the brAIn - real AI intelligence for media & entertainment

Interview with Character.AI CEO Karan Anand: From AI Companion Chatbot to AI Entertainment Company?

Mon, 11 May 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I feature my exclusive interview with Karan Anand, CEO of Character.AI — the controversial “AI companion chatbot” company that has been at the center of the AI storm (including tragic stories of teens who commit suicide after having established deep relationships with their chatbots).

Likely surprising to many of you (it was to me), Character.AI is now pivoting to be first and foremost an AI entertainment company — courting major studios and creators alike to build and monetize fandom. This is Anand’s elevator pitch: “Think if Roblox, TikTok, and Wattpad had a baby ... this is what Character.AI is rapidly evolving into.”

But can Character.AI successfully make this pivot? And how credible and powerful is its new pitch, including on the critical issues of teen safety? Can the company gain the trust of major studios, IP owners and celebs/influencers from whom they'd like to license content for fandom?

I ask Anand the hard questions. And to his credit, he doesn’t shy away from any of them.

It’s an important, fascinating, and candid conversation — and Peter and Karan covered a lot of ground in 60 minutes, every minute of which is newsworthy.

NOTE: After our interview, Character.AI asked me to include its official response to the new litigation filed by the state of Pennsylvania. Here it is.

“We do not comment on pending litigation. Our highest priority is the safety and well-being of our users.

The user-created Characters on our site are fictional and intended for entertainment and roleplaying. We have taken robust steps to make that clear, including prominent disclaimers in every chat to remind users that a Character is not a real person and that everything a Character says should be treated as fiction. Also, we add robust disclaimers making it clear that users should not rely on Characters for any type of professional advice.

Character.ai prioritizes responsible product development and has robust internal reviews and red-teaming processes in place to assess relevant features.”

Sign up for the companion "the brAIn" newsletter via this link.
Check out Peter and his firm Creative Media
Check out Peter's LinkedIn bio here.
And send feedback to bizdev@creativemedia.biz.

AI & Copyright: Latest Legal & Business Developments (Digital Hollywood Session)

Tue, 14 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

This week I feature last week’s exclusive Digital Hollywood expert panel discussion about AI and copyright — the latest legal and business updates.

I moderated this great panel, which featured AI expert lawyers Lisa Oratz of Perkins Coie, Anthony Glukhov of the RAMO firm, and Jonathan Handel of Feig, Finkel — together with AI and marketing expert Albert Thompson of Walton Isaacson.

We covered a lot of ground in 50 minutes — and it’s worth listening to all of it. You’ll learn a lot, no matter what role you play in the worlds of media, entertainment, AI and tech.

Seedance 2.0 & Hollywood's New "AI Trade War"

Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:00:00 -0700

Just when you thought Hollywood’s increasingly open embrace of AI coincided with newly emerging AI economics and Big Tech norms of engagement, we have a major plot twist. TikTok’s owner from China, ByteDance, just re-launched largely guardrail-less Seedance 2.0 worldwide — and the Hollywood industry’s latest AI pariah is now readily available in the U.S.

Welcome to the new “AI Trade War!”

In this episode, the co-hosts discuss Peter Csathy's article of the same name which tackles the subject - and lays out the implications. (Peter generated the episode using Google NotebookLM - listened to it - and approves the content.)

Musicians: Yes, You CAN Recapture Your U.S. Copyrights Even If You Have a U.K. Contract

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0700

This special bonus episode -- just in time for the first weekend of Coachella --features a "deep dive" discussion based on host Peter Csathy's recent article of the same name (here's the link), in which Csathy writes that Artists and Musicians can, in fact, recapture their U.S. copyrights to their songs, recordings and other creative works even if they originally signed publishing and recording agreements under U.K. law (or other international law).

It's conventional wisdom in the music industry that the now infamous U.K. "Duran Duran" court case blocks a Musician's recapture of their U.S. copyrights. But Csathy debunks that conclusion, and lays out why Section 203 of the U.S. Copyright Act (the relevant reversion right) is an absolute right that cannot be taken away by U.K. or any other contractual law.

Csathy represents Musicians in music catalog deals, and has negotiated and facilitated deals on behalf of music icons and legends that include Devo, Prince, A Flock of Seagulls, Boston, Air Supply, Sheila E., Count Basie, Sarah McLachlan, Half Pint, and Wailing Souls.

His Artist-first music catalog representation and advisory firm is DEEP CUTS MEDIA (deepcutsmedia.com), and Csathy can be reached either at peter@deepcutsmedia.com or peter@creativemedia.biz.

"AI Meets Hollywood" Business & Legal Summit at the Television Academy

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 02:00:00 -0700

A few weeks ago, I joined a panel of experts at the Television Academy for a packed house Academy-only “AI Summit” weekend session. We discussed the latest business, legal, and regulatory AI issues and developments that impact Hollywood and the overall media and entertainment community. I tackled many of the business issues — including the latest licensing news and business models.

For the first time, non-Academy members can listen to this closed door session here on my "the brAIn" podcast.

So, sit back. Grab your popcorn. And enjoy. Think you’ll get a lot out of it.

Audio courtesy of the Television Academy. Special thanks to the Academy and to our great moderator at the event, Holly Leff-Pressman.

OpenAI's $1 Billion Reality Check: AI Compute Costs Crush Sora's Video Dreams

Fri, 27 Mar 2026 14:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I feature a fascinating "deep dive" of my newsletter with the same title - generated using Google NotebookLM (all prompts were mine, and I approve the episode's content).

Here’s the headline: OpenAI killed Sora and its $1 billion deal with Disney due to the sheer economics of boundless consumer generative AI video, not AI tech. Enterprise use is in focus.

Here are the top 5 takeaways:

The "Compute Tax" is Unaffordable: High-quality video requires massive electricity and infrastructure; even for OpenAI, the cost of consumer-scale video generation is currently unsustainable.
Pivot from Toys to Utility: The industry is shifting from flashy consumer "toys" (like Sora) toward "Agentic AI" that handles high-value enterprise tasks like coding and logistics.
Rise of "Invisible" Professional AI: AI isn't disappearing; it’s moving into "unseen" professional workflows to solve specific production friction and VFX bottlenecks rather than replacing creators.
Prioritizing IPO-Ready Revenue: As OpenAI nears an IPO, it is abandoning costly consumer experiments in favor of scalable, enterprise-grade tools that offer clearer returns.
A Reality Check for Human Artistry: The dream of "prompting" a blockbuster from a couch has failed, reaffirming that human taste, skill, and creative effort remain essential.

