7 OCTOBER | LONDON 2024
SEPTEMBER 12TH - 14TH
The O2, LONDON
Cinema & AI
Your weekly CogX newsletter on AI and content creation
Will the new US AI copyright law hold up?
This week, Hollywood gen-AI investment ramped up, with 96% of global executives backing new tech whilst a pivotal US court ruling deemed AI-generated art uncopyrightable. Is human prompting enough to make AI art human generated?
Meanwhile, Marvel’s VFX artists are gearing up to unionise, and a new standard is emerging to certify films made without AI. Amidst this, will Herzog overtake HAL as the ultimate AI voice?
Explore these topics and the latest on AI villains, celebrity digital twins, and music recreated from brainwaves - in the CogX Must Reads.
CogX Must Reads of the week
Hollywood boosts Gen-AI spending amidst strikes
A staggering 96% of executives globally are investing in gen-AI, with entertainment and media companies leading the charge. These spending levels raise the possibility of significant AI-generated Hollywood content by 2025.
Court rules AI art can’t be copyrighted
US District Court Judge Howell ruled that AI-generated art can't be copyrighted, emphasising the necessity for “human authorship”. This pivotal case highlights the intensifying intersection of AI and US copyright debates, with gen-AI artists threatening appeal.
Industry
The Marvel VFX team are gearing up to unionise
Marvel's in-house VFX crew is set to vote on unionising after an agreement with The International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE). If successful, this paves the way for a broader push towards unionisation in the VFX industry.
A new AI stamp of approval?
Justine Bateman has established Credo23, a council featuring industry leaders, to provide a certification for films and TV made without artificial intelligence. To qualify, creators must use minimal CGI, avoid AI, and collaborate with designated entertainment unions.
Film Culture
The narrative of AI as film villain
From HAL, Terminator to HER, Hollywood has persistently portrayed AI as the antagonist. This narrative of AI being a threat may seep into wider societal pessimism around the technology and influence the direction of debate on AI.
Celebrities are monetising their digital twins
Despite Hollywood strikes against Gen-AI, some celebrities are already monetizing their digital twins. Startup Hyperreal allows stars to create and licence their digital identities, with Angelina Jolie, James Franco, and Anthony Hopkins already collaborating.
Artistic Expression
Werner Herzog is new voice of AI
Could there be a voice that represents AI? Does it evoke the calm demeanour of HAL 9000, the cheerful disposition of Alexa, or the polite tone of C-3PO? According to the editors of “I Am Code: An Artificial Intelligence Speaks,” a unique collection of AI-generated poems, there’s only one answer: Werner Herzog
Music recreated from brainwaves
Scientists have recreated Pink Floyd’s "Another Brick in the Wall" by tapping into brainwaves, marking the first instance where a recognizable tune was reconstructed from brain electrical activities.
Quote of the Week
"It’s just a trick unless it’s supported by a good story. And it sticks out like a sore thumb if it’s not real, I’m not talking about visually, I mean emotionally."
Top Stories
In case you missed it
Checkout this disturbing new, rat filled short film: Subway Story - a case of dramatic storytelling in the age of AI surrealism
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this week’s Issue and what you’d like to see more of.