
Grammarly Wants to Expand Its AI From the Classroom to the Office
Grammarly Inc., a software company known for its writing assistant, is trying to expand its business to the
2023-05-18 21:38

New study finds prehistoric migrations from China to Americas
As the last continents to be settled by humans, the question of how and when people first came to the Americas...
1970-01-01 08:00

Hollywood AI backlash: What striking writers and actors fear about tech replacing roles
Hollywood’s actors and writers have both gone on strike for the first time since 1960 to protest against a number of decisions by major studios that include not just job cuts but also a potentially unsettling future in which they could be replaced by artificial intelligence. The leaders of SAG-AFTRA, the Hollywood union representing 160,000 television and movie actors, went on strike on Thursday, joining the industry’s screenwriters who have already been picketing for over 70 days. Among the many issues flagged by both the writers and actors in the protests has been how generative AI tools could replace their roles in the industry. Over the last decade, AI has found several uses in the movie and television industry, from de-aging actors, analysing patterns and behaviours of viewers on streaming platforms, bringing back the voices of late actors and even helping stitch together entire movie trailers. One of the proposals, as explained by SAG-AFTRA’s national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, feels like it is straight out of dystopian science fiction series Black Mirror. During a press conference on Thursday, Mr Crabtree-Ireland alleged that a proposal from Hollywood studios was to use “groundbreaking AI” to scan background performers and only offer them a day’s pay while the companies get to own the scans and use them for any project they want. “This ‘groundbreaking’ AI proposal that they gave us yesterday, they proposed that our background performers should be able to be scanned, get one day’s pay, and their companies should own that scan, their image, their likeness and should be able to use it for the rest of eternity on any project they want, with no consent and no compensation,” the executive said. “If you think that’s a groundbreaking proposal, I suggest you think again,” Mr Crabtree-Ireland said. A statement from the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), that represents the studios, claims the “groundbreaking AI” proposal “protects actors’ digital likenesses for SAG-AFTRA members”. “We are being victimized by a very greedy enterprise... The entire business model has been changed by streaming and AI If we don’t stand tall right now, we are all going to be in jeopardy,” the actors’ guild president Fran Drescher said on Thursday. Follow along here for real-time updates on the SAG-AFTRA strike Writers who have already been protesting since May have also sought assurances from studios that their jobs would not be threatened by AI. With the steady rise of online streaming services looking to rack up user subscriptions by churning out endless amounts of digital content, writers on strike have sought new pay structures, guaranteed periods of work as well as better discussions on the limits of AI use. Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) shared concerns that producers may seek to use AI to write scripts or at least use the technology to complete unfinished screenplays, and have also urged production houses to agree to safeguards around its usage. Screenwriters fear AI could be used to churn out a rough first draft with a few simple prompts and writers may then be hired after this initial step to punch such drafts up – albeit at a lower pay rate. Without further dialogue with studios, writers have raised concerns there could be a number of new ways that AI could be used to craft outlines for stories, fill in scenes and even come up with mock-up drafts. “There are ways it can be useful. But too many people are using it against us and using it to create mediocrity. They’re also in violation of copyright. They’re also plagiarizing,” Michael Winship, president of the WGA East, said in May. With these risks in mind, the WGA seeks more safeguards on how AI can be applied to the screenwriting process. Read More Hollywood actors and writers strike after ‘disgusting’ studios turn down deal. Here’s what it means for you Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike: ‘The eyes of the world are upon us’ Cast of Oppenheimer walk out of UK premiere ahead of actors’ strike announcement What happens next as striking actors send Hollywood into meltdown? Issa Rae and Jamie Lee Curtis lead A-listers voicing support for actors strike Hollywood in historic shutdown as actors union joins writers strike
2023-07-14 13:28

NFL Rumors: Cowboys in on Diggs, Lions Chase Young trade, Vikings dilemma
NFL Rumors: Cowboys can trade for Stefon DiggsThere's been some disconnect within the Buffalo Bills organization as to the whereabouts of star wide receiver Stefon Diggs. After head coach Sean McDermott was quoted saying he's "very concerned" Diggs did not show up to the second...
2023-06-14 01:22

Who is Adrienne Spohr? Ex-MLB player Danny Serafini's sister-in-law says her parents were shot in 'calculated' crime
Danny Serafini was taken into custody in 2021 following the death of Gary Spohr and attempt to murder Wendy Wood
2023-10-25 06:58

Typhoon blows off roofs, floods villages and displaces thousands in northern Philippines
Typhoon Doksuri has ripped tin roofs off of homes, flooded low-lying villages, knocked out power and displaced more than 12,000 people as it smashes into a small island and lashes northern Philippine provinces with ferocious wind and rain
2023-07-26 10:43

Arm touts cloud computing expansion, royalties to IPO investors
By Echo Wang and Svea Herbst-Bayliss NEW YORK SoftBank Group Corp's Arm Holdings Plc on Thursday told potential
2023-09-08 06:58

Arcangelo wins $1.25M Travers for trainer Jena Antonucci. Two horse euthanized at Saratoga
Arcangelo won the $1.25 million Travers by a length at Saratoga, giving trainer Jena Antonucci her second major Grade 1 victory after the colt won the Belmont Stakes
2023-08-27 07:52

Dreo CF714S Air Circulator Fan Review
The Dreo Pilot Max Tower Fan ($149.99) earned our Editor’s Choice award for its whisper-quiet
2023-08-09 02:13

Is it the Pac-2 championship game when No. 14 Oregon State visits No. 21 Washington State?
Most opponents who come to the Palouse when Washington State is good walk into a buzzed environment where they are not welcomed
2023-09-22 04:55

Baz Luhrmann expands Australia into TV series using unseen footage
Director Baz Luhrmann has expanded his movie epic Australia into a six-part TV series TV series using unseen footage rescued from the cutting room floor
2023-10-13 15:00

'BRICS bank' looks to local currencies as Russia sanctions bite
By Rachel Savage and Brenda Goh JOHANNESBURG/SHANGHAI Hobbled by the impact of sanctions against founding shareholder Russia, the
2023-08-10 22:05
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