Market Substitution: Generative AI's "Fair Use" Fail

Thu, 12 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0700

In this episode, I feature a fascinating "deep dive" of my newsletter titled "Market Substitution: Generative AI's 'Fair Use' Fail" that I generated using Google NotebookLM (all prompts were mine, and I approve the episode's content).

Here’s the headline: the Creative Community now has AI on its copyright litigation heels. That means that the “3 C’s” of so-called “ethical AI” — Consent, Credit and Compensation — are now taking hold via accelerating licensing deals and emerging “usage based” business models.

Here are the Key Take-Aways:

3 “fair use” decisions so far (Bartz v. Anthropic, Kadrey v. Meta, Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence). Anthropic settled for $1.5 Billion due to court pressure. Other two cases pending (Thomson Reuters’ decision is on appeal).
Both Judges in Kadrey & Thomson Reuters focused on “market substitution” as the key rationale to beat back AI’s “fair use” defense, following the Supreme Court’s most recent copyright case (Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith).
Meta prevailed on “fair use,” but the Judge made it clear that Meta would have lost if plaintiffs’ lawyers made the right “market substitution” arguments.
Courts’ increased skepticism of AI’s “fair use” defense is fueling accelerating AI settlements and content licensing activity, which is good for both AI and media.
New “usage based” AI content licensing models are being defined right now, following the same pattern as we’ve seen in past massive technology shifts impacting the entertainment industry. Napster’s music theft led to new streaming royalties. YouTube’s content IP theft led to its ContentID system.

Maybe AI WILL Save the World? The "Forced Utopia" Paradox

Fri, 06 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0800

Occasionally, I'll take a break from my exlusive 1-1 interviews with top movers and shakers in the AI and media/entertainment worlds to feature fascinating "deeper dives" of my articles (that I generate, and approve, via Google NotebookLM).

This is one such "deep dive" - based on my recent newsletter article titled, "Maybe AI WILL Save the World? Join My Journey of Unbridled AI Optimism." I handled all the prompting - listened to the entire episode before posting it - and stand behind its contents (which accurately reflect my article and the issues surrounding it - including my vision of an inevitable "forced Utopia" even under the rosiest of AI "Accelerationist" scenarios).

I think you'll find engaging, thought-provoking, and enlightening. But let me know what you think. Send me a note to peter@creativemedia.biz.

AI Regulation Isn't Dead In D.C. (But It's Damn Close): Moiya McTier Discusses The Latest

Mon, 02 Mar 2026 02:00:00 -0800

What happens when the chief spokesperson and lobbyist for the Human Artistry Campaign (the coalition of 180+ creative and Artist organizations worldwide) sits down to discuss the state of AI regulation and legislation in D.C.? You get a fascinating conversation with Dr. Moiya McTier. Moiya has spent time on Capitol Hill with members of Congress in support of the creative community’s interests.

Here are some highlights of our discussion:

Legislative Progress: Federal legislation isn’t dead. But it’s certainly not moving fast, although bi-partisan support isgrowing for the NO FAKES Act (digital replicas) and the TRAIN Act (data transparency).
“Stealing Isn’t Innovation”: Moiya discusses the Human Artistry Campaign’s recently launched “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” campaign, which educates the public on how AI models are trained using unlicensed data without permission.
Ethical AI Standards: True ethical AI requires a framework of consent, credit, and compensation.
Identity Protection: AI is uniquely dangerous because it can mimic an artist’s voice, likeness, and style, threatening their professional identity.
Intrinsic Value of Art: Over-reliance on AI risks “creative atrophy” by removing the essential human struggle of expression.

35 minutes. Zero fluff. Total insight.

AI Revenue Sharing for Content: It Works (& ProRata.ai Shows the Way)

Mon, 16 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0800

In this episode, I revisit my conversation with Josh Freeman, VP of Business Development of "must watch" company ProRata.ai, which sits at the center of the generative AI/content divide. The company recently raised an additional $40 million (bringing its total haul to over $70 million). Its vision is to solve one of the most challenging issues at the center of generative AI — i.e., the use of IP/content without consent, compensation and attribution.

Josh tells me that the company's proprietary tech can do three critical things: (1) identify “proportionate attribution” to content sources used for generative AI training purposes, based on each source’s relative contribution to the ultimate GenAI output/display; (2) enable reporting of that attribution/contribution; and (3) enable ongoing payments to the relevant rights-holders.

Since this episode first posted one year ago, ProRata also launched its own AI search chatbot, Gist Answers, to compete directly with Perplexity, Gemini, ChatGPT and others in AI search. But unlike those AI chatbots, ProRata.ai says it does it “ethically” — training its AI models on — and then outputting/displaying — only licensed content sources.

The company counts 1,500+ media partners, including The Atlantic, The Guardian, Sky News and Vox. And here’s the fascinating part. The company gives its partners an ongoing 50/50 revenue split on any revenues generated by Gist Answers (not just a single up-front licensing payment).

Beyond The Swipe: Your New 24/7 AI Dating Coach (Just In Time for Valentine's Day)

Sat, 07 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0800

What happens when an entrepreneur looking for love finds dating perils instead? She builds a new AI dating App to spot those relationship red flags and deliver real-time coaching and safety. My interview today is with Blair Golden, Founder & CEO of Pair — your always-on personal AI dating coach that just launched in the App Store last week.

Blair & I Discuss:

The “Dating Jungle” Inspiration. Blair’s motivation came from her personal return to dating after her divorce, an experience she describes as an “unsupervised and unsafe circus.”
Bridging the Gap Between Therapy and Dating. She realized that professional dating advice is too expensive or unavailable when dating “disasters” actually occur. “As we all know, dating disasters don’t wait for Tuesday at 3 PM!”
The Need for a Real-Time Confidant. “What if I had a wise, calm, judgment-free coach and confidant in my pocket? Someone I could ask, in real time, ‘Is this a red flag, or am I overthinking?’”
Safety and Empowerment. “Desiring to help empower women and provide a new level of safety to all daters.”
Trusting Your Intuition. “Pair is built to help singles trust their gut when spotting red flags and cut ties with toxic people faster.”

30 minutes. Zero fluff. Total insight. Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

Advertising's Top AI Disruptor PJ Ace: Rewriting The Rules (& Turning Down Super Bowl Ads)

Sun, 01 Feb 2026 08:00:00 -0800

What happens when the top AI disruptor in the world of advertising, PJ Accetturo (aka PJ Ace, the “Viral AI Ad Madman”) — founder and CEO of leading AI creative studio and agency Genre AI — sits down to talk shop? You get a fascinating, blunt discussion of how AI is fundamentally transforming the world of big brand and Hollywood studio advertising and production.

