The week's developments on the intersection of AI and creative content | 28.11.24

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Artists say they leaked OpenAI’s Sora video model in protest

A group of artists with early access to the model posted it on Hugging Face, a public AI repository, claiming they were being used for unpaid R&D and PR. The protesters, who managed to share the model for several hours before OpenAI intervened, released an open letter criticising the $150 billion company's approach to artist collaboration and content control.

Source: X/@legit_rumors

Whilst OpenAI maintains that participation in their "research preview" was voluntary, the incident highlights growing tensions between AI companies and creative professionals over fair compensation and ethical practices in AI development. While originally slated for release by the end of the year, Sora remains in development as OpenAI addresses scaling and safety concerns.

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Entertainment & Industry

Elon Musk wants to ‘make games great again’ with AI. Elon Musk, a self-proclaimed gamer, has announced plans to start an AI-driven game studio. The goal? To "make games great again" by bringing back focus on creativity and player engagement. 

The Beatles' AI-restored song scores Grammy nominations. The Fab Four's final song, "Now and Then," has been nominated for both Record of the Year and Best Rock Performance. This AI-enhanced track, originally recorded by John Lennon in the late '70s, will compete against modern music giants like Beyoncé, Billie Eilish, and Taylor Swift.

Nvidia jumps into the AI music space. From a meowing trumpet to a sentient machine awakening, Nvidia's new AI, Fugatto, is pushing the boundaries of sound generation. Thanks to its advanced machine learning capabilities, this tool can create never-before-heard sounds, customise voices, and even transform existing music.

AI Tutorial

How to use the new AI video editing tools in Google Photos

Source: Google

• Access Google Photos on your Android or iOS device - note that some features are Android-exclusive while the AI presets will be available on both platforms

• The Auto-enhance feature analyses your clips and applies intelligent colour enhancements while stabilising your video simultaneously - activate it through the Video > Enhance option

• Experiment with the new Speed tool to adjust video pacing from 1/4 to 4x speed, with the ability to apply effects to specific sections or the entire clip

• Take advantage of AI-powered video presets that automatically suggest edits like Basic cut, Slow-mo, Zoom, and Track based on your video content

• Use the improved trim tool with larger handles and precise timestamps for easier editing, and always save your edits as separate copies to preserve your original.

Arts and Cinema

People might scoff at AI art, but a recent blind test suggests otherwise. 11,000 participants struggled to distinguish between AI and human-created art, with 40% misidentifying the origin. Surprisingly, participants in the test preferred AI-generated images over human ones, with six out of the top ten most-liked images being AI-created.

Ben Affleck embraces AI potential in Hollywood. Speaking at CNBC's Delivering Alpha 2024 summit, Ben Affleck offered an optimistic outlook on AI in filmmaking. “AI is going to disintermediate the laborious, less creative and more costly aspects of filmmaking,” the actor said when asked if AI should be perceived as a threat.

AI. A ‘high risk’ for creative workers, report finds. A Senate inquiry has slammed tech giants Amazon, Google, and Meta for their opaque use of Australian data to train AI models. The report calls for stricter AI regulations, including protections for creative workers whose livelihoods may be threatened by AI-generated content.

Quote of the Week

In case you missed it

Coca-Cola’s annual holiday commercial was recently released, but many consumers and artists aren’t thrilled with its AI production.

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