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Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Movie theaters are in trouble. Gen Z is here to save them.
Streaming might be dominant entertainment right now, but young adults are seeking real-life community at the cinema. When young people turn out at the movie theater in droves, they make headlines for flinging popcorn and screaming. Accused of being antisocial homebodies, some theaters have tried to lure them off their couches and into their seats by letting them keep their tiny beacons of light and distraction out during phone-friendly screenings. Some say they're willing to turn their hallowed halls into amusement parks with bowling lanes and roller-coaster-esque 4DX screenings, all to boost their offerings and keep the hallowed tradition of theatergoing alive in the digital age. But as ticket prices rise and at-home streaming options proliferate, what if Gen Z is the movie theater industry's greatest hope? According to a Yahoo News/YouGov Survey conducted May 22-27, 2025, Americans surveyed say they prefer to wait to see a new movie when it's available on streaming (61%) rather than seeing it in theaters (23%). But young adults under 30 are the age group most likely to head to the cinema, according to the poll. About half (49%) have seen a movie in a theater in the past six months, and 60% in the past year. And when a new movie comes out, respondents under 30 were the most likely to say they'd see it in theaters (31%) vs. waiting for it to become available on streaming (53%), compared to adults 30 and older. So what's enticing them to put their phones down, travel to the theater and give the big screen their attention for a few hours? 54% of Gen Z-ers surveyed said they want 'an experience I can't get at home.' More than half of poll respondents under 30 said an interesting plot (56%) and lower ticket cost (55%) could persuade them to get their butts in seats too. 'The most coveted demographic' Though assumptions about Gen Z's affinity for phones and hatred of spending money might lead some people to believe that they might not love theatergoing, it's actually an organic part of the young adult experience. George Huang, a filmmaker and professor at UCLA, tells Yahoo it makes total sense that younger generations are more likely to go to the theater than their millennial, Gen X and boomer counterparts. They typically spend less time fretting about work, kids and taxes, Huang says. And Hollywood knows this. 'The most coveted demographic has always been young adults … economically, they have the most spare time,' he explains. 'And movies, in comparison to sporting events or live concerts, are still the cheapest ticket around.' Young audiences are also 'trendsetters and cultural arbiters of cool … and let's face it, who doesn't want to be cool!' Huang adds. 'A decline in Hollywood films' Studios have long had an eye out for young adults. Susan Doll, a film historian who teaches at Ringling College of Art and Design, tells Yahoo that the industry has prioritized reaching young moviegoers since the 1980s. In the years leading up to that decade, the artistic ambitions of legendary filmmakers like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola led "to excesses in budgets and shooting schedules," which corporate conglomerates that bought film studios weren't particularly fond of. As a result, new executives focused on budget control and commercial franchises to boost profits. They noted the financial success of 1975's Jaws and 1977's Star Wars, and a 'fascination and then dependence on blockbuster movies' began. Executives also took note of the fact that young viewers would go to the theater to see movies like 1978's Superman and Halloween multiple times, creating a fan base that would carry over to sequels and series. 'These beloved films tended to be viscerally sensational, relying heavily on action, fast pacing, and special effects. They were also uncomplicated, and without irony or moral ambiguity,' Doll says. The young demographic then became the primary demographic. In Doll's opinion, the 'dominance of formula, the adherence to genres driven by expensive special effects, the embracing of the clichéd heroes played by costly stars and the acceptance of costly marketing strategies … please a young demographic, [but] the end result is a decline in [the quality of] Hollywood films,' she says. 'This generation of moviegoers ... is really smart' Still, the industry needs money to survive, and box office numbers don't lie: Audiences are flocking to see movies made for the youngest theatergoers. Five of the 10 biggest films at the domestic box office in 2024 — Inside Out 2, Wicked, Moana 2, Despicable Me 4 and Kung Fu Panda 4 — were rated G or PG, suggesting they were targeting young audiences that include children younger than Gen Z. But all 10 of them — even the PG-13-rated, Oscar-nominated Dune: Part Two and expletive-filled, R-rated Deadpool & Wolverine — were constructed from familiar intellectual property and involve the heavy use of special effects that studios have long used to target young people. Not every Gen Z theatergoer wants to see a blockbuster based on well-known characters. Multiple theater owners tell Yahoo that they were moved by the success of director Ryan Coogler's film Sinners, which is among the top three most successful movies at the 2025 domestic box office to date. Box office stats can't capture the trend in seeing older, classic movies that theater owners say they've noticed. When David Lynch died in Jan. 2025, the nonprofit Belcourt Theatre in Nashville screened his offbeat hits Mulholland Drive and Eraserhead. Those movies are accessible — and popular — on streaming services, but young people turned out in droves to see the auteur's masterpieces on the big screen, just as Lynch would have wanted. Stephanie Silverman, Belcourt's executive director, tells Yahoo she sees a lot of young people at the theater, and she's not alone. She spoke at a conference of European independent cinemas in 2024, where she heard that young audiences across the globe are showing up for the rereleases of prestigious classics like The Seventh Samurai and Princess Mononoke. 'This generation of moviegoers … is really smart. Whether it's spending time on [movie review social media site] Letterboxd during the pandemic, or having a curiosity about past filmmaking and how it connects to current filmmaking,' she says. 