Actor Chris Pratt discusses his positive outlook on artificial intelligence in filmmaking. While acknowledging that AI could displace some industry jobs, he emphasizes its potential to enable more storytellers, increase the number of movies produced, and create new collaborative departments. Pratt’s perspective contrasts with outspoken critics such as Guillermo Del Toro and certain actors’ unions. He also notes that other public figures have begun partnering with AI audio companies, illustrating a broader industry shift toward embracing the technology. Read more →

Google has rolled out the Veo 3.1 update, bringing Ingredients to Video and vertical video support to the Gemini app, YouTube Shorts, and the YouTube Create app. The update introduces optional 1080p and 4K outputs, though all content is still generated at 720p and later upscaled via Flow, the Gemini API, or Vertex AI. Veo videos remain eight seconds per prompt, making them ideal for the Shorts format. The move fulfills a promise made last summer and signals Google’s push toward higher‑fidelity AI‑generated video. Read more →

Google has launched a pilot program that adds AI‑generated overviews to articles from participating news publishers on their Google News pages. The initiative, aimed at delivering more context to readers, includes a roster of international outlets and offers direct payments to publishers for their involvement. While the summaries appear only within the Google News environment, the move builds on earlier AI experiments in Discover and signals broader efforts such as audio briefings and the expansion of Google’s Preferred Sources feature. Read more →

Meta announced commercial data agreements with a slate of news publishers to feed real‑time global, entertainment and breaking‑news content into its Meta AI chatbot. When users ask news‑related questions, the bot will surface information and links drawn from partners such as CNN, Fox News, Fox Sports, Le Monde Group, People Inc., The Daily Caller, The Washington Examiner and USA Today. The move restores compensation to publishers and aims to make Meta AI more responsive, accurate and balanced, while expanding the chatbot’s reach across Meta’s apps and the standalone Meta AI app. Read more →

OpenAI's AI video tool Sora lets users create realistic videos with features such as the “cameo” function that inserts anyone’s likeness into AI‑generated scenes. The app automatically watermarks videos and embeds C2PA metadata that identify the content as AI‑generated. While these safeguards aim to help viewers verify authenticity, experts warn that easy access to high‑quality deepfakes could fuel misinformation and put public figures at risk. Platforms like Meta, TikTok and YouTube are adding their own labels, but the consensus is that vigilance and creator disclosure remain essential. Read more →

ElevenLabs has introduced an online marketplace that lets companies license AI‑generated replicas of famous voices for advertising and other content. The platform connects brands with the owners of iconic vocal talent, offering a consent‑based, performer‑first licensing model. Voices are created using cloning technology or synthetic reconstruction from archival recordings, and the initial catalog features 28 verified figures ranging from historical icons like Mark Twain to living celebrities such as Michael Caine. Read more →

AI slop describes a wave of cheap, mass‑produced content created by generative AI tools without editorial oversight. The term captures how these low‑effort articles, videos, images and audio fill feeds, push credible sources down in search results, and erode trust online. Content farms exploit the speed and low cost of AI to generate clicks and ad revenue, while platforms reward quantity over quality. Industry responses include labeling, watermarking and metadata standards such as C2PA, but adoption is uneven. Experts warn that the relentless churn of AI slop threatens both information quality and the health of digital culture. Read more →

Google announced Veo 3.1, the latest upgrade to its AI video model, promising stronger prompt adherence, higher realism, and improved audio. The new version expands format support to include both landscape and portrait 16:9 video, addressing the surge in vertical content on platforms like YouTube Shorts and TikTok. A "Fast" variant aims to reduce compute costs, and the model will be integrated across Google’s ecosystem, including the Flow filmmaking tool. While the upgrade raises concerns about distinguishing real from synthetic media, it positions Google more competitively against rivals such as OpenAI's Sora. Read more →

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company will give copyright holders more granular control over how their characters are used in the Sora 2 video‑generation app. The firm also hinted at a future revenue‑sharing model that could reward rightsholders when their intellectual property appears in user‑generated clips. Altman explained that the changes aim to balance open‑ended creativity with the interests of creators and owners, while also addressing the unexpectedly high volume of video generation on the platform. Read more →

Amazon Music has introduced AI‑generated weekly playlists that adapt to each listener’s "preferences and mood." Using Amazon’s Bedrock generative AI platform, the service curates a mix of familiar favorites, recent hits, and new discoveries, delivering playlists with catchy names such as "Empowerment Anthems" and "Melodic Flex." The feature, described by General Manager Ryan Redington as a new way to help fans connect with music that resonates, is currently limited to U.S. users and drops each Monday. It joins a broader push by streaming services toward AI‑driven personalization. Read more →

