Amazon MGM Studios is touting the power of AI to help create “cinematic” entertainment in a big new initiative — although execs are quick to say it will empower human creative professionals, not replace them.
The studio announced the GenAI Creators’ Fund, which is providing funding and access to AI production tools to filmmakers, digital creators and tech startups for developing premium TV shows and movies. Amazon MGM Studios is teaming with sister organization Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch what they claim will be the industry’s first purpose-built AI production platform for visual storytelling.
“The most important thing to remember is, we’re human-centric,” Albert Cheng, Amazon MGM Studios’ chief operating officer, told Variety. “AI tools are meant to empower human creativity, and allow TV shows and movies that would not have been possible before.”
Under the GenAI Creators’ Fund, the studio has greenlit three animated series for Prime Video: “Punky Duck” from Jorge R. Gutierrez (director of “The Book of Life”); “Love, Diana Music Hunters” from Albie Hecht, chief content officer at pocket.watch (and the former president of Nickelodeon who developed “SpongeBob SquarePants”); and “Cupcake & Friends” from BuzzFeed Studios. All three series will premiere on Prime Video but no dates have been set yet.
