At the SAG awards over the weekend, the twin strikes were a major topic of conversation, with the SAG-AFTRA president presenting AI as one of the union's biggest concerns. Nick Lynes, co-CEO and co-founder of Flawless, a company that uses generative AI to correct out of sync dubbing and more, weighs in on the evolving relationship between Hollywood and AI.

Hollywood

The release of Open AI's ChatGPT has accelerated the development of artificial intelligence and warnings about its impact on society.

Rise of AI

The evolving relationship between Hollywood and AI

You're building AI that directly impacts this world. What's your take? Well, thanks for having me on the show, Ed. Yeah, I think that the reality is we have to be careful. And I think the approach that we've taken is to be, actually, one of the reasons probably we're willing to come on the show is that we've been talking to SAG-AFRA for a number of years now. We've been cooperating with them and working with them to work out what the best application and uses are for this technology. From day one, we made a stance around data that we wouldn't trample on artistic rights or commercial data ownership rights. I mean, we've built technologies that support that. So, I think it's a collaboration and I think it's a mechanism to move forward to enable an industry to re-energize and go into the next decade. Let's talk a little bit about Flawless and understand the work you're doing in the context of those concerns. So, using generative AI to amend or correct out-of-sync dubbing. How does that work? Well, you look at recent news around Warner and Paramount and there's a lot of highlighting of audiences under pressure, et cetera, and a lot of debt. But I think that the fundamental problem is actually production costs. You know, when people, when the big studios and streamers and other production companies around the world are investing heavily in production, it's very, very, it was heavy carbon footprint and it's also very physical and consequently very costly. So, one of the benefits that AI is going to bring, gen AI is going to bring, is the ability to be able to reduce those production costs. But also, if you imagine that a proxy for reduction of production costs is enabling a global audience, dubbing and subtitling has been the mechanism for localization now for a hundred years. And unfortunately, there's a lot of people that don't like that. And that's represented in the value when you're selling films and TV series into other language territories. So, the ability to have a global audience and allow audiences to consume content in a way that's digestible and enjoyable, it just is going to also enable these same companies to be able to benefit from distribution at a level that it will be game changing for them. You just spoke to kind of the economics of what frankly was one of the biggest technology stories of the year so far, when OpenAI released Sora. And I saw an interview, my co-host Caroline Hyde and I were talking about Tyler Perry in the Hollywood Reporter, saying that he had put plans for an $800 million studio expansion on hold when he saw the results of Sora. And I made a quip on X that most of it is just 60 second clips of dogs or puppies doing stuff. But when they released those images that are generative AI text to video pieces of content, there was a big reaction from your industry. What was your reaction? Yeah, well, I think pause is the operative word there because I think once what were quite interesting and exciting videos, once the people understand that it's still a long, long way off from professional production. If you look at it, yes, it's 60 second scenes, it's not particularly looking around corners, there's not a lot of actual performance in there, and there's also not editing tools attached. But I think most importantly, we're talking about these videos are created from unclean data. We made a decision to build a business that was based on clean data where everything within our models and within our production system has enabled, has been signed off and is commercially and artistically clean. And I think that there's like mixing these things together and then it's exciting for the future because it shows the power of the technology. And I think, yes, there will be a benefit here in reduced production costs. But I think Tyler is gonna find very quickly that I think the film industry is probably gonna go through actually a boom time over the years that come with the reduction in production costs and with the same tools that allow for those reductions in production costs, giving more creative control and more iterative storytelling. We're going to see an increase in the percentage of commercially successful projects. And I think consequently for that, it becomes like quite a wise investment to be investing in film, which historically I think some people have been cynical about. So I think really what we're looking at is, yes, there might be some like people initially sort of a little bit scared when they're looking at something like that, but I think really it represents boom times.

The debris from a missile that landed in the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv on Jan. 2 was from a North Korean Hwasong-11 series ballistic missile, United Nations sanctions monitors told a Security Council committee in a report seen by Reuters on Monday (April 29).

Kharkiv

Ukraine Invasion

U.N. experts say North Korea missile landed in Kharkiv

Columbia University's president said that talks with pro-Palestinian activists over a protest encampment on the Ivy League campus in New York City had reached an impasse and urged demonstrators to voluntarily disperse or face suspension.

New York

Protesters defy deadline to leave Columbia encampment

Spain's Prime Minister said he has decided to stay in office after days of publicly weighing his future, generating relief amongst leftist allies, exasperation among the public and ridicule from his opponents. Sanchez said last week that he was retreating from public duty to decide whether to quit.

Madrid

Pedro Sanchez stays on as Spain's prime minister

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he is hopeful Hamas will accept an “extraordinarily generous” offer, as U.K. Foreign Minister David Cameron says it will include a 40-day ceasefire. But the sticking points remain: Israelis want a truce while Hamas demands a cessation of all hostilities.

Riyadh

Israel-Gaza War

U.S., U.K. urge Hamas to accept Israeli truce proposal

G7 environment ministers have gathered in Turin for two days of talks, as hundreds of protesters demonstrated in the city, some burning photos of the G7 leaders who they accuse of failing future generations over the climate crisis.

Turin

Climate Crisis

Protesters call for climate action ahead of G7 meeting in Turin

French Foreign Minister Stephane Sejourne is in the Lebanese capital Beirut for talks aimed at easing tensions between Hezbollah and Israel. After meeting Lebanon’s influential Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, an ally of Hezbollah, and the head of the Lebanese army, Joseph Aoun, Sejourne said there had been “a lot of progress” over the French proposals.

Beirut

French FM says ‘a lot of progress’ in Lebanon talks

At least four people are dead, including an infant, after a series of tornadoes swept across Oklahoma. The weather system is threatening the region with more twisters, heavy rain and large hail in a band stretching from Missouri to Texas.

