Lionsgate Partnering With AI Firm To Advance New Generative Model
Lionsgate has signed a deal with Runway, an artificial intelligence research firm. In the deal, Runway will gail access to Lionsgate’s large movie and television library and be able to train new generative AI models.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the model will “be customized to Lionsgate’s proprietary portfolio which includes hit franchises such as John Wick, Saw and The Hunger Games. The aim is to help film-makers and other creatives augment their work through the use of AI,” according to the Guardian.
“Runway is a visionary, best-in-class partner who will help us utilize AI to develop cutting-edge, capital-efficient content creation opportunities,” said Michael Burns, Lionsgate’s vice-chair.
“Several of our film-makers are already excited about its potential applications to their pre-production and post-production process. We view AI as a great tool for augmenting, enhancing and supplementing our current operations.”
“The deal will save Lionsgate millions and millions of dollars.”
Through the deal, both companies are aiming to utilize their technology to help filmmakers create a storyboard for a project, and eventually background scenery and special effects.
The deal was announced the day after Gavin Newsom, California’s governor, signed two new bills that will work to restrict the use of AI replicas or performers.
The bills were initially passed last month and gained the support of members of the Hollywood union Screen Actors Guild after their new contract was enacted with new protections following the writers and actors strike.
“We’re making sure that no one turns over their name, image and likeness to unscrupulous people without representation or union advocacy,” Newsom said.
“In a world where it is becoming difficult to distinguish between a real photograph and a generated one, we believe it’s absolutely pivotal to understand the ways generative AI could impact nonfiction storytelling,” a statement from Archival Producers Alliance read.
Eric Mastrota is a Contributing Editor at The National Digest based in New York. A graduate of SUNY New Paltz, he reports on world news, culture, and lifestyle. You can reach him at eric.mastrota@thenationaldigest.com.
