
AI video becomes more convincing, rattling creative industry
To measure the progress of AI video, you need only look at Will Smith eating spaghetti.
Since 2023, this unlikely sequence — entirely fabricated — has become a technological benchmark for the industry.
Two years ago, the actor appeared blurry, his eyes too far apart, his forehead exaggeratedly protruding, his movements jerky, and the spaghetti didn't even reach his mouth.
The version published a few weeks ago by a user of Google's Veo 3 platform showed no apparent flaws whatsoever.
'Every week, sometimes every day, a different one comes out that's even more stunning than the next,' said Elizabeth Strickler, a professor at Georgia State University.
Between Luma Labs' Dream Machine launched in June 2024, OpenAI's Sora in December, Runway AI's Gen-4 in March 2025, and Veo 3 in May, the sector has crossed several milestones in just a few months.
Runway has signed deals with Lionsgate studio and AMC Networks television group.
Lionsgate vice president Michael Burns told New York Magazine about the possibility of using artificial intelligence to generate animated, family-friendly versions from films like the 'John Wick' or 'Hunger Games' franchises, rather than creating entirely new projects.
'Some use it for storyboarding or previsualization' — steps that come before filming — 'others for visual effects or inserts,' said Jamie Umpherson, Runway's creative director.
Burns gave the example of a script for which Lionsgate has to decide whether to shoot a scene or not.
To help make that decision, they can now create a 10-second clip 'with 10,000 soldiers in a snowstorm.'
That kind of pre-visualization would have cost millions before.
In October, the first AI feature film was released — 'Where the Robots Grow' — an animated film without anything resembling live action footage.
For Alejandro Matamala Ortiz, Runway's co-founder, an AI-generated feature film is not the end goal, but a way of demonstrating to a production team that 'this is possible.'
– 'Resistance everywhere' –
Still, some see an opportunity.
In March, startup Staircase Studio made waves by announcing plans to produce seven to eight films per year using AI for less than $500,000 each, while ensuring it would rely on unionized professionals wherever possible.
'The market is there,' said Andrew White, co-founder of small production house Indie Studios.
People 'don't want to talk about how it's made,' White pointed out. 'That's inside baseball. People want to enjoy the movie because of the movie.'
But White himself refuses to adopt the technology, considering that using AI would compromise his creative process.
Jamie Umpherson argues that AI allows creators to stick closer to their artistic vision than ever before, since it enables unlimited revisions, unlike the traditional system constrained by costs.
'I see resistance everywhere' to this movement, observed Georgia State's Strickler.
This is particularly true among her students, who are concerned about AI's massive energy and water consumption as well as the use of original works to train models, not to mention the social impact.
But refusing to accept the shift is 'kind of like having a business without having the internet,' she said. 'You can try for a little while.'
In 2023, the American actors' union SAG-AFTRA secured concessions on the use of their image through AI.
Strickler sees AI diminishing Hollywood's role as the arbiter of creation and taste, instead allowing more artists and creators to reach a significant audience.
Runway's founders, who are as much trained artists as they are computer scientists, have gained an edge over their AI video rivals in film, television, and advertising.
But they're already looking further ahead, considering expansion into augmented reality and virtual reality — for example creating a metaverse where films could be shot.