PJ and I discuss:

How Genre AI broke out with its AI-hyper fueled ad for prediction market, Kalshi – an ad that was viewed tens of millions of times. Since then, Oracle, Popeyes, Qatar Airlines have chosen Genre – and now, so do major Hollywood studios. You’ll learn why (hint: it’s a race to quality; not to the bottom).
Why PJ turned down the opportunity to produce a massive Super Bowl ad.
AI’s power to slash production costs & time-frames, without sacrificing quality. PJ walks us through the overall production process. Where AI shines. And where AI has limitations.
The unchallenged power of human creativity for high quality ideation, pre and post-production. PJ’s team includes top directors and talent from film & television — critical differentiators from other AI studios. And he doesn’t expect that to change.

45 minutes. Zero fluff. Total insight.

Google's Head of Content: On AI, Hollywood & AI's 4th Dimension of Storytelling

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 08:00:00 -0800

What happens when Google’s head of entertainment content & platforms, Jon Zepp, sits down to talk shop? You get one of Big Tech’s leading AI “insiders” whose focus is to work with the creative community — and to overcome friction, and focus instead on unlocking new creative possibilities.

I interview Jon about it all in this episode. He deeply respects Artists — is one of the sharpest minds I know — and is a true lover of the world of entertainment and content.

Jon and I discuss:

Google’s Creative Partnership with Filmmakers Darren Aronofsky and Doug Liman: Why those Auteurs behind classic films like “Black Swan” and “Swingers” chose to work with the biggest AI/Tech company on the planet — and how they overcame understandable Artist trepidation.
Google’s New 100 ZEROS Project: It’s an eye-opening new creative direction for Google. And just in time for the Academy Awards, 100 ZEROS has a small co-production role in 9-time Oscar nominated film “Sentimental Value” — a relationship that, interestingly, has nothing to do with AI.
AI’s Unlock of a New 4th Dimension of Storytelling: Jon lays out an “a-ha” moment for me, in terms of understanding new creative possibilities unlocked with AI (which still keeps human artists/creatives firmly in control).

45 minutes. Zero fluff. Total insight.

AI & Creative Control - A Conversation with Andy Beach, former CTO Microsoft (M&E)

Wed, 21 Jan 2026 03:00:00 -0800

Creative Media's Peter Csathy and Andy Beach, former Microsoft CTO and Head of AI Strategy (Media & Entertainment), discuss: (1) Disney's $1 billion investment into OpenAI; (2) Apple's decision to partner with Google for Apple Intelligence; (3) Microsoft's new AI Publisher's Content Marketplace; (4) Matthew McConaughey's efforts to trademark himself for AI purposes (alright, alright, alright!); and (5) the true meaning (and ramifications) of creative "control" in an increasingly generative AI world.

You can learn more about Andy Beach via his Substack "Engines of Change: Technology, Media, and the Attention Economy."

Series Debut: CES AI Media Masterclass: The Latest Content Licensing/Pricing, Copyright/Fair Use (Expert Panel)

Mon, 19 Jan 2026 18:00:00 -0800

In this debut episode 1 of the brAIn for 2026, Creative Media's Peter Csathy moderates an expert panel at CES 2026, featuring Rebecca Grossman-Cohen (The New York Times), Emi Wayner (formerly of Google AI), Dave Davis (AI content licensing firm Protege), renowned Artist/DJ BT, and Jason Henderson (IP/licensing expert). The panel discusses the latest developments in copyright and fair use; the latest AI content licensing deals (pricing, how they're structured); Disney's $1 billion deal with OpenAI; and much more in a fascinating rapid fire 40 minute session.

5 Predictions for AI, Media & Entertainment in 2026

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:00:00 -0800

This episode discusses expert Peter Csathy's 5 predictions for AI, media and entertainment in 2026. It is based on Csathy's just published annual predictions, which you can find here via his "the brAIn" newsletter.

NOTE: Peter has listened to this episode and believes it accurately represents his predictions and perspectives - and that it is an insightful discussion of those predictions.

What Does Disney's $1 Billion OpenAI Deal Mean? My "Hot Take"

Fri, 12 Dec 2025 13:00:00 -0800

Aussie tech expert Ricky Sutton interviews me in our "hot take" session about what Disney's new $1 billion deal with OpenAI means - and why Disney would license its most beloved and valuable characters for use in Sora. Check it out.

Generative AI & Copyright: Infringement or Fair Use? Expert Panel Discussion

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 02:00:00 -0700

In this special episode, Peter moderates a compelling Digital Hollywood virtual session focused on AI and the law (in the world of media and entertainment). It's called "Generative AI Law: Let's Get Real - Is Copyright a Right or Does it Have Temporary Legal Status?" Panelists include Karen Chesley (Senior Litigation Counsel at The New York Times), Avery Williams (Partner at McKool Smith), and Sky Moore (Partner at Greenberg Glusker LLP).

It's an engaging, energetic deep and efficient discussion about all the legal issues - where they are right now (including the latest on "fair use" decisions) - and where things are heading.

The AI Content Royalty Marketplace: Licensing & Rev Sharing (Expert "Insider" Discussion)

Thu, 24 Jul 2025 07:00:00 -0700

In this special episode, Peter moderatea a panel of all-star "insiders" at Digital Hollywood's virtual event - in a session titled "The AI Royalty Marketplace: Licensing, Monetization & Revenue Share". It is a panel that discusses critical "insider" information not available elsewhere, including pricing for video used for AI training. Panelists include Rebecca Grossman-Cohen of The New York Times, Dave Davis of Protege, Howie Singer of New York University, and Mickey Maher of Vermillio.

H.I. v. A.I. - One Emotes, The Other Mimics

Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:00:00 -0700

This episode discusses Peter Csathy's latest musing about H.I. v. A.I. in the Arts and overall creative process -- with H.I. referring to Human Intelligence and the critical role of moment-in-time human emotion in the Artist's creative journey and resulting creative works (emotion that AI may be able to mimic, but never authentically capture). H.I. captures the Artist's emotional state of mind at the moment of creation -- whereas AI can only create based on past data (a historical record).

Csathy generated this episode using Google NotebookLM (with direction given relating to his article).

