The Next Evolution in AI & Media
The unknown future of AI-driven storytelling
Recently, the Television Academy hosted a half-day program that was presented to a full house at the TV Academy’s Saban Media Center Wolf Theatre. Summit topics including legal issues, impact on jobs, and new tools, as well as use cases.
From Variety’s recent article, Eric Shamlin, Television Academy governor and chair of its AI Task Force, urged members to take on an advocacy role in developing AI policies and frameworks, during a keynote at Saturday’s TV Academy AI Summit. “We must now lead,” he asserted. “We can’t afford to sit back and wait for others to shape how AI is implemented into our industry.”
Added Shamlin, who is also CEO of AI-driven entertainment studio Secret Level, “This means advocating for responsible AI policies, collaborating with guilds, unions and studios, ensuring our members aren’t left behind in the transition, and pushing for ethical AI use that empowers creatives, not just corporations.”
Throughout the Television Academy’s AI Summit, speakers urged industry pros to be proactive in the AI field. Warned Loyola Law School’s Julie Shapiro, “You cannot turn your back on the fact that this is happening.”
In my podcast RealmIQ: Sessions, my guest Seth Hallen stated "We’re not talking about replacing people. We’re talking about redefining roles, as has always happened with new technology."
Seth also moderated one of the panels at the AI Summit titled “The Real Talk on Embracing Change” — an honest and thoughtful discussion about the realities of change management, technology adoption, job transition, and embracing AI in Hollywood. He goes on to say, “With so much noise surrounding AI, it was refreshing — and necessary — to gather as a creative community to cut through the hype and talk about what really matters: our people, our craft, and how we navigate change together.”
Andy Beach, Former CTO at Microsoft, states in his guest article in Peter Csathy’s the brAIn - real AI intelligence for media & entertainment on Substack, “What AI Could Be in Media — If We Let It. Imagine a media industry where AI does not replace creativity but enhances it:
Pre-Production: AI tools streamline storyboarding, location scouting, and script revisions, leaving writers and directors free to refine their vision.
Production: AI optimizes scheduling, lighting setups, and even on-set logistics, giving crews more flexibility to experiment and innovate.
Post-Production: AI automates repetitive tasks like rotoscoping and initial color grading, allowing editors and artists to focus on the creative, high-impact work.
Global Distribution: AI enables smarter localization of content, delivering culturally nuanced translations without replacing the local creatives who understand their audiences best.
These tools exist today. But they are not being used to empower creatives — they are being used to cut corners. That’s not an AI problem. It’s a leadership problem.”
AI legal expert and activist Peter Csathy adds yet another dimension unfolding in the AI space. He writes,”Not only is much of media and entertainment leadership abandoning the quest for original creativity for the sake of cost-cutting (as Andy writes), they are also abandoning media’s fundamental role as defenders of free speech in the face of predictable Trump-ian bullying.”
Another guest on my podcast stated, "The most important aspect of AI in filmmaking will be its ability to help emerging artists level up their production values." – Evan Shapiro, official cartographer of the media universe.
I also had a conversation with Famed VFX Leader and Founder Scott Ross on his new book, "Upstart: The Digital Film Revolution from T2 to Titanic," where he chronicles the digital transformation of the film industry from his unique perspective.
He states,“I wanted to tell the truth about the digital film revolution—not a business book, but the human toll of it.” Ross believes the rest of the world has moved on with AI, but Hollywood is still stuck in fear and goes on to predict 75% of people employed in VFX today will be replaced by AI.
The tech race is on in films. Over the past year, AI has significantly influenced various aspects of filmmaking, from scriptwriting and voice modulation to visual effects and even the creation of entirely AI-generated films. The Oscars just validated this.
In summary, AI's integration into filmmaking over the past year has been multifaceted and controversial, offering innovative tools for creators while also prompting critical discussions about the future of human creativity in the arts, legal aspects over copyright and the parallel thinning of the Hollywood machine. I remain an AI optimist as it seems the ice is thawing and this technology is indeed getting into the hands of true creatives within the industry in Creative Centered AI (CCAI) fashion. I will close with another quote from Seth.
"AI is just the next chapter of technological evolution in Hollywood—no different from any other shift in the past." – Seth Hallen
Sources
https://variety.com/2025/artisans/news/television-academy-ai-summit-1236338438/
https://www.realmiq.com/blog/the-heat-is-on
https://www.realmiq.com/blog/ai-gets-brutal-treatment
https://www.realmiq.com/blog/hollywoods-fear-of-ai-from-paralysis-to-progress
AI Roundup
Tired of AI slop on Instagram? These alternative apps are for human artists only
Baby Elon Musk. Shrimp Jesus. The Titanic colliding with an iceberg lettuce. Social media is saturated with AI slop — low-quality, often ridiculous and sometimes disturbing images, videos, or words created using generative artificial intelligence. While some AI slop is glaringly fake, a lot isn’t. Let’s move to another and higher level of creativity.
76% Of Teachers Feel Unprepared For AI. Why Training Is Urgent.
New research reveals the extent of AI use among educators and the need for formal training on AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The time is now to upskill.
The intersection of arguably two of the most revolutionary technologies of our generation—blockchain and artificial intelligence—is revolutionizing industries. This is the solution that could and will solve many of the IP issues around content monetization.
El Sailon
The Future of Sound: AI & Music in the Age of Creativity
Join us for an eye-opening lecture exploring the evolving relationship between AI and music, where technology amplifies creativity rather than replaces it. From AI-generated compositions to real-time collaboration between artists and algorithms, we’ll dive into the latest innovations shaping the industry.
With platforms like Suno, Udio, and Google’s MusicLM making waves, AI is no longer just a tool but a creative partner, redefining how music is composed, produced, and distributed. Recent headlines highlight AI-generated tracks going viral, sparking debates over authorship, artistry, and ethics. How do we ensure a bright, ethical future where AI empowers musicians rather than exploits them?
Expect insights, and a discussion on the balance between innovation and integrity in this thrilling new era of sound. Whether you're a musician, producer, or AI enthusiast, this lecture will challenge your perception of what's possible in music.
Don’t miss this deep dive into the rhythm of AI! RSVP Here.
Want to advertise in RealmIQ+ or our Podcast?
If your company is interested in reaching an audience of AI professionals and decision makers, you may want to advertise with us.
About the Author
Curt Doty, founder of CurtDoty.co, is an award winning creative director whose legacy lies in branding, product development, social strategy, integrated marketing, and User Experience Design. His work of entertainment branding and marketing includes every movie studio and multiple tv and cable networks.
He has extensive experience on AI-driven platforms now runs his AI consultancy RealmIQ and companion podcast RealmIQ: Sessions on YouTube and Spotify.
As a public speaker he has been featured recently at Streaming Media NYC, Digital Hollywood, and Davos Worldwide. He has lectured at universities including Full Sail, SCAD, Art Center College of Design, CSUN and Chapman University.
As a new writer, he released his first novella Griffin and the Dark Secret on Amazon under his imprint MediaSlam Press and is working on the second installment Griffin: Future Past.
He currently serves on the board of the Godfrey Reggio Foundation and is the AI Writer for Parlay Me.