Filmmaker Tyler Perry has announced the suspension of an $800 million expansion project for his studio, citing concerns over new AI technology.
Scheduled to add 12 sound stages to his Atlanta complex, Perry, 54, has halted the construction in response to the unveiling of OpenAI’s video generator, Sora.
Expressing alarm over Sora’s capabilities, Perry believes that the advancement of artificial intelligence could result in significant job losses within the film industry.
“This [expansion] is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing,” Perry remarked to the Hollywood Reporter, describing the technology’s potential as “shocking.”
OpenAI’s recently unveiled tool, akin to ChatGPT, showcased its prowess in generating lifelike footage based on text prompts, a feat that Perry finds concerning.
The filmmaker expressed apprehension that AI advancements could render traditional practices, such as location shoots and set construction, obsolete. He emphasized his astonishment at the prospect of being able to accomplish such tasks remotely from an office computer.
While Perry acknowledged his recent use of AI on set to depict himself as older in a scene, thereby avoiding lengthy makeup sessions, he voiced deep concern about the broader implications for industry professionals such as actors, editors, and transporters.
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His decision comes amidst broader industry apprehension about AI’s impact, as evidenced by the 2023 Hollywood strikes, where writers and actors voiced fears of job displacement.
Perry stressed the necessity for collective action within the industry to safeguard livelihoods in the face of rapid technological change, calling for a unified approach to address these evolving challenges.
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