Digital Afterlife: Hollywood and AI Tech
Ginger Liu
Explores the latest news in Hollywood's AI-driven tech and film industry disruption, exploring the latest trends, startups, and research in AI entertainment and media. Digital Afterlife News explores digital afterlife technology and startups. Ginger Liu: Founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a creative consultancy focused on promoting Hollywood and international film, AI film tech, and AI visual media. She is a multimedia journalist, MFA-trained artist, and AI visual media researcher. entertainment@gingerliu.com
Episodes
Entertainment and AI News
Seedance 2.5 and the Next Generation of AI Video Creation, Chinese AI Short “Website” Wins Two Awards at Venice, AI Is Deflating Hollywood’s Microdramas Scene, and other news.AI Is Deflating Hollywood’s Microdramas SceneAI-generated vertical videos are disrupting Hollywood’s microdramas boom, with major platforms like DramaBox, DramaWave, and FlareFlow increasingly embracing synthetic actors and settings. While live-action microdramas typically cost $100,000 to $300,000 and require 50 workers over seven days, AI projects can be completed by five people in two weeks for $60,000 to $100,000. Some apps claim 20- to 30-minute AI projects can be made for as little as $1,000 to $3,000. The shift has devastated employment for Los Angeles-area cast and crew who saw verticals as a lifeline after the 2023 Hollywood strikes.Beyond job losses, the rise of AI microdramas has sparked consent issues. Actors reported platforms using their performances and likenesses in fully AI projects without permission, while some ads feature sexualized scenes and dialogue never filmed or cleared with performers. Talent manager Maddie Grove said she’s seen platforms breach actors’ contracts four times since June. Writer-actor Tess Dinerstein learned that an AI show adapted her pirate-themed script despite her objections.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood film and tech consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI News
Hollywood’s AI arms race is intensifying as legacy studios and tech upstarts race to embed generative tools across the entertainment pipeline. Netflix, Amazon MGM, and Lionsgate have appointed AI executives, with Netflix reporting that roughly 300 titles use generative AI after its nearly $600 million acquisition of Ben Affleck’s InterPositive. At the same time, companies like Particle 6, Higgsfield, and Runway are pushing AI into production workflows, from AI-led features to creator festivals. The surge is global. iQIYI launched a professional AI filmmaking challenge, while Kazakhstan’s Astana AI Film Festival became the world’s largest AI cinema competition with more than 8,000 entries and a $1 million prize pool. Yet adoption remains contentious. CapCut’s AI festival at TIFF drew sharp criticism from filmmakers who view generative models as exploitative, and an unauthorized Billy Joel AI documentary has reignited legal and ethical debates over likeness rights and authenticity. Meanwhile, AI audio and immersive storytelling took center stage at Venice and the London Film Festival.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood film and tech consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI News
Generative AI in Movies Market Set to Double by 2030, Pixverse Builds Creator Economy for AI Video With Monetization Push, Stivio Debuts Image-to-Video AI Generator With Six ModelsGenerative AI in Movies Market Set to Double by 2030, Pixverse Builds Creator Economy for AI Video With Monetization Push, Stivio Debuts Image-to-Video AI Generator With Six Models, AI Documentary “Be Brave” Pushes Cinema Boundaries at Venice, and other news.Studios and streamers are scaling microdramas as a core vertical. Variety’s Entertainment and Technology Summit focused on fan economies and consumer strain. The global market for generative AI in movies is projected to reach $1.03 billion by 2030. Pixverse launched monetization tools so creators can earn from AI-generated video. Stivio introduced a new image-to-video generator with six models. James Cameron’s Lightstorm Vision acquired AI 3D company Outsyders. At the Venice Film Festival, the AI-assisted documentary Be Brave tested synthetic footage in mainstream cinema. OpenArt CEO Coco Mao said AI will enhance rather than replace live production for now.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood film and tech consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI Tech News
In this week’s Entertainment and AI Tech News, Google is reportedly in talks with Hollywood studios to license film and television libraries for AI training. No formal agreements have been reached with Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery or Universal, amid ongoing copyright, legal and labor concerns. Amazon Web Services and Amazon MGM Studios unveiled a generative AI film fund and production platform for emerging filmmakers. The first all-AI FAST channel also launched on Roku, while Flick released 17 short films from its summer residency. Tripo AI raised $415 million to scale its 3D-native foundation models. Utopai Studios expanded its AI-native slate with five titles scheduled for release in 2027. Amazon Prime Video will introduce AI-powered lip-syncing for dubbed episodes of “Maxton Hall” Season 3. The Hollywood Creators Coalition launched its industry-focused Standards & Definitions Project to quantify AI’s impact across entertainment jobs. Camelback Productions outlined plans for a $6 billion to $12 billion AI-powered production and entertainment complex in Arizona. Meanwhile, former Telepool CEO Yoko Higuchi-Zitzmann and AI filmmaker Mark Wachholz launched Dreamkite Studios in Germany to develop premium AI-first and hybrid productions.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood film and tech consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI Tech News
