A24 Defends DeepMind AI Partnership After Fan Backlash

Independent film studio A24 has defended a new artificial intelligence research partnership with Google's DeepMind unit following a swift and negative reaction from its core fanbase and some of its own filmmakers. The studio announced the multi-year deal, which includes a $75 million investment from Google, earlier this week.

In a statement provided to Wired, A24 communications representative Sophia Shin framed the collaboration as a research initiative aimed at influencing the development of AI tools from within. "This is a research partnership," Shin said. "We're working side-by-side with DeepMind's researchers to learn, iterate, and build, having an active hand in shaping new tools and workflows." She emphasized the studio's desire to give artists a voice in the process, stating, "We'd rather have a seat at the table than on the sidelines."

The partnership grants A24 and its tech division, A24 Labs, access to DeepMind's research and infrastructure. In return, A24's filmmakers and crew will work with researchers to identify and address production challenges, focusing on behind-the-scenes workflows such as scheduling and post-production bottlenecks. Both companies stress that...