'They come in curious, wanting to see films that are recognized as important that they could watch on their televisions at home, but they want to see them in community.' This is a massive victory for theatergoing, Silverman says, because it creates lifelong customers. As these Gen Z-ers start families, they might have less time to go to the movies at first, but could pick that back up when the kids are old enough to go to the theater. 'Our fractured digital selves can feel whole' Since Gen Z was raised with easy access to technology and the internet, they spend that excess of alone time online. They still crave in-person events, though, seeking a sense of identity and community in an ever-fractured world. Theatergoing can provide that. Jack Goodson, a Gen Z expert known as the Identity Consultant, tells Yahoo that 'cinema isn't just a format — it's a ritual, and rituals matter more when identity is unstable.' 'Gen Z isn't saving cinema. They're reminding it what it's for — collective myth, emotional cohesion and the rare moment where our fractured digital selves can feel whole,' he says. But since Gen Z's moviegoing habits are driven by their desire to develop identity, some experts say studios could do a better job making movies that make them feel represented on-screen. Michael Tran, who co-authored UCLA's annual Hollywood Diversity Report in 2025, tells Yahoo that 'racial/ethnic and gender diversity has unfailingly remained a key predictor of success at the box office' — but younger moviegoers aren't rushing to the theater as much as they could because they're 'hesitant to see films that do not cater to them.' According to data from the UCLA report, young adult women, particularly those of color, are vital consumers. Studios and filmmakers not tapping into that demographic is leaving money on the table. Barak Epstein, operator of the Texas Theatre in Dallas, tells Yahoo that young people naturally flock to their cinema. They saw a lot of success last year with Sean Baker's buzzy, Oscar-winning Anora, and again this year with a movie called F***toys that hasn't been picked up for distribution yet. Filmmaker Annapurna Sriram is 'going on tour with it like a rock band,' and young people are turning out with enthusiasm, Epstein says. I saw this firsthand at a 4DX screening of A Minecraft Movie. The enthusiasm of Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers led to theaters creating special "chicken jockey" screenings that featured sanctioned chaos. It was delightful. For Gen Z, moviegoing is a ritual. It's an easy and relatively inexpensive way to access community and celebrate identity. Now they just need other generations to catch on and keep that experience alive. 'Sometimes I'm like, 'How do I find older people?' Epstein laughs. __________________ The Yahoo News survey was conducted by YouGov using a nationally representative sample of 1,560 U.S. adults interviewed online from May 22-27, 2025. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 election turnout and presidential vote, party identification and current voter registration status. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Party identification is weighted to the estimated distribution at the time of the election (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). Respondents were selected from YouGov's opt-in panel to be representative of all U.S. adults. The margin of error is approximately 2.9%. Solve the daily Crossword
Zawya
07-03-2025
- Business
- Zawya
SenseTime expands AI capabilities in the Gulf Region with DeepSeek Integration and Open-Source LazyLLM Framework
Riyadh – SenseTime, a leading AI software company, has successfully integrated DeepSeek Enterprise into SenseCore, SenseTime's universal AI cloud platform. Additionally, the company has recently launched LazyLLM, an open-source framework designed to simplify AI application development. SenseTime's expansion comes at a time of growing demand for cutting-edge AI solutions throughout the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region. By incorporating DeepSeek-R1-Enterprise, SenseCore now offers businesses and developers enhanced performance, stability, and industry-leading inference efficiency. The platform is also equipped with a comprehensive alert system to ensure smooth AI development and reliability. George Huang, CEO of SenseTime MEA commented: 'Saudi Arabia is rapidly emerging as an AI powerhouse, driven by strong government initiatives, a thriving digital economy, and Vision 2030's long-term direction. By integrating DeepSeek Enterprise and leveraging the open-source LazyLLM framework, we are enabling businesses across the region to harness advanced AI capabilities. Our scalable, flexible technologies have many use cases, and have been especially effective for applications in sectors such as agriculture, entertainment, tourism, and smart cities. LazyLLM: A Developer-Friendly AI Framework SenseTime's new open-source LazyLLM makes AI development more accessible and efficient, requiring minimal coding. With just 10 lines of code, developers can build multi-agent AI applications, significantly accelerating both prototyping and deployment. LazyLLM provides a structured approach for intent recognition, knowledge retrieval, and other AI-powered functions. Compatible with various AI frameworks and databases, it offers a seamless development experience and more flexible deployment of AI applications. WanXiang: A One-Stop Large Model Platform Built on LazyLLM, WanXiang is a low-code AI model platform that enables businesses to deploy large-model and agent-based AI applications with ease. Its intuitive drag-and-drop interface removes technical barriers, allowing companies to train, fine-tune, and integrate AI solutions quickly. By reducing the complexity of AI adoption, WanXiang optimizes performance and cost-effectiveness. Scaling AI Across Industries SenseCore's AI deployment solutions now support 10 industries, including finance, construction, and aerospace. To date, more than 30 companies have already implemented these AI solutions to enhance AI-driven business intelligence and operational efficiency. As Saudi Arabia and the wider MEA region accelerate AI adoption, businesses are seeking advanced, scalable solutions to drive efficiency and innovation. With the integration of DeepSeek Enterprise and the launch of LazyLLM, SenseTime is equipping industries with the tools to transform AI potential into real-world impact, shaping the future of AI-powered economies.