AI-Native Studios Reshape Hollywood as Directors Split on Tech, Microdramas Surge as AI and Hollywood Bet on Vertical Video, AI-Native Films Find New Home in Dedicated Festival Circuit and other news.Anyone with a soft spot for the 1990s indie film boom will recognize the same energy in today’s AI filmmaking wild west. Back then, cheaper cameras and new distribution channels let outsiders tell stories the studios wouldn’t touch, until indie itself became too expensive for truly independent voices. Now, filmmakers, documentarians, writers, and other creative artists shut out of even the lower tiers of indie financing are building their own projects with AI as a creative tool. For the first time in years, indie film feels accessible again.AI’s footprint in film and TV is widening. Studios and startups are using generative tools to build environments, trim budgets by 20–50%, and back projects traditional financiers won’t touch. A new circuit of AI-focused festivals is offering real prize money and fast, disclosure-heavy submission processes for work that legacy festivals still won’t fully embrace. Microdramas are becoming one of the sector’s few growth areas, with U.S. revenue on track for $1.5 billion this year and per-user engagement ahead of Netflix. And a $1 billion AI studio is betting that an animated feature about a serious fart can prove AI can carry long-form, story-driven content.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI Tech News
WildBrain Buys Personality AI for $11M, Higgsfield AI Releases 110-Minute Feature “The Cully Hill Boys” in Four Weeks, Hollywood’s creator boom creates ownership disputes, COL AI Studios Launches to Scale IP Across Formats and Global Markets, MPA and ByteDance Agree Framework to Protect Film and TV IP in AI Models, and other news.Hollywood and the global entertainment industry are moving quickly to define how generative AI fits into production, distribution, and audience engagement. This week’s roundup covers major deals and frameworks shaping that shift: WildBrain’s $11 million acquisition of Personality AI to build licensed, kid-safe interactive characters; m25’s appointment of AiCandy as the first dedicated AI film production partner in Asia Pacific; and a secret Hollywood coalition’s release of a “Human Generative Workflows” framework aimed at keeping humans in control of creative decisions.At the same time, AI-native content is gaining scale and visibility. Higgsfield AI has released a 110-minute, fully AI-generated feature, “The Cully Hill Boys,” while an AI-generated Chinese short has topped Bilibili with a story focused on people rather than spectacle. In India, VFX and AI are reshaping mythological cinema, and new AI film festivals are emerging as a dedicated circuit for generative work.Business and rights issues are also intensifying. The Motion Picture Association and ByteDance have agreed on an IP-protection framework for AI models, the American Film Market is adding an AI and tech hub, and studios’ push into creator-born IP is sparking ownership disputes. Together, these developments map a fast-evolving landscape where AI is becoming a standard part of the toolkit, even as the industry debates guardrails, authorship, and who controls the next generation of content.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI Tech News
In this week’s Entertainment and AI Tech News — Yoroll’s AI Odyssey turns Homer’s epic into a playable, branching film built in two days on a ~$250 budget, while independent channel IncredibleXvision has crossed 10,000 YouTube subscribers with AI-generated shorts, suggesting synthetic content can build repeat audiences, not just one-off virality. On the studio side, Warner Bros. is facing significant backlash after promoting The End of Oak Street with an AI-generated dog podcast, a campaign many viewers say made them less likely to see the Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor thriller. AI is reshaping production and policy: Roku added a 24-hour AI channel via Fairground to its FAST lineup; Autodesk is rolling out 3D controls in Flow Studio for finer command over AI scenes; Brad Pitt argues AI could revive mid-budget films if used as a cost-saving tool rather than a performer replacement; Chinese models like MiniMax’s Hailuo 3 and ByteDance’s Seedream 5.0 are reigniting Hollywood’s copyright concerns; SAG-AFTRA is pushing back on weakening performer protections around digital replicas; the EU has begun enforcing transparency rules requiring clear labeling of AI-generated or significantly altered content; and Internet Cinematic’s new India–Japan AI film studio in Tokyo signals growing cross-border collaboration aimed at making ambitious filmmaking more accessible while keeping human artists central.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Digital Afterlife AI News
Digital replica APIs market projected to reach $2.4 billion by 2036, South Koreans use AI videos to remember deceased loved ones, China curbs AI companions as tech companies limit chatbot featuresArtificial intelligence companies are expanding digital replica technology across business, marketing and bereavement services, as developers build systems that can generate personalized videos, simulate emotional conversations and recreate deceased loved ones. The digital replica APIs market is projected to grow from $145 million in 2026 to $2.4 billion by 2036, according to Fact.MR. The expansion is bringing new scrutiny from regulators and researchers. China has introduced restrictions on AI companions that encourage emotional dependency, while studies and emerging services are examining whether replicas of deceased people can comfort mourners without creating new risks involving consent, privacy and emotional attachment.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment and AI Tech News
Europe’s AI funding is surging, with capital concentrating in a handful of breakout startups and the U.K. pulling ahead as the region’s leading market. At the same time, AI is moving deeper into entertainment production, with digital twins, generative video and VFX tools reshaping how film, TV, gaming and live experiences are made. The result is a clear picture of an industry shift: investment is accelerating, a small number of companies are capturing most of the money, and AI is spreading from model development into the workflows that power content creation and distribution.AI in VFX market set to top $1.07 billionDigital Twin in entertainment market set for rapid growthEurope’s AI funding boom is led by the U.K. as investment spreads across the regionGenerative AI in movies market set to reach $1.03 billionMIPCOM Cannes adds microdramas to 2026 agendaGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News with Ginger Liu