'The most exciting applications aren't necessarily the ones that we have in mind,' said Umpherson. 'The ultimate goal is to see what artists do with technology.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Iraqi News
5 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Google-parent Alphabet earnings shine with help of AI
San Francisco – Google-parent Alphabet on Wednesday reported quarterly profits that topped expectations, saying artificial intelligence has boosted every part of its business. Alphabet's second-quarter profit of $28.2 billion — on $96.4 billion in revenue — came with word that the tech giant will invest more than its previously planned $85 billion on capital expenditure, as it spends heavily on AI infrastructure to meet growing demand for cloud services. 'We had a standout quarter, with robust growth across the company,' said Alphabet chief executive Sundar Pichai. 'AI is positively impacting every part of the business, driving strong momentum.' Revenue from search grew double-digits in the quarter, with features such as AI Overviews and the recently launched AI mode 'performing well,' according to Pichai. Ad revenue at YouTube continues to grow along with the video platform's subscription services, Alphabet reported. Alphabet's cloud computing business is on pace to bring in $50 billion over the course of the year, according to the company. 'With this strong and growing demand for our cloud products and services, we are increasing our investment in capital expenditures in 2025 to approximately $85 billion and are excited by the opportunity ahead,' Pichai said. Alphabet shares were essentially flat in after-market trades that followed the release of the earnings figures. Investors have been watching closely to see whether the tech giant may be pouring too much money into artificial intelligence and whether AI-generated summaries of search results will translate into fewer opportunities to serve up money-making ads. The internet giant is dabbling with ads in its new AI Mode for online search, a strategic move to fend off competition from ChatGPT while adapting its advertising business for an AI age. The integration of advertising has been a key question accompanying the rise of generative AI chatbots, which have largely avoided interrupting the user experience with marketing messages. However, advertising remains Google's financial bedrock. Google and rivals are spending billions of dollars on data centers and more for AI, while the rise of lower-cost model DeepSeek from China raises questions about how much needs to be spent. – Antitrust battles – Meanwhile the online ad business that generates the cash Google invests in its future could be neutered due to a defeat in a US antitrust case. During the summer of 2024, Google was found guilty of illegal practices to establish and maintain its monopoly in online search by a federal judge in Washington. The Justice Department is now demanding remedies that could transform the digital landscape: Google's divestiture from its Chrome browser and a ban on entering exclusivity agreements with smartphone manufacturers to install the search engine by default. District Judge Amit Mehta is considering 'remedies' in a decision expected in the coming days or weeks. In another legal battle, a different US judge ruled this year that Google wielded monopoly power in the online ad technology market, another legal blow that could rattle the tech giant's revenue engine. District Court Judge Leonie Brinkema ruled that Google built an illegal monopoly over ad software and tools used by publishers. Combined, the courtroom defeats have the potential to leave Google split up and its influence curbed. Google said it is appealing both rulings.


Iraqi News
18 hours ago
- Iraqi News
Iraq ranks low in 2025 global tech advancement report
Baghdad ( – Iraq has ranked among the least technologically advanced countries in the 2025 global technology advancement report, published by US-based CEOWORLD Magazine. In its latest report, the magazine highlighted the rapid pace of technological development worldwide, noting that only a few nations are truly transforming living, working, and communication patterns. These leading countries prioritize scientific research, invest in advanced digital infrastructure, and adopt modern tools without waiting for widespread public assimilation. The report indicated that the United States topped the list with 97.69 points out of 197 countries, leveraging its leadership in fields like artificial intelligence and biotechnology and its Silicon Valley hub, home to major companies such as Google and Apple. Its innovations also include autonomous vehicles and advanced machine learning technologies. According to the magazine, Israel secured second place with 97.46 points, followed by Taiwan in third with 96.94 points, China in fourth with 96.87, India in fifth with 96.83, South Korea in sixth with 96.49, Singapore in seventh with 96.21, France in eighth with 96.01, Japan in ninth with 95.84, and Hong Kong in tenth with 95.78 points. Among Arab nations, the United Arab Emirates ranked 36th globally, followed by Saudi Arabia at 73rd, Tunisia at 126th, Qatar at 163rd, and Bahrain at 142nd. The report showed that Iraq ranked 184th globally in technological advancement, scoring only 50.67 points. It placed ahead of Yemen, which recorded 46.36 points, and Pakistan with 45.85 points.


Shafaq News
18 hours ago
- Shafaq News
Iraq lags in global technology advancement index
Shafaq News – Baghdad Iraq has placed near the bottom of the 2025 global technology advancement rankings, according to a new report published by the US-based CEOWORLD magazine. The magazine's assessment highlighted the rapid pace of global technological development, noting that only a handful of countries are significantly transforming how people live, work, and connect. These nations prioritize scientific research, invest heavily in digital infrastructure, and adopt advanced technologies without waiting for widespread public adoption. The United States topped the list, scoring 97.69 points out of 100, driven by its leadership in areas such as artificial intelligence and biotechnology. The country's innovation ecosystem—anchored by Silicon Valley, home to tech giants like Google and Apple—also includes developments in self-driving vehicles and advanced machine learning techniques. Israel followed in second place with 97.46 points, trailed by Taiwan (96.94), China (96.87), India (96.83), South Korea (96.49), Singapore (96.21), France (96.01), Japan (95.84), and Hong Kong (95.78). Among Arab countries, the UAE ranked highest at 36th globally. Saudi Arabia followed at 73rd, Tunisia at 126th, Bahrain at 142nd, and Qatar at 163rd. Iraq ranked 184th out of 197 countries, with a score of just 50.67. It placed slightly ahead of Yemen (46.36 points) and Pakistan (45.85 points), making it one of the lowest-ranking nations in terms of technological progress.