philip lelyveld The world of entertainment technology

AI Entertainment Studio Promise Acquires Tech-Centric Film School Curious Refuge (Exclusive)

Promise, the entertainment studio that launched last year with a mandate to build a slate of films and series produced with the help of generative artificial intelligence tools, has made its first acquisition.

The studio, led by CEO George Strompolos, has acquired Curious Refuge, an AI film school that hosts online courses and real-life meetups, workshops and partnerships meant to teach film students, filmmakers and others in the entertainment ecosystem how to use AI tools in their work. ...

“The reality is, these are a new set of skills, and there aren’t that many people that have these skills yet,” he continued. “And so there’s this need to have production talent who are well versed in what’s possible, in generative AI.”

Caleb Ward, the co-founder of Curious Refuge, says that his company has worked with over 4,000 people from 171 countries since its founding in 2020. ...

Promise believes that Curious Refuge can help build a pipeline of both talent and skills that can help it achieve its goal of becoming a fully-fledged studio. Creators who learn skills from Curious Refuge may be considered for roles on Promise projects, for example. ...

But the central premise of Promise is that gen AI tech can help turbocharge the creation of films, series, and short-form content. But given how fast-moving the technology is, every stakeholder in the industry needs to stay abreast of the latest advancements and how they can fit into the day-to-day work of creative development and production. ...

See the full story here: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/ai-entertainment-studio-promise-acquires-ai-film-school-curious-refuge-1236142985/

Understanding the Eye in AI

... When the eyes are open, it is estimated that vision accounts for two-thirds of the electrical activity of the brain. In addition, 80% of what we learn is accomplished through visual processing of information. This means that replicating the eye, digitally as a cobotic communications modem, is central to the development of human-robot integration. Given the dominance of vision and use of the digital eye as a gateway to all the senses, one can easily imagine the nature of cooperative robotics and the cobotic connection. Humans, AI, and cobots are synergistic. ...

See the full story here: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-media-psychology-effect/202502/understanding-the-eye-in-ai

VFX Giant MPC and Parent Company Technicolor May Shut Down Amid ‘Severe Financial Challenges’

... According to the text of the notice, obtained by Variety, “Technicolor has been facing severe financial challenges. Despite exhaustive efforts — including restructuring initiatives, discussions with potential investors, and exploring acquisition opportunities — we have been unable to secure a viable path forward. Unfortunately, this leaves us with no alternative but to acknowledge that the Company may be forced to foreclose.” Another portion reads, “If no viable solution is found, we may be required to cease our U.S. operations as early as Monday, February 24, 2025.” ...

See the full story here: https://variety.com/2025/film/global/technicolor-vfx-mpc-shutter-severe-challenges-1236316354/

Interview: Andrew Ng warns China’s open source AI could undermine US lead

... AI is similar to entertainment in that it reflects the values of the country that develops its underlying software. If China continues advancing its AI through open-source technology while the U.S. maintains its closed model approach, AI systems worldwide will increasingly incorporate Chinese values. If the U.S. and other nations do not respond collectively to China’s open-source AI strategy, China will sooner or later dominate the AI supply chain.” ...

How far has Chinese AI caught up with the U.S.?

... Alibaba’s AI model, Qwen, has made remarkable progress over the past year, particularly in video generation. Many teams I work with are already using Qwen for visual tasks.” ...

Are there other AI fields in which China has an advantage?

“Even before the rise of generative AI, China was ahead of the U.S. in surveillance technology. The Chinese government actively supported the development of surveillance AI, whereas many U.S. companies were reluctant due to privacy concerns and regulations. As a result, many countries purchase surveillance systems from China rather than the U.S., meaning their software is more aligned with Chinese values than those of liberal democracies. The U.S. and its allies have already lost their chance to lead in this area.” ...

Some fear that AGI poses an existential threat to humanity. (Geoffrey Hinton, the 2024 Nobel Prize winner in physics and a renowned AI expert, warned that there is a 10% to 20% chance AI will lead to human extinction in 30 years.)

“My advice to those people is to learn to code or understand how AI works. In the future, the most valuable skill will be the ability to communicate with AI effectively. Just as people had to learn how to search the web when the internet first took off, AI literacy will be essential.” ...

See the full story here: https://www.chosun.com/english/people-en/2025/02/21/Q7QTJADPIRCEFL4Z5G24YRE3JU/

Slop Hits Libraries

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The exposé uncovered hundreds of AI-made titles—like IRB Media’s 600+ summaries—clogging Hoopla’s catalog, misusing public funds and taxing librarians. Hoopla’s fix: purge the slop, tighten curation, and offer libraries an opt-out for AI-tagged content. The problem isn’t new or confined to eBooks—Amazon’s KDP capped uploads at three titles daily back in 2023 and websites are drowning in AI-generated articles and clickbait, diluting search results and user trust. All are reacting to a clear trend: AI’s low barrier to entry is overwhelming ecosystems built on quality.

The stakes are high. Readers lose time, authentic authors lose visibility, and curation crumbles. Hard stats on slop’s scale are scarce, but its impact isn’t. Hoopla’s cull helps, but it’s a patch, not a plan. Platforms thrive on volume, not vetting. AI tools fuel the flood unchecked. We need smarter filters—labeling, detection, something—to safeguard quality. ...

