Google is trying to partner with Hollywood studios on AI. It wants to license their content for AI models.
No deals are done yet.
Studios see both opportunity and risk.
What happened
Google executives have approached Disney, Universal, Warner Bros. Discovery and other studios about licensing intellectual property for AI models. No agreements have been reached yet, partly due to complexity and concerns about talent and union reactions.
Why it matters
Both sides have much at stake: Google faces AI competition, while studios need to cut costs and use AI in production while protecting their IP. Google's outreach marks a shift from its adversarial past with Hollywood over piracy, and it has already invested $75 million in A24 as part of an AI-focused partnership.
What to watch
Character licensing could bring studios revenue, with one insider estimating an average of $40 million per character. Google may also share ad revenue from AI-generated content on YouTube. Some studios have been asked to waive their right to sue Google to participate in likeness detection technology.
Ask the AI about this article →
The conversations mark a shift from a decade ago, when Google clashed with Hollywood over piracy and was seen as a pariah. Today, Google already works with entertainment companies through cloud services, DeepMind, and YouTube, which has become a major TV force. The A24 investment and partnership with Darren Aronofsky's Primordial Soup show Google's push for credibility in Hollywood.
Studios are in a tough spot, balancing fears of AI replacing jobs and unauthorized use of IP with the need to cut costs and stay competitive. Some have sued AI companies, while others like Disney have sent cease-and-desist letters to Google. Yet the industry is moving from 'Will we use AI?' to 'How will we use AI?'—as one expert put it.
The potential revenue from character licensing is significant, with one source estimating $40 million per character and deals for 100 characters in the multiple billions. Google's likeness detection technology could also create new ad revenue streams, but participation may require waiving the right to sue, which makes some studios wary.
For example, today's edition would include:
AI-summarized, only the topics you pick — one digest a day via Email, Slack, or Discord.
Free · takes 30 seconds · unsubscribe anytimeWhat is AIToday? →
Ask AI anything about this article. Q&As are published on this page for other readers too.
Chinese large-model developer Z.ai says it can now support large-scale inference using roughly 100,000 domesti…
AI system scaling has pushed interconnect requirements inside data centers from chips and boards up to racks…
Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Nvidia has revived the Rubin CPX AI accelerator with a substantially redesigned arch…
Palantir Technologies stock has posted multi-year gains, including an 11x return over 3 years
Apple has escalated its legal battle against OpenAI, claiming in a new court filing that OpenAI is actively de…
Samsung Electronics has locked up as much as 70% of its memory production capacity under long-term supply agre…