EMERGENCY POD: Kadrey v. Meta's "Fair Use" Decision - Don't Believe The Tech Bro Hype, Copyright Owners Are The Big Winners

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 06:00:00 -0700

In this emergency podcast episode, Peter Csathy's co-hosts discuss the second ground-breaking AI copyright "fair use" decision in the past two days - this time Judge Vince Chhabria's in Kadrey v. Meta (from the same federal district court in Northern California in which Judge William Alsup sits, and who decided "fair use" in Bartz v. Anthropic). This podcast - generated using Google NotebookLM - is based on Csathy's detailed written analysis of both cases. Csathy underscores that at first blush, both "fair use" decisions look like victories to AI developers. But he offers the convincing case as to why both decisions - especially the decision in Kadrey v. Meta - are actually huge wins for copyright owners. And he argues that these decisions will significantly heat up the AI licensing market.

On "AI & Entrepreneurship" - Interview with Peter Csathy

Thu, 26 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Host Peter Csathy was recently interviewed by Robert Milazzo who is a professor, creator and founder of The Modern School of Film — an educational studio that has produced hundreds of masterclasses and educational events to explore the intersections of community, craft and culture. Our topic? “AI Entrepreneurship.”

It’s a wide-ranging discussion that bounced from the practical and pragmatic (getting a job in the creative industries, and best positioning yourself) to the more philosophical (how AI will transform the creative arts, and what it means for Art itself).

Emergency Pod: First "Fair Use" Ruling In GenAI Case - What It All Means

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:00:00 -0700

In this emergency episode, AI/media expert Peter Csathy's co-hosts discuss his just-posted written analysis of the first federal Judge's ruling on the critical issue of "fair use" in the context of generative AI. The decision was just handed down by Judge Alsup in the Northern District of California - and Csathy read and analyzed the full decision to see what it all means for both copyright owners and AI developers - and what comes next. Csathy generated this episode based on his article using Google NotebookLM - and Csathy approves the contents as being consistent with his perspectives, and also thoughtful and engaging.

New York's New AI "Synthetic Performer" Disclosure Law - Exposed!

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Last week, just in time for Cannes Lions 2025 — the most important advertising industry soiree of the year — New York’s legislature passed a groundbreaking new law that requires advertisers (and those who create those ads) to conspicuously disclose when an AI-generated “synthetic human” is used in ads.

SAG-AFTRA called New York’s new law “a historic move marking a new era of transparency in artificial intelligence use in advertising … the first law in the country, and possibly in the world, to mandate disclaimers when consumers are being sold to by artificial intelligence-generated humans, or ‘synthetic performers.’” Now, as SAG-AFTRA pointed out in its statement, “If you are being sold to by a machine you will know it.”

But there’s more to this new law as well. It represents both an acceptance of this new AI reality in which we all live — AND a nod to humanity’s primacy in the order of things.

In this week's episode, based on Peter Csathy's related article in his "the brAIn" newsletter, Csathy's synthetic co-hosts discuss it all -- laying out what this new law means, what it represents, and how major advertisers and their agencies are thinking about their work and craft in this time of accelerated AI development.

Hollywood Finally Joins The AI Copyright Fight! (Disney/NBCU Sue Midjourney)

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Last week, host Peter Csathy called for Hollywood studios to finally cast aside their silence and join the AI copyright fight - to loudly voice the creative community's concerns about AI developers using their copyrighted works without consent and compensation. And two days later, Disney and NBCUniversal finally did - they sued generative image AI company Midjourney.

In this episode, Csathy's synthetic co-hosts discuss Csathy's most recent article, update and analysis of it all from his "the brAIn" newsletter, titled "Hollywood Finally Enters the AI Copyright Fight!" It's a focused - yet far-ranging discussion - of all the relevant key business and legal issues surrounding Disney's and NBCU's new lawsuit against Midjourney, as well as a preview of what to expect next.

Csathy generated the episode using Google NotebookLM - and he approves its content (and believes the conversation is helpful, insightful, and engaging).

Hollywood's "Fair Use" AI Knockout Punch. Coming Soon?

Wed, 11 Jun 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Peter Csathy's synthetic co-hosts discuss Csathy's most recent article that discusses and analyzes where things stand in the current AI copyright infringement / "fair use" battle royale that is playing out between media and big tech companies in the federal courts. Csathy lays out the current state of affairs -- how federal courts have already decided (or soon will decide the "fair use" issue) -- and what that means for the world of generative AI as it meets the Arts.

The discussion also focuses on Csathy's "call to arms" to the big Hollywood companies to take a firm and loud stand against the unlicensed "taking" of copyrighted works for AI training purposes -- and asks why major entertainment companies like Disney are staying silent amidst it all.

Finally, Csathy offers alternatives and solutions that should work for both media and tech -- while accelerating "ethical" AI adoption by reducing litigation friction.

Csathy generated the discussion using Google NotebookLM - and he approves its contents.

OpenAI & Studio Ghibli: Yes, "Style" Can Be Infringed

Thu, 03 Apr 2025 07:00:00 -0700

This episode features a discussion of the great debate that is front and center now about OpenAI's new image generator, and how it's being widely used by users around the world to create anime art based on the "style" of famed anime artist Hayao MIyazaki. Many creative artists find what OpenAI is enabling to be infringing Miyazaki's works. But OpenAI and Silicon Valley in general pushes back by saying that an artist's "style" is not copyrightable.

The discussion is based on Peter's most recent article about the subject, where he lays out precisely why OpenAI's actions here can, indeed, be copyright infringement for two separate reasons. It's a fascinating discussion that Peter approved as being faithful to his article - and to his perspectives.

AI Search: A "Code Red" for All Websites (96% Less Referrals!)

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 02:00:00 -0700

Host Peter Csathy's "synthetic" co-hosts discuss a sobering reality that faces all websites (not just media publishers and entertainment companies). For general purpose search, consumers increasingly turn to conversational AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, and Anthropic’s Claude — as well as to more utilitarian AI search engines like Perplexity — instead of traditional Google and Bing search. This new AI search reality poses a "Code Red" for traditional search. But it also poses a very real “Code Red” (perhaps even existential) threat for most websites in general and the advertisers that support them. That means all news, media and entertainment companies, of course. But it goes much deeper than that — to anyone and any business that is dependent on advertising and ad-driven traffic. This episode discusses it all, including the new data from TollBit that is the basis for these conclusions.

Peter generated this podcast based on his most recent newsletter using Google NotebookLM (and he listened to, and approved, this episode as being consistent with his discussion, helpful, and engaging).

Is Thomson Reuters' Copyright Win A Fatal Blow to "Fair Use"?

