Since the explosion of artificial intelligence (AI), the film and television industry has struggled between concerns about replacement and new creative opportunities.
But according to Mr. Brian Koo (nehew of Mr. Koo In-hwoi, founder of LG Group of Korea), the future of cinema is not AI for humans, but AI with humans to create something unprecedented.
Brian Koo, co-founder of investment firm Stock Farm Road (SFR), has announced a joint venture between Utopai East and Utopai Studios, a film production company that applies AI.
The joint venture is divided equally into 50-50, aiming to develop technology infrastructure to serve AI film and TV show production, which is a field that is of particular interest to Korea.
SFR brings capital and a network of relationships in the technology industry, while Utopai contributes creative processes, technology and infrastructure.
According to Ms. Ceilica Shen, CEO of Utopai Studios, the first project from this partnership is expected to launch next year.
Ms. Shen affirmed: "Utopai only uses AI for support, not for complete automation. We still need screenwriters, directors and actors, AI just helps them do better. In particular, all models and data will be licensed to respect copyright.
According to Mr. Brian Koo: AI first helps reduce costs and increase efficiency, but more importantly, it opens up endless creativity. We want to collaborate with both veteran directors and young creators to explore new ways of storytelling.
According to Mr. Koo, AI will not only help make movies faster but also open up a new direction for developing new intellectual property (IP), where ideas are replicated on a digital scale thanks to technology.
Along with that, SFR is building a 3-gigawatt AI data center in Jeollanam-do province (Korea) to provide a foundation for the new generation of artificial intelligence industry.
The Utopai East joint venture will start with Korean content, then expand to Japan, China and Thailand. These are all potential Asian film markets.
AI does not lose human emotions, but helps it spread further. When technology and art go together, it will be the moment cinema enters a new era, Koo affirmed.
