Amazon is embarking on a major push to integrate generative AI into all corners of its business, and entertainment is no exception, with the tech company launching a new fund on Wednesday to incentivize creators to use the tech throughout the production pipeline.
The company’s Amazon MGM Studios and Amazon Web Services divisions announced a GenAI Creators Fund that will offer filmmakers, digital creators and startups funding and access to Amazon’s AI tools in order to create “high-quality cinematic entertainment.”
Says Albert Cheng, the head of AI Studios for Amazon MGM Studios, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter: “AI unlocks a lot of things that always been cost prohibitive for us when we’re making storytelling with incredible scope.” He adds, “We are able to take world building shows or movies and shoot them on a sound stage in much faster time than it has been in the past.”
The announcement took place during the tech company’s “AI on the Lot” event in Culver City, where the first few greenlit projects emerging from the fund were also unveiled. They include three original animated series: Punky Duck from Maya and the Three and The Book of Life director Jorge Gutierrez and Love, Diana Music Hunters, a series featuring pocket.watch and YouTube star Diana, created by former Nickelodeon exec Albie Hecht. The third series order is Cupcake & Friends from Buzzfeed Studios.
