• by Wayne Friedman , Staff Writer, 9 hours ago

Amid mounting concerns over AI, TV scripted shows may be safe for now -- especially considering what has been happening lately in the movie business.

Looking at the success of two early-summer season films, “Obsession” and “Backrooms" -- both low-budget theatrical horror movies that came out of nowhere to become blockbusters -- gives us some clues.

The obvious signal is that original concept, non-franchise filmmaking trends reveal that the movie business is not dead.

But for the broader view -- other entertainment content -- it means more.

What does this mean for AI-generated content? The answer is: it's not good.

Prominent film director Christopher Nolan said it more plainly, noting the success of the two movies and the rejection of seemingly “AI Slop”-produced content is significant. 

“So much energy has been expended on bringing in AI, but if you look at that generation’s reaction, they’re utterly rejecting it..... Their judgment of AI slop has been immediate and harsh. “

Adding a perspective, with regard to "Obsession" and “Backrooms," Nolan says: “Those films are so mysterious and ruminative. I mean, parts of 'Backrooms' are like David Lynch at his most obscure. And yet young people can’t get enough of them.”

However, this has not stopped some entertainment companies from at least dipping their toes in the water.

One company is Artlist -- a digital asset company that provides stock footage, templates, and royalty-free music to video creators.

It recently created a number of scripted TV-like content series under Artlist TV that primarily runs on YouTube. The service started up in June with shows covering recent Hollywood themes, including “The Arc," a historical action series of a soldier in 1600s Japan; “Terrible People,” a dark comedy tracking a high-stakes corporate PR publicist; “The Sequence”, a mystery-thriller about an ordinary man who inherits memories that belong to a stranger, and “Deception," a suspense thriller involving a missing woman who is replaced by a perfect clone.

Comments from viewers referred to characters that seemed "wooden” and cliches.

For the first episode of the show “The Arc,” Artlist reveals in the description that it is “the first Artist TV original series created with AI.” That episode pulled in 1,700 views so far on YouTube, and viewers had mixed feelings.

At least three comments described the content as “amazing work.” 

And then was this comment: “This is embarrassing and I’m honestly shocked people who call themselves professionals would release something so obviously discrediting.”

Overall, in his interview with The Telegraph, Nolan sees this as having greater impact: "I've never seen a more rapid wholesale dismissal of a supposedly foundational jump in technology in my lifetime."

More art in Artlist’s efforts may be needed in AI for some critical reviewers and observers.