Google DeepMind invests $75M in A24 to build AI filmmaking tools

In short: Google DeepMind is investing $75 million in film studio A24 to work together on AI tools for making movies.

What happened

Google DeepMind said it will invest $75 million in A24, the independent studio behind films like “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The Wall Street Journal first reported the investment amount, and Google described it as a research partnership.

The two companies say they plan to build AI tools for filmmaking. AI, short for artificial intelligence, is software that can learn patterns from lots of examples and then help create or edit things, a bit like a smart assistant that suggests options.

DeepMind said it will get “feedback and guidance from leading artists” as it develops these tools. DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis said the goal is to build features that support artists’ creative vision and storytelling.

This partnership comes as movie and TV companies keep experimenting with AI, even though the topic has been controversial in Hollywood. TechCrunch noted that Netflix said earlier this year it was buying Ben Affleck’s company, Interpositive, which makes AI tools for filmmakers. Amazon’s MGM Studios also launched an AI unit last year focused on tools for film and TV production.

Why it matters

If these tools work, they could change how some parts of moviemaking get done, such as planning shots, creating rough previews, or speeding up editing. For audiences, that could mean new kinds of visuals and faster production, but it also raises questions about jobs, credit, and how much of a movie is made by people versus software. Viewers may start seeing studios explain more clearly when AI tools were used, similar to how food labels tell you what went into a product.

Source: TechCrunch AI