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Reel AI: Erik Barmack’s biweekly article for The Ankler
Grok, Kling, Runway: AI Video’s Future Has Hollywood on the Outside Looking In
Erik Barmack’s Reel AI Column from The Ankler
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Grok, Kling, Runway: AI Video’s Future Has Hollywood on the Outside Looking In
Post-Sora, the space is fragmenting into separate ecosystems — and studios and streamers aren’t in any of them
OpenAI Faces Renewed Pressure From News Publishers Over Training Data
A fresh wave of complaints in early April underscores how unresolved licensing questions continue to complicate OpenAI’s push into media and entertainment
Meta Expands AI Video Tools Across Instagram and Facebook
New features introduced by Meta this week signal a broader push to integrate generative content directly into Instagram and Facebook
Why OpenAI Needs ‘TBPN.’ Badly
Sam Altman now knows the next AI arms race isn’t about tech — it’s about narrative
TikTok Expands Generative Video Tools as Creator Ecosystem Evolves
New AI features are being tested across the TikTok platform, raising questions about how quickly synthetic content could scale globally
Paramount Tests AI Tools in Development as Cost Pressures Mount
Internal experiments at Paramount focus on script analysis and greenlight modeling, reflecting a broader shift toward data-assisted decision-making
How Sora Played Hollywood On Its Way to Dying
It turns out entertainment was too small for OpenAI. The bigger game is still coming.
Val Kilmer and Immortal IP Stars: Private Equity’s Next Play
Hollywood’s answer to the music catalog boom may be here
YouTube Tightens AI Likeness Rules as Creator Pressure Builds
New policy updates expand protections around synthetic voice and face replication, signaling a shift toward structured enforcement rather than reactive takedowns
Why Did Ben Affleck Start an AI Company in Secret?
Hollywood stars issue stern warnings while quietly building startups behind the tech
OpenAI Moves Closer to Hollywood’s Gatekeepers
Early March conversations with agencies signal a shift from technology rollout to rights negotiations and talent representation
Netflix Buys Ben Affleck’s AI Studio
Why the streamer’s February acquisition signals a shift in how movies may be made
How Hollywood Choked Sora 2’s Rise
The numbers don’t lie. And it turns out this industry still knows how to close ranks
Runway Pushes Generative Video Toward Filmmaking
The February release of Gen-3 production tools targets professional creators
The Oscars’ AI Lie: Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Last year’s ‘Brutalist’ controversy gave way to a landscape where the tech is rewarded — as long as it’s cloaked in prestige
Brad Pitt and the Economics of the Digital Double
Why A-list stars are renegotiating longevity, not novelty, in the AI era
Awards Season Meets Artificial Intelligence
Why eligibility rules are becoming Hollywood’s next AI battleground
Anthropic Is a $350 Billion Problem for Hollywood About to Strike
Soon, the company’s Claude will be as standard in industry offices as Slack and Excel — reshaping who gets hired and what gets made
8 AI Companies Doing This the Right Way (and Won’t Get You Sued)
My picks for Hollywood to get behind in 2026 as Big Tech’s shortcuts catch up
Why Hollywood Still Hasn’t Released a Fully AI-Generated Film
Despite the tools, studios are refusing to own the outcome