Hollywood should view AI as a transformative tool rather than a threat to creative jobs, according to Cristobal Valenzuela, co-founder and CEO of the prominent generative AI startup, Runway. Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm Tech conference in Deer Valley, Utah, Valenzuela, alongside Jake Aust, chief innovation officer at AGBO and veteran television producer, emphasized the potential of AI in enhancing artistic creativity.
“These are exceptional tools for great artists,” Valenzuela stated, highlighting the capabilities of AI in generating images and videos. Runway and similar companies, including OpenAI, have been at the forefront of releasing advanced AI models that facilitate creative processes in unprecedented ways.
Valenzuela expressed concern over the polarized discussions surrounding AI in the creative arts. “It’s really hard to get nuanced conversations,” he noted. “People either see AI as destroying everything we know or as the greatest invention of our lifetime. The truth is, it’s somewhere in between.”
Runway, renowned for its text-to-image and text-to-video generative AI models, showcased the rapid advancements of its technology at the conference. Valenzuela presented a short video demonstrating the capabilities of Runway’s latest Gen 3 Alpha model, which can produce one-minute long, cinematic video clips.
Runway’s hit some legal snags, with artists claiming the company’s been using their work to train AI models without a nod or permission. Runway’s holding its ground, saying their latest Gen 3 Alpha model got its smarts from a proprietary blend of public and private data, but they’re keeping mum on the exact sources.
Jake Aust, reflecting on Hollywood’s historical relationship with new technologies, asserted that AI should not be viewed as a destructive force. “Hollywood exists because of technology,” Aust said. “From the advent of sound and color to digital production and streaming, each new technology has sparked concerns. AI is no different; it won’t kill Hollywood.”
Aust described how AGBO and other production houses are using generative AI for initial visualizations, such as storyboards and concept images, during the early stages of film development. These AI-generated visuals are instrumental in pitching project ideas to studios or producers, streamlining the creative process.
Valenzuela nudged artists to tinker with AI tools, testing their limits. He compared this AI moment to the dawn of photography when folks called photos “mirrors with memories,” fumbling to describe the new art form. He pushed artists to break boundaries and invent new genres. “Aim for the unnamed, the unseen,” he urged.
Controversies aside, AI’s potential in Hollywood is huge. It could level the playing field, giving artists powerful tools to bring their visions to life more swiftly. As the industry shifts, AI might spark fresh, innovative storytelling and artistic expression.
The debate over AI in the arts rages on, but Valenzuela and Aust see a future where AI and human creativity blend, propelling Hollywood into thrilling new realms. Embracing AI as a partner, not a rival, could open unheard-of opportunities for artists and filmmakers, shaping the next wave of cinematic magic.