See the full story here: https://shellypalmer.com/2025/02/slop-hits-libraries/

Palmer Luckey Unveils Revolutionary Military AR Tech: Claims Major Advancements Over Current Systems

... Luckey described EagleEye as an all-encompassing solution that integrates hearing protection and augmentation, vision protection and augmentation, all within a single cohesive ballistic shell that offers protection against airbursts, direct firearm discharges, and blast impacts. ...

First, Anduril’s focus is not on consumer-level headsets, which allows for more expansive technical explorations. Secondly, the emphasis of EagleEye is on enhancing human sensory capabilities rather than just projecting sophisticated 3D visuals, which presents a fascinating shift in focus. ...

Throughout history, many technologies initially developed for military use have eventually made their way to civilian applications. This has been true for both virtual and augmented reality technologies. With Luckey at the helm, this technology could be poised for another significant leap forward.

See the full story here: https://glassalmanac.com/palmer-luckey-unveils-revolutionary-military-ar-tech-claims-major-advancements-over-current-systems/

Top 13 trends to watch in the visitor attractions industry in 2025

PhilNote: this long article is really a collection of examples.

... In 2025, technology will continue to change the attractions business. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a major cross-sector trend at the moment, but specific to the LBE field, immersive technologies are being utilised to provide pioneering experiences. Also, green technologies are being used to develop more sustainable attractions....

AI in museums, theme parks and water parks

When it comes to tech for good, the Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum in Poland has partnered with an AI startup company to tackle hate speech and antisemitism on social media. The startup, TrollWall AI, specialises in the automatic moderation of comments on social media based on AI models.

AI is also an attraction in its own right. New media artist Refik Anadol is to open the world’s first museum of AI arts, called Dataland, in downtown LA this year. “To have a permanent space for us to develop a new paradigm of what a museum can be, by fusing human imagination with machine intelligence and the most advanced technologies available, is a realization of one of my biggest dreams,” said Anadol. ...

At Blackpool Zoo, also in the UK, the keeper team is using coloured edible glitter to identify the sparkly poo of its female Asian elephants and monitor their reproductive cycles. “This highly intelligent and complex species is endangered in the wild and by collaborating, sharing research, and exchanging ideas, zoos play a crucial role in the global effort to protect and conserve these majestic animals,” said Adam Kenyon, section head at Blackpool Zoo. ...

Merging immersive art and wellness

A similar idea is from Meow Wolf co-founder Corvas Brinkerhoff, who’s launching an immersive spa called Submersive in Austin, Texas. Due to open from 2026, the wellness space will feature immersive art, video projections, lasers and AI. ...

The new concept is “reinventing the art of bathing” with spaces that “integrate immersive art, neuroscience and social bathing elements to deliver measurable and repeatable state changes”. ...

Year-round fear in the attractions business

But back to Universal, which is leading the way when it comes to permanent horror. The company is also launching a year-round horror experience at Area15 called Universal Horror Unleashed. The group’s first-ever permanent horror experience takes inspiration from Halloween Horror Nights at Universal parks and opens in Las Vegas next year. ...

Family coasters

Another growing attractions trend for 2025 is the rise in popularity of family coasters, as opposed to the record breakers. Instead of the tallest, fastest or longest in the world, guests are seemingly seeking family-friendly ride experiences. Disney parks have always offered attractions for the whole family. Recent additions include the Frozen-themed Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs at Hong Kong Disneyland, Tron: Lightcycle/Run at Magic Kingdom, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind at Epcot. ...

... places like Europa-Park have come up with game-changing concepts, such as Eatrenalin, a media-based multi-sensory restaurant where guests are seated on ride vehicles. ...

Streaming company Netflix is doing a similar thing with its Netflix House immersive entertainment venues, the first of which are opening in shopping malls in Texas and Pennsylvania in 2025. These experiential attractions will feature experiences, retail and food based on shows from Bridgerton to Stranger Things. ...

Additionally, established food and grocery brands can take advantage of attractions trends in 2025. Taco Bell, for example, launched an “early retirement community” pop-up experience for the old at heart (aka its members) in 2024. Guests enjoyed “senior-inspired, sun-soaked daytime recreation, retail and dining”.  ...

Scary overnight experiences growing in popularity ...

One of the most unique overnight experiences of last year was The Static Sea, a hybrid experience that took place online and on Flat Holm Island in the Bristol Channel in September 2024. Ahead of the launch, an online community was built around the story through online films, puzzles and interactive experiences. Guests were chosen via a lottery and visited the uninhabited island for a horror experience like no other. ...

The latest Airbnb experience is inspired by Gladiator II and is set to take place at the Colosseum in Rome, even if it has faced criticism from Italian officials. ...

Japan’s Studio Ghibli theme park, which is now fully open, celebrates the natural world that inspired the company’s animation. During construction, the team enhanced and preserved any natural areas, and no trees will be cut down to make room for future attractions. The park also limits daily attendance within its themed lands to protect the environment. ...