Sun, 30 Mar 2025 08:00:00 -0700

Host Peter Csathy recently was a guest on Ricky Sutton's "Future Media" podcast to discuss the recent rejection of "fair use" as a defense to AI training infringement by the federal judge in Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence. Peter discusses all the relevant business and legal issues that arise in the context of generative AI scraping of copyrighted works without consent and compensation -- and calls for a "win win" licensing scheme to benefit all. It's a fascinating discussion with Ricky Sutton and his co-host Alan Chapell.

Is 100% "Ethically Sourced" Generative AI Possible?

Mon, 24 Mar 2025 18:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Peter Csathy's "synthetic" co-hosts discuss his most recent article that asks the provocative question, "Is 100% ethically sourced generative AI even possible?" Csathy's article lays out both sides of the argument - those who say it is possible (and must be done via content licensing), and those who simply believe it's too daunting and too hard (whom Csathy calls "Fair Use Accelerationists"). Csathy spoke with several leading experts to give their perspectives.

It's an episode that covers all the related issues - and is entertaining at the same time. Csathy generated it using Google NotebookLM - and he approves the content.

Does AI Dumb Down Creativity?

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 15:00:00 -0700

This discussion focuses on host Peter Csathy's latest feature article of the same name, which explores whether AI can ever create truly "original" and groundbreaking Art without humans controlling it as a tool to their own human creation. The discussion focuses on what uniquely makes human "creation" divine and unmatchable by AI content generation. Csathy argues that left to its own devices, AI generated works will always lead to the mediocre and mundane. The discussion also focuses on AI as a tool to expand creative possibilities - but not to overtake humans at the forefront of the creative process.

Csathy generated this discussion using Google NotebookLM, which synthesized his article in line with his parameters. And Csathy approves its content and believes the overall discussion is both entertaining and enlightening.

Conversation with Eric Shamlin, Creator of Iconic AI-Generated "Holidays" Coke Ad

Mon, 10 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Host Peter Csathy recently was a featured speaker at ThinkLA’s big AI-focused event (ThinkLA serves marketing and media executives). Peter invited CEO Eric Shamlin of production company Secret Level to join him. Shamlin and his team created the iconic AI-generated “Holidays Are Coming” Coke ad that became THE marketing story this past December.

In this exclusive “fireside chat,” Peter and Eric discuss the story behind it all — i.e., how Shamlin and his team conceptualized and executed it — and how consumers and the creative community reacted to it. Suffice it to say that while consumers reacted overwhelmingly positively (the ad was a smash hit), not everyone in the creative community felt the same. According to AdWeek, the ad “went from praise to rage … signaling a wider industry dilemma.” It’s a fascinating discussion that was extremely well-received, enlightening, and entertaining.

How Courts Will Assess Damages In Generative AI Copyright Cases

Wed, 05 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0800

In this episode, based on Peter Csathy's article of the same name, Peter's "synth" hosts discuss the central issue of remedies and damages for winning rights-holders in generative AI copyright cases -- and, relatedly, how the courts will even begin to assess monetary damages in a world where the relevant “harm” caused by an entire internet’s worth of unlicensed scraping has already been done (and can’t be undone unless existing LLMs are scrapped and AI training starts anew with licensed content only). Theoretical damage awards under copyright and related laws are downright astronomical.

The discussion flows from the court's recent rejection of “fair use” in the now notorious Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence case — where it ruled that the scraping of copyrighted works without consent and compensation is infringement (not a defensible “fair use”) as a matter of law.

Peter generated this episode, based on his article, using Google NotebookLM (and he approves its content).

Court Rejects AI's "Fair Use": Now What?

Sun, 16 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0800

This episode is a discussion of host Peter Csathy's new article titled, "Court Rejects AI's Fair Use: Now What?" (generated using Google NotebookLM). Csathy's article discusses all the issues raised by (and ramifications of) Judge Stephen Bibas's recent game-changing rejection of "fair use" as a defense to unlicensed AI scraping in the Thomson Reuters v. Ross Intelligence case: (1) now what will generative AI companies do (how will they act)?, (2) how would courts even begin to assess damages in this "horse is already out of the barn" scenario where the entire internet has already been scraped, (3) how would the Supreme Court rule when that AI training "fair use" issue inevitably reaches them?, and (4) would Congress itself create a new "fair use" exception to permit unlimited unlicensed AI training on copyrighted works (especially in the face of the new co-sheriffs in town, President Trump and Elon Musk)?

Csathy approves the contents of this episode, and believes it is an accurate reflection of the issues (and his overall analysis). BUT there is one part of the discussion near the end of the episode that focuses on training on "synthetic data" - and Csathy strongly disagrees on that point.

Bombshell AI "Fair Use" Court Win for Creators & Media: What It Means?

Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:00:00 -0800

In this special episode, based on host Peter Csathy's most recent emergency newsletter about the recent bombshell Thomson Reuters court ruling, Csathy's synthetic co-hosts discuss the court's rejection of "fair use" as a defense to AI training on copyrighted works without consent and compensation. It's the first "fair use" decision in the world of copyright litigation filed by creators and media/entertainment against generative AI developers.

This episode was generated using Google NotebookLM (and Peter approved its content, believes it accurately summarizes his article, and is helpful and insightful).

DeepSeek: What It Means for Media & Entertainment

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 08:00:00 -0800

This special episode discusses host Peter Csathy's latest article about DeepSeek and its potential massive implications on the media and entertainment industry (not to mention U.S. generative AI developers). The conversation is hosted by Google NotebookLM's synthetic co-hosts (but Csathy has listened to the generated podcast, and believes it is largely consistent with the perspectives he voices in his article).

Conversation with Andy Beach (fmr. CTO Microsoft): AI, DeepSeek & Hollywood

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 13:00:00 -0800

Host Peter Csathy of Creative Media sits down for an exclusive conversation with Andy Beach, former CTO of Microsoft's Media and Entertainment group, who just left his position after being with Microsoft for 10 years. The two discuss and debate how generative AI is impacting Hollywood and the entire creative community today, and where they believe it's all going in the years to come.

They also discuss how China's DeepSeek earthquake has changed Silicon Valley's generative AI game - and whether that's hype, or reality. Andy's and Peter's conversation and debate are frequently spirited (they certainly don't agree on everything), but they are also insightful and even entertaining. Andy was able to be particularly candid in his views since he is now fully "independent" and outside Microsoft. It's a fascinating discussion.

