In the quest to explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in Hollywood, various industry leaders have shared their insights on how AI technologies, particularly generative AI, are poised to significantly affect the film and entertainment sectors. Here are some insights and discussions from industry leaders regarding the future of AI in Hollywood:

1. Ownership and Copyright Challenges: The application of generative AI in Hollywood raises vital questions about ownership and copyright of the new works created. For instance, the use of generative AI in the 2022 film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” posed questions about who owns the new work and if it can be copyrighted​¹​.
2. Generative AI Upending Film Industry: Tom Graham, the founder of Metaphysic.ai, emphasized how generative AI is upending the film industry. He mentioned that generative AI technologies are advancing to the extent that they can capture biometric AI profiles of individuals to create realistic deepfakes in real-time. This technology was showcased in a discussion at TED 2023, where he highlighted that people might have to adjust to a reality where visual evidence could be questionable due to the capability of AI to alter visual perceptions seamlessly​²​.
3. Empowering Creative Freedom: Generative AI is seen as a tool that will empower individuals in the entertainment industry by allowing anyone with a story to tell, to create freely without economical constraints. It’s enabling the capture of life experiences with a high level of realism and is expected to significantly influence the way stories are told and experienced in the future​²​.
4. Changing Realities in Performance: The partnership between Metaphysic and the world’s largest talent agency, CAA, aimed to create AI-powered biometric models of its clients, demonstrated a move towards decoupling human performance from physical locality and time. For instance, in a Robert Zemeckis film called “Here,” de-aging technology was used live on set, indicating how AI can modify reality in filmmaking​²​.
5. AI-Centered Filmmaking: Gareth Edwards, the director of an upcoming AI-centered film ‘The Creator,’ offers a nuanced perspective on AI’s role in both reality and in the movie. While specifics of his discussion weren’t captured, it indicates that ongoing projects are exploring AI’s capabilities in storytelling and filmmaking​³​.

The highlighted discussions and projects underscore the transformative potential of AI in Hollywood, which is likely to continue evolving as AI technologies become more sophisticated and integrated within the entertainment industry.