BAFTA adds AI disclosure rule to awards submissions, Aronofsky seeks new funding for Primordial Soup, Gossip Goblin’s AI film set for theatrical release, Anthropic settles landmark author piracy case for $1.5 billion, and other news.Gossip Goblin’s Gods Don’t Give Gifts is headed to U.S. theaters on Oct. 30, Ash Koosha’s Dreams of Violets was the first fully AI-generated film to screen at Tribeca earlier this year, and Koosha has now released Odysseus: The Fall to coincide with Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, as Darren Aronofsky’s AI studio push and the backlash around Neill Blomkamp’s Nightborne show how heated the debate has become.This week’s Entertainment AI Tech News roundup covers the industry’s push to draw clearer lines around AI use, from BAFTA’s new disclosure rule for awards submissions and Anthropic’s $1.5bn settlement with authors over pirated training data, to Netflix’s admission that generative AI appeared in roughly 300 titles and its $587m acquisition of Ben Affleck’s postproduction startup, while also tracking AI-native content moving toward mainstream distribution with Gossip Goblin’s theatrical release, Darren Aronofsky’s fresh funding push for Primordial Soup and the mixed reactions to high-profile AI experiments from Neill Blomkamp and others.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Entertainment AI Tech News with Ginger LiuAI-generated Odysseus: The Fall released ahead of Nolan’s The Odyssey, Netflix admits generative AI used in 300 TV shows and films, PixVerse raises $439 million as AI video Netflix has confirmed that generative AI was used in the production of around 300 films and television series in 2026, underscoring how rapidly the technology is becoming embedded in mainstream entertainment.Singapore-based AI video-generation startup PixVerse has raised an additional $439 million in a Series C extension, pushing its valuation above $2 billion and underscoring investor confidence in the fast-growing AI video sector. The new capital follows an earlier Series C close this year and brings the total raised in the round to $439 million.Congress is advancing the No Fakes Act, a bipartisan bill in Washington designed to curb AI deepfakes that copy a person’s voice and image without consent.Amazon MGM Studios has pulled the AI-animated series Punky Duck from its GenAI Creators Fund after director Jorge R. Gutiérrez quit the project following a wave of online death threats and doxxing.Ten filmmakers have premiered AI-native short films at the Raindance Film Festival in London as part of Lost Canon, a new series produced by Moonmax and built entirely inside CapCut Video Studio.AI film studio Fountain Zero will release Odysseus: The Fall, a 135-minute, AI-generated adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey from Dreams of Violets director Ash Koosha, for rental and purchase on its website later this summer.According to The Hollywood Reporter, a Los Angeles startup is recruiting writers and creators with credits on Sharknado and Doctor Who for a slate of AI-driven films, in one of the clearest signs yet that the technology is moving deeper into mainstream screen production.A German feature film has become the first to use the Auschwitz Memorial’s new digital replica of the former concentration camp, marking a departure from decades of strict rules that had largely barred fiction productions at the site.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR consultancy Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Oscars draw firmer line on AI, Art Directors Guild Criticizes Scorsese’s AI Storyboarding Promotion, London Startup Cascade Opens AI-Native Production Platform Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Google DeepMind’s new partnership with A24 signals how AI filmmaking tools are moving into mainstream production, with the focus on storyboards, workflows, and creative support rather than training on studio IP. This episode also covers SAG-AFTRA’s expanded AI protections, Obsidian Studio’s human-plus-AI filmmaking model, legal pressure on Meta over AI training, the proposed No Fakes Act, and backlash in China over AI actors and portrait rights.Google DeepMind’s $75 million partnership with A24 marks one of the clearest signs yet that AI filmmaking is shifting from experimentation to real studio workflow. The deal gives A24 Labs and Google’s researchers a chance to build new tools for filmmakers, including AI-assisted storyboarding, while stopping short of using A24’s film and TV catalog for model training. That makes the collaboration less about replacing creative development and more about shaping how directors, producers, and production teams work inside a studio environment.The broader episode shows that Hollywood is now negotiating AI on multiple fronts at once. SAG-AFTRA has ratified a new contract with stronger protections around synthetic performers and digital replicas, while Obsidian Studio is pitching AI as a production accelerator that still depends on human judgment. At the same time, publishers are suing Meta over AI training, Congress is weighing the No Fakes Act and its impact on digital replicas, and China’s rise of AI actors is triggering backlash over celebrity lookalikes, consent, and portrait rights. Together, these stories point to an industry that is still deciding where AI belongs, who controls it, and what counts as legitimate creative use.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Hollywood studios drop Sam Altman biopic after Amazon exit, Michael Caine’s AI voice to narrate new Odyssey audiobook ahead of Nolan film, The new AI film battleground is usability, not raw model power, and other news.Hollywood’s response to AI is becoming a business story as much as a creative one, with Luca Guadagnino’s Artificial and the Sam Altman biopic controversy showing how distributor politics, studio relationships, and AI partnerships can shape what reaches audiences. This episode also covers AI-driven entertainment developments including synthetic voice narration, AI art spaces, new filmmaking tools, and the growing use of AI across film, media, and digital storytelling.Hollywood is changing the way it responds to AI-related stories, and one of the clearest examples is the reported distribution trouble around Luca Guadagnino’s nearly completed Sam Altman biopic, Artificial. As Amazon MGM and other major studios step back, the film has become a sign of how commercial ties to AI companies may be influencing what Hollywood is willing to release, especially when the subject is a powerful figure at the centre of the AI industry.That same tension runs through the rest of this episode, from Michael Caine’s AI voice narrating a new Odyssey audiobook to the opening of DATALAND, the world’s first museum of AI art. It also shows up in the rise of AI filmmaking tools designed for real production workflows, not just experimentation, and in the way microdramas are moving into theatrical promotion. Together, these stories point to a bigger shift in entertainment, where AI is affecting film distribution, voice performance, visual art, and production itself.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Digital Afterlife AI News