YouTube announced a suite of artificial‑intelligence features aimed at podcasters. The new tools let video‑podcast creators automatically generate short clips and transform them into YouTube Shorts, while audio‑only podcasters can use AI to produce customizable video versions of their episodes. The features will roll out over the coming months, initially to a select group of creators, with broader availability planned for later. The move strengthens YouTube’s push to make podcasts a core part of its platform and to compete with other short‑form video services. Read more →

College professors are leveraging AI tools such as ChatGPT to design assignments that capture student interest while easing the grading burden. By prompting the model to brainstorm and refine ideas, educators create collaborative, media‑focused projects—like a media‑literacy assignment that encourages students to analyze TikTok and other digital content. The AI‑generated frameworks provide clear objectives, submission requirements, and grading criteria, helping teachers balance curricular standards with assignments that feel fun and relevant to students. Read more →

Amazon Music has introduced AI‑generated weekly playlists that adapt to each listener’s "preferences and mood." Using Amazon’s Bedrock generative AI platform, the service curates a mix of familiar favorites, recent hits, and new discoveries, delivering playlists with catchy names such as "Empowerment Anthems" and "Melodic Flex." The feature, described by General Manager Ryan Redington as a new way to help fans connect with music that resonates, is currently limited to U.S. users and drops each Monday. It joins a broader push by streaming services toward AI‑driven personalization. Read more →

Amazon Music has introduced AI‑generated weekly playlists that adapt to each listener’s "preferences and mood." Using Amazon’s Bedrock generative AI platform, the service curates a mix of familiar favorites, recent hits, and new discoveries, delivering playlists with catchy names such as "Empowerment Anthems" and "Melodic Flex." The feature, described by General Manager Ryan Redington as a new way to help fans connect with music that resonates, is currently limited to U.S. users and drops each Monday. It joins a broader push by streaming services toward AI‑driven personalization. Read more →

YouTube announced a suite of artificial‑intelligence features aimed at podcasters. The new tools let video‑podcast creators automatically generate short clips and transform them into YouTube Shorts, while audio‑only podcasters can use AI to produce customizable video versions of their episodes. The features will roll out over the coming months, initially to a select group of creators, with broader availability planned for later. The move strengthens YouTube’s push to make podcasts a core part of its platform and to compete with other short‑form video services. Read more →

YouTube announced a suite of artificial‑intelligence features aimed at podcasters. The new tools let video‑podcast creators automatically generate short clips and transform them into YouTube Shorts, while audio‑only podcasters can use AI to produce customizable video versions of their episodes. The features will roll out over the coming months, initially to a select group of creators, with broader availability planned for later. The move strengthens YouTube’s push to make podcasts a core part of its platform and to compete with other short‑form video services. Read more →

College professors are leveraging AI tools such as ChatGPT to design assignments that capture student interest while easing the grading burden. By prompting the model to brainstorm and refine ideas, educators create collaborative, media‑focused projects—like a media‑literacy assignment that encourages students to analyze TikTok and other digital content. The AI‑generated frameworks provide clear objectives, submission requirements, and grading criteria, helping teachers balance curricular standards with assignments that feel fun and relevant to students. Read more →

College professors are leveraging AI tools such as ChatGPT to design assignments that capture student interest while easing the grading burden. By prompting the model to brainstorm and refine ideas, educators create collaborative, media‑focused projects—like a media‑literacy assignment that encourages students to analyze TikTok and other digital content. The AI‑generated frameworks provide clear objectives, submission requirements, and grading criteria, helping teachers balance curricular standards with assignments that feel fun and relevant to students. Read more →

Amazon Music has introduced AI‑generated weekly playlists that adapt to each listener’s "preferences and mood." Using Amazon’s Bedrock generative AI platform, the service curates a mix of familiar favorites, recent hits, and new discoveries, delivering playlists with catchy names such as "Empowerment Anthems" and "Melodic Flex." The feature, described by General Manager Ryan Redington as a new way to help fans connect with music that resonates, is currently limited to U.S. users and drops each Monday. It joins a broader push by streaming services toward AI‑driven personalization. Read more →

YouTube announced a suite of artificial‑intelligence features aimed at podcasters. The new tools let video‑podcast creators automatically generate short clips and transform them into YouTube Shorts, while audio‑only podcasters can use AI to produce customizable video versions of their episodes. The features will roll out over the coming months, initially to a select group of creators, with broader availability planned for later. The move strengthens YouTube’s push to make podcasts a core part of its platform and to compete with other short‑form video services. Read more →