Volume Is Out, "Fine Tuning" Is In for GenAI Video Licensing

Tue, 28 Jan 2025 02:00:00 -0800

There was a time when “bulk” was the metric that mattered most to Big Tech for video content (“data”) needed for GenAI training purposes. In fact, those times were just months ago. “The more, the better!” was Silicon Valley’s mantra. But those times are over, and they aren’t coming back. Licensing’s life-cycle has moved on. Welcome to the brave new world of video licensing — GenAI “fine tuning” style.

Peter Csathy's synthetic co-hosts from Google NotebookLLM discuss Peter's latest newsletter about it all -- which lays out the parameters that matter most right now for the major generative AI developers in terms of what they want for video licensing purposes. Those parameters and needs have evolved significantly over the course of the past several months.

AI Litigation Tracker (for week ending 1/25/25)

Sat, 25 Jan 2025 15:00:00 -0800

This episode features a summary and discussion of the latest developments (as of January 25th, 2025) in 10 key litigations brought by media companies and individual creators against generative Ai developers (on the issues of copyright infringement and related legal claims). Partner Avery Williams of leading rights-holder law firm McKool Smith compiles, discusses and regularly updates the "AI Litigation Tracker" (and this summary and discussion was generated using Google NotebookLLM).

AI Litigation Tracker (for week ending 1/19/25)

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 05:00:00 -0800

This episode features a summary and discussion of the most recent major developments in 10 key litigations brought by media companies and individual creators against generative Ai developers (on the issues of copyright infringement and related legal claims). Partner Avery Williams of leading rights-holder law firm McKool Smith compiles the "AI Litigation Tracker" (and this summary and discussion was generating using Google NotebookLLM).

Generative AI & Copyright: Analysis of 10K+ Submissions on "Fair Use" (Key Themes, Sentiment)

Tue, 21 Jan 2025 07:00:00 -0800

Peter Csathy's synthetic co-hosts summarize and discuss the new exclusive analysis by NYU Professors Howie Singer, Joao Sedoc, and Foster Provost of the 10,000+ submissions to the U.S. Copyright Office commenting on the question of copyrightability and fair use in the context of generative AI. This analysis is the first comprehensive analysis of every single submission, which was able to be done leveraging the power of AI (but with human quality control all along the way). NOTE: this episode was generated using Google NotebookLLM (and Peter listened to it - and approves its content as being an accurate discussion of this new Analysis).

10 Predictions for AI, Media & Entertainment in 2025

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Host and AI/media expert Peter Csathy, Chairman of Creative Media, lays out his closely-watched annual 10 predictions for how generative AI will impact the world of media and entertainment in 2025.

Interview with Will Kreth, CEO of HAND - The World's First "Talent ID" Database for AI

Thu, 19 Dec 2024 17:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Peter features his exclusive interview with founder and CEO Will Kreth of HAND (Human and Digital), a company focused on developing the world's first standardized "talent ID" system for generative AI and more -- i.e., the first global B2B Talent ID registry platform for efficient discoverability, royalty collection, and revenue tracking of notable legal and natural persons and control of consent-based digital replicas for thousands of major Hollywood celebrities and the most notable Major League Baseball (MLB) and National Football League (NFL) players.

How The OpenAI Court Got It Wrong

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 15:00:00 -0800

In this episode, Peter Csathy's co-hosts discuss his new article titled, "Raw Deal: The OpenAI Court Got It Wrong - Raw Story Media's Lawsuit Was Wrongly Dismissed on 'Standing' Grounds". In his article, Csathy discusses the recent dismissal by a federal judge of Raw Story Media's lawsuit against OpenAI on "standing" grounds. Raw Story had alleged that OpenAI included Raw Story's content in its LLM training data set without consent — and stripped out its copyright management information (CMI) in violation of the DMCA (specific copyright provisions related to the digital era). The Court dismissed the case, because the Judge concluded that Raw Story Media had failed to allege any actionable “harm” or “injury.”

Csathy writes that OpenAI’s “big win” is a fleeting one that will be reversed if it gets to that point, because the Judge simply got it wrong as a matter of law. And he lays out in detail why that is the case.

Peter generated this episode using Google NotebookLM - and "approves" its content (and believes it is comprehensive, compelling and consistent with his words).

$1 Trillion for GenAI: So Where Are the Content Dollars?

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 13:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Peter Csathy's co-hosts discuss his article of the same title - including the key AI-related content licensing deals to date, and where things to be heading in the epic copyright infringement/"fair use" battles that increasingly fill the courts between major rights-holders and big tech.

Peter generated this episode using Google NotebookLM - and "approves" its content (and believes it is comprehensive, compelling and consistent with his words).

My Open Letter Response to Perplexity: A Discussion

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 17:00:00 -0700

Last week, host Peter Csathy wrote not once but twice about Perplexity in his companion newsletter. And for good reason. He first posted an analysis based on The New York Times’ recent “cease and desist” demand to Perplexity. And then News Corp actually filed formal litigation against Perplexity for similar reasons.

Perplexity responded to News Corp's litigation. Not in the actual courts. Rather, in the court of public opinion. It posted its response on its official blog. You can read its full response here. Suffice it to say, it’s exactly what you would expect it to be. And Peter gives his own response to Perplexity's response in this week's newsletter.

In this episode, our two synthetic co-hosts discuss Csathy's response in the overall context not only of the actual litigation, but in the overall Zeitgeist of generative AI and society. (Peter generated it by simply dropping the text of his "Open Letter" into Google's NotebookLM).

PETER'S NOTE: I "authorize" it. I've listened to the discussion. It is remarkably sophisticated in its discussion - and is worthwhile for listening.

Perplexity Showcases 3 Paths to Generative AI Copyright Infringement

Tue, 22 Oct 2024 03:00:00 -0700

This episode gives a comprehensive overview of host Peter Csathy's deep dive article with the same title (link below).

The discussion uses The New York Times' recent "cease and desist" demand and News Corp's new lawsuit against generative AI search tool Perplexity to discuss the concept of RAG processing - and why it matters in the context of GenAI copyright, infringement and "fair use."

Based on Csathy's article (simply dropped into NotebookLM), Csathy's AI co-hosts also discuss the Second Circuit Court of Appeal's critical new copyright decision in the Hachette v. Interactive Archive case -- which relies heavily on the Supreme Court's most recent major copyright ruling in the "Andy Warhol - Prince" case.

Link to article used for podcast https://themediabrain.substack.com/p/perplexitys-use-of-rag-opens-up-3

Are Tech's Generative AI "Fair Use" Dominoes Starting to Fall?