Sulphur

At least four dead in Oklahoma tornadoes

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said she would stand in upcoming European Parliament elections, a move apparently calculated to boost her far-right party, although she would be forced to resign immediately under EU rules.

Pescara

Italian far-right PM Meloni says will stand in EU elections

At least four people died, including a four-month-old baby, in Oklahoma this weekend, after dozens of twisters swept the U.S. Southern Plains. The White House said, President Joe Biden has pledged federal support for Oklahoma as well as other states hit by severe storms.

Oklahoma

Deadly tornadoes rip through Oklahoma

The Sydney Bishop targeted in an alleged terror-related attack a fortnight ago has made a surprise appearance before his congregation in Western Sydney. Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel saying he forgives his attacker, who is facing terrorism charges.

Wakeley

Sydney bishop returns to pulpit after stabbing

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been slammed by protest leaders for his involvement in a protest against gendered violence in Canberra at the weekend. Organisers hitting out at the Labor leader on social media, calling him a 'liar'.

Canberra

Protest leaders hit out at Prime Minister over power 'abuse'

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and "reiterated his clear position" on a possible invasion of the Gaza border city of Rafah, the White House said.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Biden tells Netanyahu U.S. doesn't support Rafah assault

Ukraine's top general says his troops have been forced to retreat as fighting on the country's eastern front intensified. Kyiv's forces have fallen back to new positions in at least three places along the front, west of the Donetsk region.

Donetsk

Ukraine troops retreating on eastern front

Tesla CEO Elon Musk arrived in Beijing on an unannounced visit, to meet senior officials to discuss the rollout of Full Self-Driving software and permission to transfer data overseas, according to a person with knowledge of the matter.

Shanghai

Elon Musk makes surprise visit to China

Hamas's armed wing released video of two men held hostage in Gaza who are seen alive and urging Israeli authorities to strike a deal for the release of all the remaining captives.

Rafah

Hamas releases video of two Israeli hostages

Defence Minister Richard Marles has revealed a fresh aid package to support Ukraine in its war with Russia, including $30 million in funding for drones. It marks more than one billion dollars in funding from Australia since the war began.

Lviv

Australia announces $100m in Ukraine aid

Tens of thousands of people have marched across the country calling for an end to violence against women. The Prime Minister addressed the crowd in Canberra where he called the issue a 'national crisis'.

Prime Minister joins rally calling for end to gendered violence

Israeli protesters have shut down streets in Tel Aviv demanding the release of hostages and the political end of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Anger has been growing inside Israel as the Gaza war drags on for more than 200 days.

Thousands block Tel Aviv streets in protest

After weeks of delays, negotiations, and distractions, Israel appears to be gearing up for its ground invasion in southern Gaza. Dozens of Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles have been seen near Rafah, Gaza’s last 'safe zone'.

Israel 'gearing up' for Rafah ground offensive

Ohio police released video of a Black man who died at a local hospital after repeatedly telling officers "I can't breathe" as they pinned him to the floor of a bar and handcuffed him, evoking memories of the killing of George Floyd in 2020.

Canton

'I can't breathe' man tells Ohio cops before death

Witnesses in Gaza reported fresh Israeli strikes overnight around Rafah. It comes as Hamas says it is considering an Israeli ceasefire proposal, after a delegation from Egypt arrived in Israel to resume stalled negotiations.

Sderot

Gaza hit by fresh strikes amid ceasefire talks

The US military has started building a large floating pier off Gaza's coast to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid, the defence department has said. Ships will deliver aid from Cyprus to the pier where it will be loaded onto trucks to transfer across Gaza.

Jerusalem

US begins building floating base to boost aid

King Charles will return to his public duties next week for the first time since his February cancer diagnosis, visiting a cancer treatment centre. There fears his Australian trip will be delayed, while he continues treatment for his own cancer battle.

Windsor

King Charles resuming public duties but Australian trip in limbo

Demonstrations have taken place across the country after a spate of domestic violence deaths, including Molly Ticehurst. Protestors held signs saying ‘no more’ calling for immediate action against male-inflicted violence.

Council of the City of Sydney

Thousands rally across Australia against domestic violence

The Russian and Turkish flags were lowered to mark the closure of a center set up to monitor a ceasefire in Nagorno-Karabakh, as Russian peacekeepers ended a multi-year deployment in the strategic South Caucasus region.

Baku

Nagorno-Karabakh ceasefire center closes as Russia withdraws

Britain's King Charles will return to public duties next week for the first time since being diagnosed with cancer as he makes good progress following treatment and a period of recuperation, Buckingham Palace said.

London

King Charles to resume public duties after cancer diagnosis

Students blocked access to Paris' prestigious Sciences Po university over the war in Gaza on Friday (April 26), demanding the institution condemn Israel's actions, in a protest that echoed similar demonstrations on U.S. campuses.

Paris

Pro-Palestinian protesters still occupying Sciences Po campus

The number of people killed in floods in Kenya due to heavier than usual rainfall since the start of the monsoon in March has risen to 70, a government spokesperson said Friday. Kenya and other countries in East Africa, a region highly vulnerable to climate change, have been pounded by heavier than usual rainfall in recent weeks, compounded by the El Nino weather pattern.

Nairobi

Kenya flood death toll since March climbs to 70

An Australian journalist has been named as a key figure in Donald Trump's criminal trial. Dylan Howard, the former editor of the National Enquirer in the U.S. accused of buying and burying negative stories as part of a deal to help him become President.

U.S. Presidential Election

The Australian journalist caught up in Trump trial

A surging domestic economy and rising inflation will see the Reserve Bank change its mind and increase interest rates as many as three times this year, analysts have warned.

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Rise of AI