gatekeeping.
SPEAKER_00We've been talking about this between us now for for quite some time. So let me let me give you a quick translation. Basically, you no longer need Hollywood's permission to make something good, right? So if they if the unions are gonna push back too hard, what's gonna ultimately happen is these independent studios are gonna be able to create incredible movies and other forms of entertainment, and it's gonna completely bypass the studios who don't obviously want that to happen. So they have to embrace it at the same time, navigating this path forward till we get to that point with their existing way of doing things.
SPEAKER_01Right. And that was what I was saying during the writers' guild strike.
SPEAKER_00Exactly.
SPEAKER_01Independent filmmakers and creators can generate content that looks shockingly like multi-million dollar films, like a 250 million dollar film.
SPEAKER_00And studios, I think, at this point, if I can jump in real quick, I think they're responding by cautiously experimenting from what we've seen so far while also quietly sweating.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but it's like learning to adapt and adopt. Streaming platforms won't compete on a content volume anymore, they'll compete on experience. So instead of we have 10,000 shows, it's we have your show.
SPEAKER_00Which could completely redefine subscriptions, absolutely, right?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, absolutely. So, you know, there are a lot of cultural and economic implications. What do you see coming that could change in our cultural and economic systems?
SPEAKER_00I think one thing I wonder is does this lead to like a live performance renaissance where, you know, so here's the twist, right? As digital content becomes infinite, physical experiences may become even more valuable because that's the more unique experience.
SPEAKER_01Right. Because, you know, the original form of movies and theater were plays, and we've kind of gotten away from that, where it's a small segment of the population that actually watches live plays. And given what's going on, that will become unique.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because really AI can't replace eye contact or a crowd singing out of tune together. I mean, so you know, it's it's there's still gonna be that that space for live entertainment, and that's just gonna grow, I think.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, that's very possible. Cultural analysts have already begun predicting a resurgence in live performances, and it's driven by scarcity and authenticity.
SPEAKER_00But ultimately, I think this human AI collaboration. So I mean, I think the maybe the future isn't AI replaces artists entirely.
SPEAKER_01No, and I think that's true in any industry that AI will make it better, and you need the more experienced people in order to direct in a way what AI should be doing. It becomes the world's most powerful creative assistant.
SPEAKER_00So, like a co-writer who never sleeps that maybe doesn't steal your lunch?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, okay. All right. So let's go over some ethical, legal, and practical challenges.
SPEAKER_00So none of this happens without consequences, right? You know, so key questions remain in my mind, right? Who owns the AI-generated art, for instance? Who gets paid? Who controls identity?
SPEAKER_01Well, and maybe the biggest one, just because we can, should we? You know, like I said, it's I think one big strong possibility is that first there is a lot of fighting about AI, but ultimately, will we even have intellectual property?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I think right now those those debates and fights are already unfolding in courts, legislatures, and boardrooms, and the answers will shape not just entertainment, but really culture itself.
SPEAKER_01Right. You know, Matthew McConaughey just trademarked all right, all right, all right. Hopefully, I didn't just breach the trademark by saying that. But he, I'm sure he spent a ton of money on lawyers to get that done. We'll see in the end if it was worth it for him. Good point, you know. But, you know, this is an ongoing issue, and I love watching it unfold. I think we should wrap up now for the night. Thanks for listening to AI Lens, your focus view on the emerging hot topics in the age of AI. We provide AI news, advancements, and discussions about how AI is reshaping business and society. If this episode made you curious, or it was fun or interesting to listen to, or maybe it made you skeptical, make sure you follow us, subscribe, and share this episode with someone who is curious about where AI is headed next. Until next time, stay curious, stay informed, and keep your lens focused on the future.