GZERO AI

A night at the soap opera

James Hawes giving evidence on British film and high-end television to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee at the Houses of Parliament, London. Picture date: Wednesday February 21, 2024.
James Hawes giving evidence on British film and high-end television to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee at the Houses of Parliament, London. Picture date: Wednesday February 21, 2024.
PA Images via Reuters Connect

British director James Hawes recently testified to Parliament’s Culture, Media and Sport committee that AI might be able to make realistic soap operas within three to five years. That number comes from Hawes’ own polling of visual effects professionals in the film industry and lawyers advising the Hollywood screenwriters union in its negotiations with major studios this summer.

Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, Hollywood director Tyler Perry has reportedly put his studio expansion on hold citing concerns about AI video generators taking hold and disrupting the filmmaking industry. He said he’s reconsidering a plan to pour $800 million into his Atlanta, Georgia studio after seeing OpenAI’s Sora video generator, which is yet to be released to the public.

Perry said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter that AI technology might eliminate the need for him to shoot on location, if he’s instead able to simulate scenes convincingly through text generation. Of course, he’s worried about the human toll: “I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this, including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors, and looking at this, I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry.”

More For You

Could Chinese AI give Europe an edge? | The Debrief with Heather West

Could China give Europe a shortcut in the AI race?

Europe has struggled to build models that compete with American and Chinese rivals. But Chinese models that companies can download, customize, and run themselves could offer another way forward—with more control over data and security.

- YouTube

With the midterms just weeks away, Democrats are hoping for a blue wave, while Republicans are fighting to hold onto Congress. Amy Walter and Liam Donovan join Ian Bremmer to break down the races, the issues driving voters, and what the results could mean for Trump's presidency.

Since returning to power in 2025, the Trump administration has drastically changed the answer to this question, pursuing an ‘America First’ philosophy that is dramatically more transactional: the US will give you money, but you must give the US something valuable in return.