Thu, 10 Oct 2024 14:00:00 -0700

Excellent discussion of host Peter Csathy's deep dive article titled, "Are Tech's Generative AI 'Fair Use' Dominoes Starting to Fall?"

Based on Csathy's article (simply dropped into NotebookLM), Csathy's AI co-hosts discuss: (1) the ongoing debate about whether AI training on copyrighted works (without consent/compensation) is "fair use"; (2) how developments in the Courts are increasingly pointing in favor of rights-holders (and against "fair use"); and (3) the best possible solution for both GenAI developers and the content owners and creators.

Newsom's Hollywood/Silicon Valley GenAI Balancing Act: How California's 17 New GenAI Laws Impact Media & Entertainment

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 05:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Peter Csathy hands over the podcast to his Google NotebookLM "synthetic" AI-generated co-hosts to discuss his latest article, "Newsom's Hollywood/Silicon Valley Balancing Act: California's 17 New GenAI Laws May Become the Nation's De Facto Standards." The discussion is both surprisingly smart and surprisingly engaging. Csathy listened (and approved this message).

Here is the link to Csathy's article on which today's synthetic co-hosts riff - https://themediabrain.substack.com/p/newsom-in-the-middle-govs-genai-hollywood

The Great AI Copyright Debate: "Fair Use" or Not? (As Voiced by Google's NotebookLM)

Wed, 02 Oct 2024 02:00:00 -0700

In this part 3 of his Google NotebookLM podcast series, host Peter Csathy enables his "synthetic" AI-generated guest hosts to discuss "the great AI copyright debate: fair use, or not?" Csathy generated this episode by simply uploading the text of his recent article on the subject. The results are fascinating. The conversation smart. But very different than Csathy's original source material (which Google NotebookLM takes ... and runs with it).

Here is the link to Csathy's article on which today's synthetic co-hosts riff - https://themediabrain.substack.com/p/ai-and-infringement-how-the-supreme

Google's NotebookLM AI Hosts Discuss Themselves: The Results Are Fascinating (& Scary Good)

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 03:00:00 -0700

In this Part 2 to host Peter Csathy's Google NotebookLM generated podcast series, NotebookLM's "synthetic" AI-generated co-hosts discuss themselves - i.e., what their AI-generated personas mean for creativity, art and society. The result is fascinating. So good - the convers-AI-tion, so smart. It's scary.

Csathy generated the episode simply by pasting the link to his latest newsletter in this "wonder app" - no prompts or instruction of any kind needed. Here is the link to the newsletter itself - https://themediabrain.substack.com/p/googles-notebookllm-something-just

Google's New NotebookLM: AI-Generated Podcast Demo Featuring Creative Media

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Google just launched NotebookLM, an amazing new content generating AI wunder-app that, in Google’s words, is designed to be “your personalized AI research assistant.” NotebookLM can do many things, but its audio podcast generating feature is what really stands out.

In this episode, rather than host Peter Csathy telling you about it, he let's the app speak for itself. Literally. Peter generated this podcast simply by typing in his Creative Media website's link -- no prompts or instructions of any kind. The result — generated in minutes — is this fully throated podcast that features two immensely likable, enthusiastic and deeply human sounding voices (one male, one female, both of whom are "synthetic"). Yes, the Synth co-hosts mispronounce Csathy's name (doesn't everybody?). But apart from that, it's remarkable.

The Google NotebookLM app experience is so good, in fact, that it inevitably begs the question: who needs humans anymore? Which begs the logical next question — what precisely is the goal here with all of this generative AI “stuff”? Which begs yet another question: how are we humans supposed to keep up with this endlessly accelerating pace of transformational technology innovation?

All of which begs my ultimate questions to all of you: shouldn’t we all at least step back and reflect upon what we are doing here? Why we are doing it? And at what creative and societal cost?

The Great AI Debate: Are We (Or Are We Not) In An AI Bubble? (Hosted by Streaming Media)

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 11:00:00 -0700

This week's episode features Creative Media's Peter Csathy participating in Streaming Media's recent "Great AI Debate" hosted and moderated by expert and media cartographer Evan Shapiro - and also featuring AI experts and entrepreneurs H. Schuster of HUSSLUP and Chris Giliberti of Avail.
The debate's central question was a simple one -- are we (or are we not) in an AI bubble right now?
As expected, the debate got spicy, especially when Shapiro and Csathy exchanged points from opposite sides of the fence. The results are both enlightening and entertaining.

Interview: Ben Gottdiener, CEO of Narrativ (& His New SAG-AFTRA Deal)

Wed, 21 Aug 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Creative Media's Peter Csathy interviews CEO Ben Gottdiener, CEO of Narrativ - the generative AI company that enables users to create digital voice replicas (what some call "digital clones"). Narrativ's mission is to be the "marketplace for advertisers to license talent audio AI likenesses." And the big news is that the company just entered into a major agreement with SAG-AFTRA as part of its commitment to using only AI that has been "ethically trained." The two discuss it all in this exclusive interview.

Interview: Shara Senderoff, CEO Jen Music AI (& Why They Are "Ethically Sourced")

Fri, 16 Aug 2024 03:00:00 -0700

Peter interviews Shara Senderoff, Founder and CEO of Jen Music AI. The two discuss how Jen Music's "ethically sourced" music ethos is fundamentally different than the ethos of Silicon Valley-backed generative AI music services Suno and Udio. Neither of those companies chose to seek consent from -- or give compensation to -- the artists, musicians and teams that created the music on which they train their AI (and capture 100% of the value that is generated by it). Shara and Peter also discuss Jen Music's overall path and product differentiation, together with the overall path of generative music and art (and impact on the artists and creative community). It's an enlightening and fascinating discussion.

Reach out to host Peter Csathy at peter@creativemedia.biz, and check out Peter's entertainment, media, AI and tech-focused business advisory and legal services firm Creative Media. You can also sign up for his free generative AI-focused newsletter "the brAIn" on Substack (via this link) -- all about how generative AI is transforming the media and entertainment industry.

Media Companies: To Litig-AI-te or License? How to Decide (& The State of GenAI Law)

Sat, 03 Aug 2024 06:00:00 -0700

This episode features host Peter Csathy's recent roundtable discussion from Digital Hollywood's "AI Summer Summit" about the state and status of copyright law and litigation in the world of generative AI (and whether unlicensed scraping is infringement), the current status of the key cases, and how media companies and publishers should decide to litigate -- or to license their content instead.

Peter is joined by Chad Hummel of McKool Smith, perhaps the best and most successful IP and complex litigator on the planet, and by Dr. Moiya McTier, the spokesperson for the Human Artistry Campaign (an organization that represents over 200 media and entertainment organizations).