Arab News
13-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Harnessing AI for a smarter, greener Saudi Arabia
Last year, global average temperature records were shattered once again, with scientists now agreeing that climate change is accelerating far faster than anticipated. The devastating wildfires in Los Angeles served as a stark reminder that sustainability is no longer a choice, but a necessity. To safeguard the planet, we must rethink 'business as usual,' embrace agility, and accelerate innovation. Artificial intelligence can help us do just that. Living in Saudi Arabia, after time spent in East Asia, North America, and South America, I continue to witness the transformative power of bold visions. Through Vision 2030, launched in 2016, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its economy, empowering citizens, and creating a vibrant environment for investors. AI plays a central role in this vision as the Kingdom works toward becoming one of the top 15 countries in AI by 2030. Since AI is key to processing large datasets, streamlining processes, and predicting outcomes, it is a powerful tool in tackling the climate crisis. It will play a crucial role in helping the Kingdom achieve its goals under the Saudi Green Initiative, including reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2060 and generating 50 percent of its domestic power supply from renewable energy. AI is already being used to predict weather patterns, helping optimize solar and wind energy generation, reduce waste, and improve efficiency. A 2024 World Economic Forum report highlighted that AI-driven energy optimization could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 10 percent. In agriculture, AI-driven analytics are supporting precision farming, water conservation, and increased crop yields — essential for arid regions like the Gulf. To turn our ambitious sustainability goals into reality, we must harness AI across all sectors and industries. In both AI and sustainability, Saudi Arabia continues to lead by example. As a key player in the energy transition and committed to advancing AI development, Saudi Arabia is well-positioned to lead in bridging technology and impact to accelerate progress. George Huang Late last year, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia has committed $100 billion to become a global AI powerhouse, underscoring the Kingdom's AI ambitions. Its sustainability efforts are equally ambitious. More than 85 initiatives have been launched under the Saudi Green Initiative, totaling more than $180 billion in sustainability investments. This is one of the key reasons I chose to come to Saudi Arabia — to contribute to its rapidly growing and environmentally conscious AI ecosystem. Among the many projects we have undertaken across the Kingdom, I am particularly proud of our work to protect Saudi Arabia's oceans. We developed the world's first AI-driven analytics platform for sustainable growth, transforming how technology can drive environmental conservation. From reconstructing high-resolution 3D coral habitats and mapping wildlife population trends to monitoring environmental quality and forecasting ecological risks, our platform fills critical data gaps and delivers actionable, data-driven insights. While AI does have its risks and challenges, there is a strong case for its inclusion in sustainability toolkits, complementing human-led efforts. Foresighted stewardship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and regulatory compliance are key to unlocking AI's full potential and ensuring it serves as a force for good. Partnerships also play a crucial role in developing impactful AI applications. Our regional ocean initiatives are a testament to this, benefiting both marine life and local communities. The recent WEF meeting in Davos strengthened ties between AI practitioners, scientists, and activists working toward a more sustainable future. Even corporations, facing increasing environment, social, and governance requirements, stand to benefit from applying AI to address climate challenges. We should aim for continued multilateralism, even in a time of growing global conflicts. Despite its flaws, Davos remains unparalleled in fostering dialogue among world leaders. As a key player in the energy transition and committed to advancing AI development, Saudi Arabia is well-positioned to lead in bridging technology and impact to accelerate progress. In doing so, it could inspire other countries and companies to follow suit, shifting the narrative from AI supremacy to AI collaboration in pursuit of a better tomorrow. I could not be more excited to contribute to the growth of AI in Saudi Arabia and watch the region emerge as both an AI powerhouse and a key partner, using cutting-edge technology to drive global sustainability. Now is the time to work together to shape a smarter, greener future. • George Huang is CEO of SenseTime MEA, a regional leader in AI and a joint venture with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
