Summary
- TCL released a trailer for the world’s first AI-generated romantic comedy, showcasing current technology limitations.
- The use of AI in films raises ethical concerns, but technology continues to evolve and may become more mainstream.
- Despite protection for actors and writers, the industry faces wider debates over AI use in entertainment, with genuine AI movies likely on the horizon.
A new trailer for Next Stop Paris showcases the world’s first AI-generated romantic comedy, but the results leave something to be desired. The use of AI-generated content in the film and television industry has become a topic of much contention in recent years, with the rapidly evolving technology not only raising serious ethical implications but also potentially threatening the livelihoods of countless traditional creatives. Despite last year’s protracted SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes resulting in some initial protection being placed around certain uses of AI tools, the emerging technology continues to be the source of significant backlash and concerns throughout the industry.
However, Chinese electronics manufacturer TCL has released the first trailer for their planned AI-generated romantic comedy, with the intention to release it via their TCLtv+ app.
Beyond hinting at a generic plot reminiscent of countless other romantic comedies, the new trailer also showcases the technology’s current limitations. Not only do the main characters regularly change their appearance, but the giant clock is also shown with nonsensical Roman numerals. Current TCL Chief Content Officer Chris Regina, who previously held roles at both Netflix and NBCUniversal, spoke to Tom’s Hardware about the trailer’s various inconsistencies. Check out his comments below:
It is a first for a trailer and for an entertainment company. There is tremendous curiosity around AI. It’s a marketing differentiator.
Character consistency is a universal challenge in AI that we are all working to solve along with film shot selection and performance.
The work is never finished until delivered, much like all film and TV production. With rapid technology advancement, we could easily keep shaping before the release, but we wanted to announce our AI studio and our entrance into original programming. Releasing the trailer provided a glimpse into what we’ve been working on.
AI-Generated Movies May Not Be A Genuine Threat Yet, But For How Long?
Even though several commentators may be quick to laugh off the possibility of photo-realistic AI-generated movies as a genuine possibility, the pace at which the technology continues to evolve would suggest that its place in the industry will also continue to expand at a corresponding rate.
While the technology being applied in creating TCL’s Next Stop Paris is still a long way from being able to completely replace human actors or animators, the use of AI in more traditional productions continues to generate a good deal of controversy. Between Marvel Studios’ use of AI-generated opening credits in Secret Invasion, and the backlash sparked by the use of AI-generated art in Late Night With the Devil, it would seem the technology is increasingly working its way into the mainstream entertainment industry.
Even though several commentators may be quick to laugh off the possibility of photo-realistic AI-generated movies as a genuine possibility, the pace at which the technology continues to evolve would suggest that its place in the industry will also continue to expand at a corresponding rate. The problem, however, comes with addressing the enormous backlog of ethical quandaries that will inevitably follow.
While the actors and writers covered under the terms of last year’s SAG-AFTRA and WGA negotiations may now enjoy some small measure of protection around AI use, it would seem those discussions may have only been the start of a much wider debate. Despite TCL’s almost comical Next Stop Paris trailer, which seems little more than a marketing stunt, it is unlikely that attempts to create genuine AI-generated movies will slow down anytime soon.
Next Stop Paris
will be available this summer on the TCLtv+ free streaming app.
Source: TCL, Tom’s Hardware