Meta once explored an AI system that could keep posting on behalf of users after death, simulating their likes, comments, messages, and even calls from beyond the grave. This episode also looks at the wider rise of grief tech, AI resurrection tools, and new research warning that digital likenesses and chatbots can turn the dead into monetized “spectral labor” while raising serious questions about consent, memory, and digital afterlife cultureMeta’s old patent for an AI system that could simulate deceased users has reopened a bigger debate about what happens to our digital selves after death. The company’s concept imagined a large language model trained on a person’s past activity to keep liking, commenting, messaging, and even appearing in calls long after the user was gone, but Meta now says it has no plans to pursue the idea. That retreat comes as grief tech startups, funeral chatbots, and AI avatar tools continue to expand, making digital afterlife services a growing part of the broader AI economy.The issue is no longer just whether AI can imitate someone, but whether it should. Researchers studying AI resurrection technology argue that recreating dead people’s voices, faces, and personalities can amount to “spectral labor,” turning the dead into reusable digital workers without clear consent or legal protection. At the same time, related AI concerns are spreading into mental health, with studies warning that chatbots can reinforce delusions and intensify harmful thinking in vulnerable users. Together, these stories show how AI is moving deeper into grief, identity, and emotional dependence, while companies and regulators struggle to keep pace.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
The entertainment media market is projected to more than double by 2035, driven by streaming, gaming, digital content, and AI-powered recommendations that are reshaping how audiences consume entertainment. In this episode, we also look at the UK’s record film and high-end TV spending, the rapid rise of AI video generation, and how Oscar recognition still influences theatrical viewership even as streaming changes audience habits.The global entertainment media market is entering a major expansion phase as streaming, gaming, and on-demand digital content continue to reshape how audiences consume entertainment. According to market projections, the sector is expected to grow from $3.24 trillion in 2025 to $6.17 trillion by 2035, while the U.S. market alone is forecast to rise from about $971.77 billion to $1.43 trillion over the same period. Much of that growth is being driven by digital streaming, which now makes up nearly 40% of industry revenue, alongside rising demand for original programming, mobile gaming, esports, and immersive formats such as virtual and augmented reality.At the same time, the industry is facing pressure from piracy, rising production costs, and the need to keep audiences engaged across increasingly fragmented platforms. Studios and streamers are investing heavily in exclusive content, while gaming and ad-supported digital formats continue to expand their share of the market. Regional growth is also shifting the balance of power, with North America still leading and Asia Pacific emerging as the fastest-growing market thanks to mobile-first audiences in countries like China, India, Japan, and South Korea. In the UK, film and high-end TV spending has also surged, reinforcing how competitive the global content market has become. Even the Oscars remain influential, with awards recognition still capable of driving audience interest in theatrical releases and streaming viewership, even as viewing habits continue to evolve.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Artificial intelligence is now reshaping every stage of film and TV production, from script development and planning to editing and viewer analytics. Streaming platforms are racing to feed global audiences, and AI tools that speed up workflows and reduce costs are becoming essential in the cutthroat competition. Actors face little direct threat. Synthetic performers and digital doubles are still experimental. The bigger change is in the production engine, with scheduling software, editing systems, and simulation tools transforming how films take shape well before release.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, AI and Entertainment Reporter and researcher, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
OpenAI is shutting down Sora and walking away from a reported $1 billion Disney content deal, marking a major retreat from AI video generation as the company shifts focus toward robotics and agentic AI. The episode also looks at streaming’s continued growth, smart TV gatekeeping battles in Europe, AI-powered performance through Val Kilmer’s planned return, and the legal fights over AI training, authorship, and digital likeness rights.OpenAI’s decision to shut down Sora less than two years after its launch signals a sharp turn away from consumer AI video and toward robotics, agentic systems, and more physically grounded forms of artificial intelligence. The company’s reported $1 billion Disney partnership has also fallen apart, underlining how quickly AI entertainment deals can shift when strategy, intellectual property concerns, and product priorities change. Sora originally attracted huge attention for turning text prompts into realistic video clips, but the shutdown suggests OpenAI is now more interested in technologies that solve real-world tasks than in competing directly in the video creation market.That shift lands in a wider entertainment landscape still being reshaped by streaming, platform power, and AI-driven content workflows. Broadcasters are pressing European regulators to rein in the smart TV ecosystems controlled by Google, Amazon, Apple, and Samsung, arguing that discovery and distribution are becoming too centralized. At the same time, Hollywood is experimenting with AI in more personal ways, from Val Kilmer’s estate-backed return in As Deep As the Grave to the broader rise of digital likenesses and synthetic performances. The episode also touches on the growing market for gig workers who sell personal data and voice samples to train AI systems, and on the legal boundaries around AI authorship, with the U.S. Supreme Court leaving in place the view that copyright still requires a human creator.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
