{"id":2441560,"date":"2026-06-02T14:32:56","date_gmt":"2026-06-02T14:32:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2441560"},"modified":"2026-06-02T14:32:56","modified_gmt":"2026-06-02T14:32:56","slug":"amazons-ai-boss-on-the-primacy-of-humans-in-a-changing-hollywood","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/amazons-ai-boss-on-the-primacy-of-humans-in-a-changing-hollywood\/","title":{"rendered":"Amazon’s AI boss on the primacy of humans in a changing Hollywood"},"content":{"rendered":"

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At the AI on the Lot media conference last week in Culver City, speakers laid out a view of artificial intelligence that was very much complementary to human workers.<\/p>\n

Artificial intelligence is a tool that must be wielded by humans, several said. The idea was to help skilled artists and production specialists do their jobs and experiment, others said.<\/p>\n

Of course, to many in Hollywood, AI is not that simple.<\/p>\n

Guardrails on its usage emerged as a central issue in the 2023 writers\u2019 and actors\u2019 strikes, and additional rules were added in the recent Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and Writers Guild of America contracts. There are still big questions about AI\u2019s effect on jobs in the entertainment business, as well as copyright and ethical concerns.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s good or bad or some combination of both, AI, in some form, is probably here to stay.<\/p>\n

So, eight months ago Amazon MGM Studios opened an AI Studios division to start work on Project Nara, an AI production toolkit built on Amazon\u2019s AWS cloud computing platform that could be used by teams of filmmakers. Project Nara is still in beta mode, and the company set up a GenAI Creators\u2019 Fund to give filmmakers interested in using the toolkit financial support, while also giving the studio feedback.<\/p>\n

The beta testers got eight weeks to produce an animated short and, out of those, the company greenlighted three animated series.<\/p>\n

Shortly after the conference, filmmaker Jorge Gutierrez, whose stop-motion-style \u201cPunky Duck\u201d was chosen as one of the greenlighted series, pulled out after an online backlash over his use of AI.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe respect Jorge\u2019s decision, as well as his incredible talent, his voice and the world he created with \u2018Punky Duck,\u2019\u201d an Amazon MGM Studios spokesperson said in a statement. \u201cWe continue to be excited about the innovative work moving forward at our studio and the GenAI Creators\u2019 Fund.\u201d<\/p>\n

Before the flap over \u201cPunky Duck,\u201d I spoke with Albert Cheng, head of Amazon MGM Studios\u2019 AI Studios, about the goal of the division, what\u2019s next for AI and his belief that humans are at the center of creativity. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.<\/p>\n

Why was AI Studios formed?<\/b><\/p>\n

AI Studios was started last fall because we wanted to learn how to leverage AI technology to build tools that would help enhance or redefine the workflows for film and TV production. <\/p>\n

When you look at the horizon of what it takes to drive continued engagement of a global streaming service like Prime Video, we need more original programs. So if you can figure out how we take the same amount of money that we spend and be able to make more shows, that\u2019s ultimately what we want, and we think AI is going to be a help to drive that.<\/p>\n

With AI, now we\u2019re looking at how does technology change the way we actually create our cinematic storytelling? It could mean that with AI, we will hear from a lot more voices. If we can actually get the biggest costs down, we will be able to have more voices, be able to take more risks and creative risks most of all.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s always concern about what does AI mean for jobs. We believe that it actually creates more jobs and different types of jobs. In fact, people with experience, plus the tools, become even more valuable in terms of their ability to produce excellent quality work. So it\u2019s always about the human behind it.<\/p>\n

You mentioned that some of these production crews had more than 100 people, but crews in the past would <\/b>have been much larger<\/b>. How do you respond to concerns about that?<\/b><\/p>\n

You may have smaller crews, but we\u2019ll do more of them [productions], and more in a short period of time. When you actually have smaller productions and you do more of them, you\u2019re increasing your throughput. Your turnover rate of the available jobs is much faster, so your job totals are actually going to be bigger. <\/p>\n

You spoke about the idea of AI filmmaking bringing jobs back to L.A. and expanding California\u2019s production incentive eligibility to include AI-assisted filmmaking. Can you elaborate on <\/b> that?<\/b><\/p>\n

When you look at AI production, it can be done on a soundstage. We don\u2019t need to go to London, we don\u2019t need to go to other places.<\/p>\n

We do have technology companies in California that are driving this, we have people here in the city that have experience, if given the AI tools, can produce great work. So, how can we not incentivize more companies to use our soundstages and finally make productions and make more of them?<\/p>\n

Have you or anyone else at Amazon spoken with government officials about this idea of expanding the incentive criteria?<\/b><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve been talking to a number of bodies about whether it\u2019s possible. The question is, who\u2019s going to take the ball? <\/p>\n

How much can you decrease a show\u2019s production budget by using AI?<\/b><\/p>\n

I think we can get a show to half the cost, [or] to almost a fifth of the cost.<\/p>\n

What was the thinking behind the GenAI Creators\u2019 Fund?<\/b><\/p>\n

We wanted to provide a support and invest in creators who wanted to try it, and then also give us feedback. <\/p>\n

We also wanted to show that storytelling is the thing that drives the content. It\u2019s not the technology; the technology just enabled them to make it.<\/p>\n

What is the biggest misconception of AI use in production?<\/b><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a narrative that AI can do so many things by itself, that you don\u2019t need people. That\u2019s absolutely not true. It\u2019s just a technology, it can\u2019t make decisions.<\/p>\n

In order for something actually quality to be made, a person actually needs to be behind that, and that\u2019s been proven over and over again. People are still responsible for the output.<\/p>\n

Stuff We Wrote<\/h2>\n

Film shoots<\/h2>\n
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