It's an important discussion for anyone in the creative and tech communities - and is both insightful and engaging.

EXCLUSIVE: Microsoft's CTO & Other Experts Discuss Where Generative AI Video Is Going

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

This week's episode features host Peter Csathy's exclusive roundtable discussion with many of the leading players, experts and voices in the world of generative AI and video (including Microsoft CTO Andy Beach). The roundtable for Digital Hollywood's "AI Summer Summit" took place last week and focused on the state (and sophistication) of generative AI video today — and where it’s going in the next year and beyond.

Peter organized and moderated the session, choosing a veritable “who’s who” of leading players driving this generative AI transformation of video: Andy Beach, CTO of Microsoft (Media & Entertainment), Paul Trillo (one of the leading generative AI filmmakers), Jen Hollingsworth (Chief Commercial Officer of Flawless AI, a leading genAI company serving Hollywood and Madison Avenue), Renard Jenkins (a leading AI expert and evangelist),and Phillip Fury (a respected AI innovator and entrepreneur).

The discussion is fascinating, candid, enlightening, and frequently mind-blowing!

25 Ways Media & Entertainment Use Generative AI Right Now

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

In this week's episode, Creative Media's Peter Csathy first discusses 25 significant ways that the media and entertainment industry is already using generative AI right now -- but doing it "quietly" so that it doesn't rattle legal sabers or attract too much creative community blowback. It's kind of like "25 Things You Always Wanted to Know About Generative AI, But Were Afraid to Ask! Many of these 25 will be entirely new to you, and likely may even surprise you. But all are powerful. And many of them are compelling.

As always, Peter also identifies the Top 10 key generative AI headlines of this past week that impact the media and entertainment industry -- and then talks about some "must attend" live or virtual AI-focused industry events. Finally, Peter lays out the latest updates on the key generative AI copyright infringement cases now winding their way through the courts. You can find more detail about those key AI cases on Peter's companion "the brAIn" newsletter.

Is Generative AI "Training" on Unlicensed Copyrighted Works Infringement (or Fair Use)? How the Supreme Court Will Decide

Wed, 17 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

In this special bonus episode, Creative Media's Peter Csathy tackles the fundamental issue now facing Big Tech and Big Media -- whether generative AI "training" on unlicensed copyrighted works is infringing (or is, instead, defensible fair use)? Peter gives a concise, non-legalese overview of the business and legal issues involved in the leading cases -- including The New York Times v. OpenAI -- that are currently winding their way in the courts. He then identifies and analyzes the key legal precedents cited by both sides -- including the landmark 2015 "Google Books" case and separate recent "Andy Warhol/Prince" Supreme Court case.

Peter also predicts, based on those precedents, how the Supreme Court would rule on these copyright infringement issues in the generative AI context if one of the relevant cases (like The New York Times) ultimately makes its way to the Supreme Court. It's an important discussion -- one that's on virtually everyone's minds in the worlds of media, entertainment, AI and tech. And Peter is the right person to lay it all out. He started his career as an IP lawyer and litigator in a major firm -- then became General Counsel of a multi-billion dollar operating division of Universal Studios -- but then became a serial CEO/President of several tech-forward media companies that achieved successful exits.

Content as AI "Seeds" with Endless Creative Possibilities: Point/Counterpoint

Sat, 13 Jul 2024 03:00:00 -0700

In this week's episode, Creative Media's Peter Csathy first discusses the concept -- promoted by Black Eyed Peas auteur will.i.am -- of the new generative AI era of artists as being "seeders." Gone are the days of "traditional artists" in will.i.am's view, and he uses himself as an example of what he has in mind. Peter discusses both the significant merits of will.i.am's view (for at least some established artists and franchises) -- and the significant perils of his view for the rest.

As always, Peter also identifies the Top 10 key generative AI headlines of this past week that impact the media and entertainment industry -- and then lays out the latest updates on the key generative AI copyright infringement cases now winding their way through the courts.

Brands Using Sora: Lawsuits 'R' Us? Legal Uncertainty Slows GenAI Adoption

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Recently, Toys ‘R’ Us premiered a new 66-second ad at Cannes Lion in the hopes of signaling to the world, “we’re back!” The company was the first significant brand to produce a major spot using Sora. Reviews of the ad itself were decidedly mixed, but the ad’s real impact may have been in the halls of enterprising plaintiff’s law firms.

In this episode, Peter flags a potential expansive new front in the generative AI copyright legal wars that proliferate in the courts. Brands may soon find themselves swept up into that toxic mix with arguments of secondary liability and vicarious infringement. And that legal risk -- using Sora and other genAI tools -- slows adoption (and demands a consent and compensation solution for copyright holders). Peter also gives the week's Top 10 generative AI headlines that impacted the world of media and entertainment, and also gives an overall update on the key copyright infringement cases currently in the courts (and why they matter).

Apple's AI "Intelligence": Safe, Secure & "Ethically Sourced" ... Or Is It? Welcome to my "the brAIn" podcast!

Mon, 24 Jun 2024 03:00:00 -0700

Welcome to episode 1 of "the brAIn" - the podcast doppelganger to my newsletter of the same name that you can find at themediabrain.substack.com. Many of you would rather listen than read, so this is for you! Special thanks to DEVO's Mark Mothersbaugh for creating the fantastic original theme music. It's the perfect match of man and machine.

For this inaugural podcast episode, I first lay out the top 10 generative AI focused headlines from last week that impact the world of media and entertainment. I then give my own personal "take" on Apple's attempt to redefine what "AI" means when CEO Tim Cook took the stage a couple weeks ago. The funny thing about it all was that a big piece of Apple’s AI announced launch strategy is OpenAI and ChatGPT dependent — which essentially means Microsoft, OpenAI’s biggest investor. But casting that aside for the moment, Cook, as expected, firmly placed privacy and security at the center of his pitch. That’s a fascinating and extremely narrow needle to thread, since privacy, security, and respect for intellectual property go hand in hand with the data AI uses to “do its thing.”

So does reality meet Apple's central marketing message of "safety" and "security"? I give my "two cents" (and then some) and then lay out why Apple is not exactly the white knight that it wants us to believe.

Enjoy episode 1! if you like it, please review it, follow it, share it and spread the word. And send your feedback to my attention at bizdev@creativemedia.biz. -- and check out what my firm Creative Media and I do (and how we can help you and your business).

... and welcome to my "brAIn"! real AI intelligence for media and entertainment.