At Cannes Marché du Film 2026, AI Takes Center Stage
At Cannes Marché du Film 2026, AI Takes Center StageDuring Marché du Film, I spoke with and listened to a film industry immersed in AI technologyAt Marché du Film, AI felt like a business model taking shape in public rather than a distant abstraction. The language had shifted, with AI now framed as production support that helps with brainstorming, editing, analysis, VFX, and workflow, while the creator remains human. That distinction mattered. In Cannes, the conversation centered on control, and on tools that promise to speed up development, sharpen decision-making, and ease the grind of production without stripping away authorship.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood Film PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
Film and TV companies are competing harder than ever for audience attention as streaming, gaming, and short-form video keep pulling viewers away from traditional TV and theatrical releases. With box office recovery still uneven, studios are spending more on tentpoles, sports rights, and original programming while platforms like Netflix, YouTube, and FAST services fight for the same time, subscriptions, and ad dollars.The entertainment industry is facing a major shift as film and TV companies compete for attention across theatrical, streaming, gaming, and social platforms. U.S. box office sales remain below pre-pandemic highs even as 2026 tentpoles are expected to lift totals, while rising ticket prices are masking softer attendance and a stronger move toward streaming for adult-skewing films. At the same time, studios and platforms are pouring money into original programming, live sports, and subscription growth, with Disney, Netflix, and other major players using bigger content budgets to defend their positions in a crowded market.Streaming now dominates viewing habits, while YouTube, FAST services like Tubi and Pluto TV, and short-form video have become central to the fight for audience time. Artificial intelligence is adding another layer of disruption, with tools like OpenAI’s Sora and Google’s Veo 3 flooding feeds with generated video and raising concerns about AI slop and content quality. In Europe, the audiovisual market continues to grow, but rights and royalties for creators remain uneven, adding another pressure point to an industry already being reshaped by platform power, global competition, and changing consumer behavior.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Digital Afterlife AI News
Digital Afterlife News: Dead Celebrities, Dead Relatives, AI industry set for significant growth.Google’s Sweetwater explores how AI turns grief into a new kind of memory.Character.ai blocks teenagers from chatting with its AI bots amid safety concerns.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI TechTechnologyArtificial IntelligenceMental HealthStartup
HumanX San Francisco AI Universe
HumanX took over San Francisco this week, drawing more than 6,500 attendees, with an impressive 60% at VP level or above, alongside 400+ sponsors, 300+ speakers, and a packed media presence of 350 journalists. Held across several days in April 2026, the event brought together some of the biggest names shaping AI right now. Speakers and participants included leaders and voices from companies such as OpenAI, NVIDIA, Google DeepMind, Microsoft, and Meta, alongside a surge of fast-rising startups entering film, media, healthcare, and enterprise AI.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, a journalist and researcher on visual media technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
AI revolution in film and TV production and industry future reportAI is boosting productivity by 5–10% in development and pre‑production (visual pitches, script breakdowns, A/B story testing, and shot lists), with potential expansion into physical production (virtual sets, fewer reshoots) and post‑production (VFX, clipping, dubbing, faster workflows). Up to 20% of U.S. original content spend — about $10 billion by 2030 — could be addressable, with distributors capturing most of the value through margins as producers fragment.SAG-AFTRA eyes studio tax on digital performers amid unstoppable rise of AIAutodesk sues Google over AI-powered movie-making softwareAmazon plans AI push to accelerate TV and film productionAI loops cause cultural stagnation with no new dataAI set to transform cinema operations from scheduling to box office forecastingAI to make linear TV and streaming feel like a mood-shifting platformGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
AI set to reshape film and TV production from script to screen. Artificial intelligence promises to revolutionise every phase of television and film production, potentially transforming not just how stories are told, but who gets to tell them. As demand for video content surges, US adults now spend almost seven hours daily watching across platforms, stagnant budgets, lengthy production schedules, and fierce competition for viewers’ increasingly fragmented attention challenge traditional media. Amazon Prime Video introduces AI-powered video recaps for original seriesNew Dutch AI time‑travel series from Tilly Norwood creatorsBeta Film launches AI startup Chapter41 with industry veteransKevin Reilly to helm AI startup Kartel as entertainment and tech worlds convergeDisney+ eyes user-generated AI videos despite IP lawsuitsAmazon Prime Video introduces AI-powered video recaps for original seriesEros Innovation raises $150m to power AI media platformGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, journalist and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & AI Tech
Entertainment AI Tech News
