7 OCTOBER | LONDON 2024
SEPTEMBER 12TH - 14TH
The O2, LONDON
Cinema & AI
Your weekly CogX newsletter on AI and content creation
🎥 Streaming giants unite.
SAG-AFTRA is now back at the negotiating table in an attempt to conclude an agreement for actors. Could the Writers Guild agreement form a template for the deal?
Industry leaders, including Netflix and Disney, have come together to create the Streaming Innovation Alliance (SIA) in an effort to oppose new government regulations on streaming. Meanwhile, top consulting firms are advising Hollywood not to replace creativity with AI, but instead find ways to leverage the technology for improved productivity and cost-effectiveness.
Explore these topics — and the latest details on the WGA agreement, Spotify’s decision not to ban AI-made music and the Sphere’s launch in Las Vegas — in the CogX Must Reads.
CogX Must Reads
Writers guild deal may influence SAG-AFTRA talks
We covered the WGA deal last week, and there are signs that the negotiation might help shape the SAG-AFTRA talks. Similar models for dealing with AI’s impact might be considered, although differences in labour compensation may present unique challenges for each union’s negotiations.
Streaming giants band together
Streaming giants, including Netflix and Disney, have established the Streaming Innovation Alliance (SIA). It aims to provide a unified front for streamers, protecting their interests and avoiding unintentional consequences of legislation targeting other internet sectors.
Hollywood
Hollywood’s new AI rules
More details have emerged over the WGA’s deal with studios on AI including: 1) Requisite consent for writers to employ AI tools. 2) Designating AI-generated content as "non-literary material." 3) Implementing routine assessments to monitor AI's impact on film and TV production.
Top consulting firm urges caution in AI use for Hollywood
A report by Bain & Co advises Hollywood studios against replacing creative processes with AI, but outlines ways to leverage the technology for streamlining production and reducing costs. The report emphasises the importance of transparency, and careful implementation to ensure AI supports creativity without disrupting the industry’s creative process.
Entertainment
Spotify won't ban AI-made music
Spotify's CEO, Daniel Ek, announced that the platform won't ban AI-generated music but stressed that AI should not impersonate human artists without consent. Ek sees three categories of AI use in music: tools like auto-tune to enhance music are acceptable; tools that mimic artists are not acceptable; and tools where AI-created music is influenced by existing artists need more debate.
U2's spectacular debut at the Sphere
U2's debut show at the Las Vegas Sphere captivated the world with its cutting-edge technology. The massive LED-covered dome, equipped with state-of-the-art sound systems, avatar scanners, and dynamic machine learning artwork, provided a stunning backdrop for the band’s performance. Given its inaugural success, will the Sphere’s sensory overload set a new standard for future live entertainment?
Creative Industry
Artists seek fair compensation amidst generative AI monetisation
As tech companies delve into monetising generative AI, artists are demanding fair compensation for their work used in training these models. However, the agreement on how much creators should be paid remains elusive, with vague policies leaving artists unsure about what they can realistically expect to earn from these AI-driven projects.
Keith Richards of The Rolling Stones calls AI in music a "toy town."
Keith outlined that AI can either be a tool or a toy, and in his opinion, it often leans towards being superficial. There is a debate to be had on the impact of AI in musical creativity.
Quote of the Week
Stephen Fry speaking at the CogX festival 2023:
"We have to think about [AI] like the first automobile: impressive but by no means the finished article"
Top Stories
In case you missed it
Karen Palmer, a pioneering "Storyteller from the future," showcases how AI can be used for real-time emotion tracking in filmmaking at CogX Festival 2023:
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this week’s Issue and what you’d like to see more of.