Only AI-Generated Shows At New Streaming Service—Where Users Are Also Producers
Video screenshot via Fable Studio
Hollywood, who? Artificial intelligence is taking a stab at the streaming game, and it might just change the way we watch (and make) TV. Enter Showrunner, a brand-new platform from San Francisco's Fable Studio where shows are entirely crafted by AI.
The hope is for the service to be “the Netflix of AI,” CEO Edward Saatchi tells the Hollywood Reporter.
For now, animations dominate the initial lineup. One of Showrunner’s first offerings, Exit Valley, is a satirical take on Silicon Valley, reminiscent of the humor found in South Park. The visuals are a bit rough around the edges and the voices are somewhat robotic, but it’s a start and an example of the potential of AI in creation.
Another project, entitled Pixels, appears to be heavily influenced by Disney/Pixar’s Cars.
🚨ANNOUNCING SHOWRUNNER🚨
— The Simulation (@fablesimulation) May 30, 2024
We believe the future is a mix of game & movie.
Simulations powering 1000s of Truman Shows populated by interactive AI characters.
🚨Welcome to Sim Francisco & Showrunner!🚨
SOUND ON!
Link to Signup in Bio pic.twitter.com/yptMocqOfW
Showrunner’s media darling, however, is audience participation in the form of user-generated content. Once viewers finish watching all the episodes of a show and are left wanting more, they can take matters into their own hands by coming up with additional episodes.
Screenshot via Showrunner
Users can influence the direction of shows or generate entirely new episodes with just a few prompts. This can be done by specifying the plot or letting the AI take the creative reins. The approach blurs the line between viewer and creator, turning passive subscribers into active storytellers, and engaging them in an unprecedented way.
Additionally, Showrunner offers a rather enticing incentive for aspiring producers. If a user-created episode is picked up by the platform, the creator would then receive a lump payment, a share of the revenue, and an IMDB credit, providing tangible rewards for their creativity.
Generating TV shows at home should be as simple as browsing Netflix.
— The Simulation (@fablesimulation) May 30, 2024
The Netflix of AI isn't about passive entertainment: it's two-way: Make and Watch.
Who will make the best episodes of shows?
A fan with no access to Hollywood or the creator of the show? Let's find out! pic.twitter.com/VMizjf5hRG
Showrunner will be met with some resistance from the get-go, as evidenced by last year’s strike by the Writers Guild of America, which vocalized its concerns about the use of AI in scriptwriting. The five-month-long protest resulted in a historic contract that included protections for writers, requiring studios to disclose AI-generated content and prohibiting AI from receiving writing credit. This win for the WGA was seen as a precedent for other creative fields facing automation.
Video screenshot via Fable Studio
While Showrunner offers profit-sharing and credit for exceptional user-created episodes, the long-term impact on the writing industry remains to be seen.
A waitlist for early access has reached 50,000 people. You can find out more about Showrunner here.
[via Gizmodo and Hollywood Reporter, images via various sources]