ByteDance promises safeguards for Seedance AI tool, AMC Theatres pulls AI short film ‘Thanksgiving Day’ after online backlash, Streaming viewers want AI assistance but not AI-generated content.At a screening of ElevenLabs’ Chroma Awards-winning AI short films, entries struggled under cinema lights, exposing immature technology and artificial narratives despite bold creative efforts. The limitations were clear: too crude for cinema beyond smartphone fodder. Days later, ByteDance unveiled Seedance 2.0 online, winning instant praise from enthusiasts while prompting panic and legal threats from Netflix, Warner Bros Discovery, Disney, and Paramount over its uncanny IP recreation.Hollywood studios across the industry are grappling with their growing reliance on artificial intelligence, from post-production enhancements to screenwriting aids. Last year’s Oscar winner, “The Brutalist,” stirred controversy after admitting AI-enhanced actors’ accents. This year, such disclosures have gone quiet, even from the Academy, which maintains a de facto “don’t ask, don’t tell” stance, with every best picture nominee likely touched by AI in production. Artists remain fiercely resistant following the 2023 strikes, screenwriters appear to embrace chatbots, while viral AI demos like the faked Tom Cruise-Brad Pitt fight have circled overblown narratives of Hollywood’s demise.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Digital Afterlife Tech: AI, Death Tech & Communicating Beyond the Grave
The death tech industry uses AI and digital tools to create interactive afterlives for the departed. Lifelike AI avatars trained on personal data join "deadbots" that respond via text and voice, with companies building posthumous communication platforms, grief therapy chatbots, and virtual memorial services now valued at over $5B globally. The tech powering digital immortality includes neural networks preserving personalities, blockchain wills for data legacies, and ethical dilemmas around consent, privacy, and the psychology of talking to AI versions of lost loved ones.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood PR agency, Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
The Entertainment and AI Headlines: AI set to reshape film and TV production from script to screen
AI set to reshape film and TV production from script to screenDisney+ eyes user-generated AI videos despite IP lawsuitsKevin Reilly to helm AI startup Kartel as entertainment and tech worlds convergeNew Dutch AI time‑travel series from Tilly Norwood creatorsBeta Film launches AI startup Chapter41 with industry veteransAmazon Prime Video introduces AI-powered video recaps for original seriesEros Innovation raises $150m to power AI media platformGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast Digital Afterlife: Hollywood & Tech.
Grief Tech Startup Industry
Startups working in the death tech or grief tech industry have designed different approaches that enable users to communicate with the dead, via text, video, audio, or photorealist avatars. The technology represents a recent shift from photography to artificial intelligence as a tool for remembering the deceased.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, an MFA photographer and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
The Digital After Life in 2025
The rise of posthumous AI avatars represents a major shift in how technology interacts with death. What began as memorial tools allowing loved ones to interact with digital recreations of the deceased has evolved into an expanding commercial industry. The digital afterlife market is expected to quadruple in the next decade, reaching $80 billion, driven by advances in avatar technology.Ginger Liu MFA is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines
OpenAI Targets Hollywood with AI Films as New InvestmentWarner Bros. sues AI company Midjourney for copyright infringementThe global AI avatar marketAnthropic agrees to pay $1.5 billion in copyright settlementThe global AI avatar market was valued at $7.41 billion in 2024. It is expected to grow from $9.78 billion in 2025 to $118.55 billion by 2034.OpenAI is making its Hollywood debut by backing Critterz, an animated feature largely created with artificial intelligence.Ginger Liu MFA is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a writer and researcher on technology and entertainment, a multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker, and host of the podcast The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines
North America dominates AI film market with $500m in revenue and a 40% global share. Moonvalley Unveils Marey AI Video Tool for Filmmakers. AI to restore 100 classic kung fu films and debut first fully AI-made animated feature.Denmark to introduce new copyright law targeting deepfakesBBC threatens legal action against Perplexity for unauthorized content useEquity warns legal action over actors scanned without consentJudge rules in favour of Meta in AI copyright lawsuit by authorsGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Digital Afterlife News
Google Study Examines Risks of Using AI to Replicate the DeceasedThe Digital Afterlife Startup Craze and The Digital Afterlife of HollywoodA growing wave of startups has promised to keep conversations alive with loved ones long after they are gone by creating custom AI agents that do more than replay old memories, but generate entirely new conversations.Startups building AI digital replicas are riding a wave of explosive growth as the generative AI market surges toward an estimated $62.7 billion in 2025, with projections showing the broader AI industry reaching as high as $757 billion this year and potentially $3.6 trillion by 2034.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines
Largo.ai, Backed by Sylvester Stallone, Partners with Brilliant Pictures to Launch World’s First Fully AI-Automated Film CompanyAuschwitz Memorial Unveils Digital Replica Project for Virtual Film Location at Cannes MarketEurope’s Film and TV Dubbers Fight with AIFactors Driving Growth in the AI Film MarketWriting Lessons from an AI-Resurrected Agatha ChristieSoundcloud Faces Backlash But Denies Training AI Using Artists' WorkMeta Removes Fake AI Ads Featuring Jamie Lee Curtis After She Appeals Directly to ZuckerbergGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines
