Google invests $75M in A24 to develop AI filmmaking tools
What's the story
Google's DeepMind AI lab has partnered with indie film studio A24 to develop innovative movie production technologies. The collaboration, first of its kind for the tech giant, involves an investment of around $75 million into A24. The goal is to help future filmmakers expand their storytelling possibilities and create new workflows and techniques.
Project goals
No specific movies have been mentioned yet
The partnership between Google and A24 is expected to span multiple projects over time. However, no specific movies have been mentioned in the announcement. The main focus of this collaboration is on bridging the gap between cutting-edge technology and next-generation entertainment. This was also hinted at in Google's own announcement about the partnership.
Deal details
Potential legal implications and industry reactions
The multi-year deal between Google and A24 is non-exclusive, according to The Wall Street Journal. It doesn't give Google access to A24's film and television library data. Despite this, the partnership could raise eyebrows in the film industry as Google's AI models are trained on publicly available internet data. This has led other movie studios like Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros to fight AI companies for alleged copyright violations.
Artist involvement
Involvement of existing artists raises questions
Google and A24 are hoping to include the movie studio's existing roster of artists in their deal. This includes YouTube creator and Backrooms director Kane Parsons. However, Parsons has previously expressed his dislike for generative AI technology, saying, "generative AI feels less like innovation than a symptom of a broader cultural and economic rot."
Tool development
Tools will prioritize creative control, says A24 executive
Scott Belsky, an A24 partner and former Adobe chief strategy officer, has clarified that the tools being developed by Google and A24 "won't look anything like the prompted generation type of AI that people feel uncomfortable with." He emphasized there are better uses for this technology that preserve creative control and support risk-taking.