A24 Defends Google AI Partnership, Studio Doesn’t “Necessarily Love” GenAI Content But “We’d Rather Have A Seat At The Table”

As A24 embarks on its new partnership with Google AI‘s DeepMind, many cinephiles have taken issue with the collaboration.

Sophia Shin, an A24 spokesperson, explained that the production and distribution banner doesn’t “necessarily love” any of the generative AI projects that have been released, noting that DeepMind’s $75 million investment constitutes a “research partnership.”

“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 told Wired.

“Our relationship with our audience is something we don’t take for granted,” added Shin. “This partnership exists because we want to dictate what tools get built for artists, and so they have a voice in shaping them rather than having tools handed to them. We’d rather have a seat at the table than on the sidelines.”

Following the abrupt dissolution of Disney’s $1 billion investment in OpenAI’s Sora text-to-video app, Shin stressed that there are no plans to use A24’s existing IP to create GenAI tools. (Well, there goes my idea for The Bling Ring: Backrooms.)

Shin added, “Truth is we don’t necessarily love any of the current AI outputs onscreen in Hollywood. I don’t even know if ultimately we’d create tech on that front. This partnership is about learning and helping pain points in workflows behind the scenes more than anything else.”

On Monday, Eli Collins, VP Product at Google DeepMind, announced the investment in A24, giving the company access to DeepMind’s research, infrastructure, and global reach, which will have an active hand in shaping new workflows, with A24 and its filmmakers retaining full creative control.