AI-Powered Digital Twins of Deceased Loved Ones, AI twins serving as mentors, tutors, or interactive textbooks, New Oscar Rules for AI, Arcana Labs AI Film Production Takes on HollywoodIn Europe, the Paris AI Policy Action summit in February failed to deliver significant regulation. In the United States, the new administration’s March directive from the National Institute of Standards and Technology removed references to “AI safety” and “AI fairness.” At the same time, Meta and other platforms have dismantled fact-checking operations, fueling a wave of AI-generated video content that is overwhelming the internet, with some pieces drawing hundreds of millions of views.Film & TV Marketing Gets a Boost from AI Eye-TrackingSAG-AFTRA’s New Commercials Deal Puts AI in CheckNatasha Lyonne Makes Feature Directorial Debut with AI Sci-Fi FilmArcana Labs AI Film Production Takes on HollywoodNew Oscar Rules for AIAI-Powered Digital Twins of Deceased Loved OnesGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
AI allows us to maintain a present and infinite dialogue with the dead
Generative AI is changing how people use photography to grieve and remember. Instead of static images, photos of the deceased are now animated to move and speak, giving families new ways to connect with lost loved ones. While some find comfort in these digital interactions, others question their authenticity and impact. This shift challenges more than a century of photographic tradition, altering how we process loss and keep memories alive.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines: California Lawmakers Examine Potential Risks of AI Chatbots and The Wizard of Oz Like You’ve Never Seen Before
California Lawmakers Examine Potential Risks of AI ChatbotsAdobe Invests in Synthesia, the Startup Creating AI Clones for Corporate VideosThe Wizard of Oz Like You’ve Never Seen It BeforeElevenLabs, OpenAI, and DeepMind Invest in Startup Creating AI FilmsYouTube Supports ‘No Fakes Act’Shutterstock Partners with AI-Based Corporate Video CompanyAI Video Generation Startup, Runway, Closes $308M Funding RoundGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief
Generative AI Headlines: YouTube Bans AI-Generated Fake Movie Trailers
MPA Demands Copyright Protection for AI ContentAI-Dubbed ‘Watch the Skies’ Secures AMC Theatres ReleaseH&M to Use AI-Generated Digital Clones in AdsU.S. Copyright Office Releases Report on Copyrightability of AI-Generated WorksChatGPT’s Ghibli-style AI images raise copyright concernsChatgpt’s Ghibli-style AI images raise copyright concernsGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief
MIT Report: AI Reshaping Entertainment Industry's Future
A new research report from MIT Technology Review Insights highlights how AI is revolutionizing and accelerating media production while making creative tools more accessible. However, the study also points out that the media industry continues to face significant hurdles as it adapts to this technological shift. The report explores the transformative impact of AI on content creation and distribution while acknowledging the complexities and challenges that arise from integrating these advanced technologies into established media workflows and business models.Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines 4–3–25
Entertainment Leaders Warn Against Weakening Copyright for AIShowbiz Contracts: Adapting to the AI RevolutionAI-Generated Art Loses Copyright Battle in US Appeals CourtSpanish Regulators Target Unlabeled AI Content with FinesMeta Faces Copyright Lawsuit from France’s Creative IndustryDeepfake Technology Market to Hit $13.9 Billion as Entertainment and Media Embraces AIPreserving Documentary Accuracy in the Age of Unregulated AIGinger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI Headlines 3–28-2025
AI-Generated Artwork Granted Copyright ProtectionCourt Sides with Creators in Landmark AI Copyright CaseLegal Frameworks for AI-Created Intellectual PropertyNetflix Faces Criticism for AI Voice Recreation in Petito DocumentaryStoryfile Emerges from Chapter 11Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist, photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Is death tech a lucrative business or a fad?
The death tech industry is a lucrative business worth $126B. Companies like StoryFile, Replika, and Hereafter AI provide different platforms that service legacy creation and, by extension, service our grief. Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a PhD researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
The Digital Afterlife of the Death Tech Industry
The ethics of creating a virtual version of someone are complex. Who owns the data and what about consent? Feeding the digital afterlife zeitgeist are tech giants who are eager to build a synthetic heaven where big egos go to die. As we jump into an AI-driven future, the stories, memories, and voices of the past continue to resonate within the algorithms of our digital world. Whatever technology we use, the essence of human connection and the significance of genuine memories remain central to human agency. Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Ph.D. Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically grief tech, digital afterlife, AI, death and mourning practices, AI, and photography. Education, research, and policy. Entrepreneur, author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Generative AI News End of 2024
A round-up of the year's generative AI news. Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media, and an entrepreneur, author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
The Digital Afterlife of Grief
Grief tech is changing the way we communicate with our deceased loved ones and how we cope with their passing. Our digital footprint, such as texts, photos, videos, emails, and social media accounts keeps us connected to the people close to us and worldwide. AI voice cloning creates digital replicas of a human voice by analyzing and mimicking speech patterns such as accent, tone, and pitch. AI industry growth exceeded $40 billion in the US in 2022 and is estimated to reach $1.3 trillion over the next decade. According to a recent report, the Chatbots for Mental Health and Therapy Market will be worth $1.71 Bn by 2031. These offer support, direction, and assistance for mental health issues, including grief. Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher and reporter in artificial intelligence and entertainment — specifically grief tech, digital afterlife, AI, death and mourning practices, AI and photography, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
Can AI give the gift of eternal legacy with no emotional strings?
