Meta Partners with Blumhouse to Pilot AI Video Technology 'Movie Gen'
October 28, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) – Meta has announced its partnership with Blumhouse, the production company known for its work in horror films, to pilot "Meta Movie Gen," an AI-powered suite of models that allows users to generate custom videos and audio from text inputs. According to the company, Meta is collaborating with filmmakers and content creators to gather feedback on the tool as it continues its development.
Meta Movie Gen is designed to generate high-quality 1080p video with accompanying audio tracks. Although the platform is not yet available for public use, Meta has launched a pilot program with Blumhouse and select filmmakers to evaluate its potential. The filmmakers Aneesh Chaganty (Searching, Run), The Spurlock Sisters (The Breakline), and Casey Affleck (I’m Still Here, Light of My Life) participated in the trial, using the generated videos as part of larger creative projects. Short films and experimental videos created with the technology are currently available on Meta’s Movie Gen page, with additional works from Affleck and The Spurlock Sisters set to be released.
"While we’re not planning to incorporate Movie Gen models into any public products until next year, Meta feels it’s important to have an open and early dialogue with the creative community about how it can be the most useful tool for creativity and ensure its responsible use," said Connor Hayes, VP of GenAI at Meta.
Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum emphasized the significance of innovation in the film industry. "Artists are and forever will be the lifeblood of our industry. Innovation and tools that can help those artists better tell their stories is something we are always keen to explore, and we welcomed the chance for some of them to test this cutting-edge technology and give their notes on its pros and cons while it’s still in development," said Blum.
The feedback from the pilot so far has highlighted the technology's potential as a collaborative tool for filmmakers. According to Meta, the directors involved in the trial found that Movie Gen helped them explore creative ideas quickly, generate sound effects, and experiment with visual direction, tone, and mood. The tool’s capabilities for generating audio and unexpected video responses to text inputs also provided inspiration for new concepts.
Meta plans to extend the pilot program into 2025, gathering further insights from both traditional filmmakers and digital-first content creators. As the company continues to develop the tool, the feedback provided will help improve its functionality before it is made available to the public.
For more information, visit www.meta.com/moviegen.
Source: Meta
Mark Zuckerberg and Daniel Ek Advocate for Open-Source AI in Europe Amid Regulatory Challenges
Mark Zuckerberg, Meta Founder and CEO and Daniel Ek, Spotify Founder and CEO ● Source: Meta
August 27, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) - Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta, and Daniel Ek, CEO of Spotify, have expressed concerns about the impact of Europe’s regulatory environment on the development and adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. The two tech leaders argue that Europe’s complex and inconsistent regulations could hinder its ability to compete globally in AI, particularly in the realm of open-source AI.
In a joint statement, Zuckerberg and Ek highlighted the transformative potential of AI, stating that it could significantly enhance human productivity, accelerate scientific progress, and contribute trillions of dollars to the global economy. However, they caution that the current regulatory landscape in Europe may prevent the continent from fully capitalizing on these opportunities.
"Europe needs a new approach with clearer policies and more consistent enforcement," they stated. They emphasized that open-source AI—where models are publicly released with permissive licenses—could democratize access to AI technologies, preventing power from being concentrated among a few large players and fostering innovation across diverse sectors.
Zuckerberg noted that Meta has open-sourced several AI technologies, including the Llama large language models, which are already being utilized by public institutions and researchers to advance medical research and language preservation. Despite these advancements, he pointed out that the fragmented regulatory environment in Europe is creating significant challenges. "Without urgent changes, European businesses, academics, and others risk missing out on the next wave of technology investment and economic-growth opportunities," he said.
Ek echoed these sentiments, reflecting on Spotify’s experience as one of the few European tech success stories. He stressed the importance of AI in driving Spotify’s growth and expressed concern that Europe’s regulatory approach could stifle the potential of open-source AI to benefit industries such as music and beyond. "A simplified regulatory structure would not only accelerate the growth of open-source AI but also provide crucial support to European developers and the broader creator ecosystem," Ek remarked.
The CEOs also criticized the uneven application of the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), arguing that it has led to delays and uncertainty, particularly in how it impacts AI development. Zuckerberg highlighted that Meta has been advised to delay training its AI models on publicly shared content in Europe due to regulatory disagreements, which he argues could leave European AI models lagging behind those from other regions.
In their closing remarks, Zuckerberg and Ek called for Europe to streamline and harmonize its regulations to foster innovation and retain its top AI talent. They warned that without swift action, Europe risks falling behind in the global race for AI leadership. "The one thing Europe doesn’t have, unless it wants to risk falling further behind, is time," they concluded.
Source: Meta
OpenAI Appoints Sarah Friar as CFO and Kevin Weil as CPO
SAN FRANCISCO, June 11, 2024 (V SOCIAL MEDIA OF HOLLYWOOD) - OpenAI has announced the addition of Sarah Friar as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) and Kevin Weil as Chief Product Officer (CPO). These appointments are part of OpenAI's strategy to advance its mission of conducting leading AI research and developing products that benefit a wide range of users.
Sarah Friar, formerly the CEO of Nextdoor and CFO at Square, brings extensive financial expertise to OpenAI. She has also held positions at Goldman Sachs, McKinsey, and Salesforce. Friar is a Board Member at Walmart and Consensys, a Fellow at the Aspen Institute, and Co-Chair of the Stanford Digital Economy Lab. Her role at OpenAI will focus on supporting core research investments and scaling the company to meet the needs of a growing customer base.
Kevin Weil, who previously served as President of Product and Business at Planet Labs, will lead OpenAI's product team. Weil's career includes roles as co-founder of the Libra cryptocurrency, VP of Product for Novi at Facebook, VP of Product at Instagram, and SVP of Product at Twitter. He is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and serves on the boards of The Nature Conservancy and the Black Product Managers Network. Weil’s focus at OpenAI will be on applying research to develop products and services for consumers, developers, and businesses.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated, “Sarah and Kevin bring a depth of experience that will enable OpenAI to scale our operations, set a strategy for the next phase of growth, and ensure that our teams have the resources they need to continue to thrive.”
Friar expressed her enthusiasm for joining the team, saying, “I’m honored to join a team that is uniquely talented and mission-focused. My goal is to help OpenAI continue excelling at what it does best—producing top-tier research and collaborating to maximize the benefits of AI tools for everyone.”
Weil also shared his excitement about the new role, stating, “The product team at OpenAI has set the pace for both breakthrough innovation and thoughtful deployment of AI products. I am thrilled to be part of the next phase of growth, as we continue to safely and responsibly build towards AGI.”
OpenAI aims to continue its focus on AI research and product development to benefit a diverse user base, including consumers, developers, and large companies worldwide.
For more information about OpenAI and its new leadership appointments, visit www.openai.com.
Source: OpenAI