Immersive technologies

One of the fastest-growing attractions trends for 2025 is immersive technologies. These include AR, holograms, LED screens, AV tools and projection mapping, used to surround visitors in magical worlds. We expect to see much more from this attractions trend in 2025. Abba Voyage, for example, puts the band on the stage in a whole new way via cutting-edge technology, incredibly immersive lighting, and ABBA’s iconic songs. ...

Universal Epic Universe: attraction to redefine immersion 

Here’s what it includes: omnidirectional ride vehicles, a trackless ride system, high-resolution projections and media screens, smoke effects, motion simulation, interactive elements such as wands and wearables, real-time control systems, spatial audio technology, and AR. ...

Rounding out blooloop’s top attractions trends for 2025 is Qiddiya – a multibillion-dollar entertainment destination in Saudi Arabia. It will house more than 400 tourist attractions and experiences, including the Aquarabia water park, Six Flags Qiddiya City, the world’s first Dragon Ball theme park, and a gaming and esports district. 

Highlights also include an innovative stadium with state-of-the-art holographic technology and a performing arts centre that will enhance the theatre experience with technologies like VR, AR and AI. ... Federico Pienovi, CEO and chief business officer of new markets at Globant, said: “We are not building a smart city; but creating an immersive, digitally connected experience that brings Qiddiya to life in ways that go beyond traditional entertainment.”

See the full article here: https://blooloop.com/theme-park/in-depth/attractions-trends-2025/

How red teaming helps safeguard the infrastructure behind AI models

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Unique risks to AI models

According to Ruben Boonen, CNE Capability Development Lead at IBM: “One problem is that you have these models hosted on giant open-source data stores. You don’t know who created them or how they were modified, and there are a number of issues that can occur here. For example, let’s say you use PyTorch to load a model hosted on one of these data stores, but it has been changed in a way that’s undesirable. It can be very hard to tell because the model might behave normally in 99% of cases.” ...

Recently, researchers discovered thousands of malicious files hosted on Hugging Face, one of the largest repositories for open-source generative AI models and training data sets. These included around a hundred malicious models capable of injecting malicious code onto users’ machines. ...

In most cases, AI systems run on cloud architecture rather than local machines. After all, the cloud provides the scalable data storage and processing power required to run AI models easily and accessibly. However, that accessibility also increases the attack surface, allowing adversaries to exploit vulnerabilities like misconfigurations in access permissions. ...

Red teams can proactively address several aspects of AI model theft, such as:

• API attacks
• Side Channel attacks
• Container and Orchestration attacks
• Supply Chain attacks

...

See the full story here: https://www.securityintelligence.com/articles/how-red-teaming-helps-safeguard-the-infrastructure-behind-ai-models/

Microsoft and Anduril partner to salvage military AR project

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Anduril, the California-based defence technology company founded by VR pioneer Palmer Luckey, has entered into an agreement with Microsoft to take control of the troubled military AR projects known as the Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS).

IVAS, which began in 2018, is the US Army’s ambitious effort to equip soldiers with augmented reality (AR) headsets designed to enhance situational awareness and decision-making on the battlefield. ...

Microsoft and Anduril announced today that the new partnership will see Anduril “assume oversight of production, future development of hardware and software, and delivery timelines” for IVAS—a shift in roles that will allow Microsoft to step back from hardware development and focus on providing cloud infrastructure and AI support through its Azure platform. The agreement is subject to approval from the US Department of Defense (DoD).   ...

See the full story here: https://iottechnews.com/news/microsoft-and-anduril-partner-salvage-military-ar-project/

What Data-Driven Science Reveals About the Twisted Saga of Western Water Rights

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At Caltech, Laura Taylor, a postdoctoral instructor in the Division of the Humanities and Social Sciences, conducts data-driven research that combines satellite imagery with historical and economic analysis to point to policy solutions for fairer resource allocation and cleaner water.

Through her work, Taylor has demonstrated that the processes tribes must go through to have their long-established legal rights to water quantified and enforced may actually be contributing to the degradation of this resource. ...

Under the “first in time, first in right” doctrine, a principle of prior appropriation used in Western United States water law, the first person to divert water from a natural source and put it to “beneficial use” secures the legal right to that water. ...

The 1908 US Supreme Court decision in Winters v. United States created a unique category of water rights for Native American tribes that takes precedence over later nontribal appropriations under the “first in time, first in right” principle. Winters recognized that tribal water rights were implicitly reserved by treaties, even if these rights were not explicitly mentioned in the agreements. ...

... Taylor explains. “Out here, not using water is seen as wasting it. That mentality has shaped decades of policy—and it’s a huge part of why water is so scarce today.” ...

Levels of dissolved oxygen—an essential indicator of water health—drop significantly near reservations as legal battles drag on. Pollution worsens upstream of Native American reservations, specifically, where industrial or agricultural runoff can have devastating effects on downstream water users. ...

“The federal government has taken a soft approach to these negotiations,” she says. “But we now have empirical evidence that this delay is actually harming the environment.” ...

See the full story here: https://magazine.caltech.edu/post/western-water-rights-reservations?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=magazine-fall24&utm_source=weekly-newsletter&utm_content=&utm_term=