The grieftech industry thinks so... The death tech industry is a lucrative business worth $126B. Companies like StoryFile, Replika, and Hereafter AI provide different platforms that service legacy creation and by extension service our grief. Michael Bommer is the latest person to create a digital replica of him likeness which will interact with his family after he has passed away. Bommer, a German startup engineer, has terminal cancer. He collaborated with California-based AI legacy startup Eternos. life, one of the latest platforms in the digital afterlife space, or so I thought. The collaboration made global news and raised ongoing questions about the ethical implications of using big tech to create and manage the afterlife. Ginger Liu is the founder of Hollywood’s Ginger Media & Entertainment, a researcher and journalist in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically grief tech, digital afterlife, AI, death and mourning practices, AI and photography, biometrics, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief.
The Generative AI Headlines - 31 July 2024
It’s a win-win for the estates of some of Hollywood’s biggest 20th-century stars while the Digital Replica Act aims to prevent AI-generated replicas of artists without prior consent. Hollywood Stars Have New IP Life with AISAG-AFTRA Thanks California AI Artist Protection Legislation Hollywood Teams With Holocaust Museum L.A. to Launch Augmented-Reality APP AI Death Tech Company Eternos Creates Digital Replicas of the Dying No Opt Out for Meta Artists in Latin America but Brazil Fights Back AI COPIED Act Would Protect Artists and Journalists' Content Video Platforms Enforce AI Content Labeling Sony Pictures CEO Aims to Cut Costs with AI Artists Protect Work from Generative AI Theft Jackie Chan is the Latest Actor to get AI De-Aged Treatment Fashion Brand Mango Creates Campaign with AI CNN Will Layoff 100 Staffers to be Replaced by AI Research Finds Generative AI Supports Creativity but Hinders Originality Ginger Liu is the founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Writer/Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically Hollywood, death tech, digital afterlife, AI death and grief practices, AI photography, entertainment, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief. Ginger Liu is a writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, entertainment, and art.
The Digital Afterlife and the Death Tech Industry
The concept of a digital afterlife, the digital extension of life after physical death challenges the notion that death is final. The digital afterlife is not denying that the dead are dead but that they are still part of our lives. The commercial death tech industry is a profit-seeking industry, using digital remains for the monetization of the digital afterlife of users, such as the capitalization of human remains, which requires the payment of subscription fees by the bereaved or suffering a second loss, while creating a culture of ongoing grief where the bereaved never move on from death, which may be detrimental to the grieving process. Ginger Liu is the founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Writer/Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically Hollywood, death tech, digital afterlife, AI death and grief practices, AI photography, entertainment, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief. Ginger Liu is a writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, entertainment, and art. YZE6ACsZEWCqiTGOuICb
The Generative AI Headlines - June 2024
Hollywood streaming wars affect jobs, and there are calls for more AI legislation from Scarlett Johannson and data protection legislation for the AI death tech industry. Legislation that protects Hollywood creatives, artists, and the deceased is an ongoing battle as industries across states and countries try, and come to an agreement with government agencies. Ginger Liu is the founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Writer/Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically Hollywood, death tech, digital afterlife, AI death and grief practices, AI photography, entertainment, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief. Ginger Liu is a writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, entertainment, and art.
Creating an AI Photorealistic Digital Afterlife
AI creates the impossible as real, giving animated photographs of the dead, imaginative and emotional power, and the desire to see our dead relatives return to the living. With digital networks and AI, there is a shift in identity once the person has died and for those left behind to mourn. Introducing the deceased into the grieving process means that digital identity is often co-constructed. The shift is in who controls the grieving process. Whereas Facebook group pages are created by a human user, such as a family member or friend who posted memories in the form of images, videos, and text, AI death tech companies are directing humans to a formula of identical posthumous identity making, a one size fits all created by small data sets and standardized questions, therefore controlling posthumous digital identity. Images: https://medium.com/technology-hits/creating-an-ai-photorealistic-digital-afterlife-2d7accb5e40a Ginger Liu is the founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Writer/Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically Hollywood, death tech, digital afterlife, AI death and grief practices, AI photography, entertainment, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief. Ginger Liu is a writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, entertainment, and art.
The Technology of Grief: From Photography to AI
The link between Victorian portraiture and AI death tech. Looking at AI death tech platforms in context with Victorian post-mortem photography and attaining the sitter’s essence in portraiture, we can see a link between technology, consumerism, and society’s view on death and bereavement. Startups working in the death tech or grief tech industry have designed different approaches that enable users to communicate with the dead, via text, video, audio, or photorealist avatars. The technology represents a recent shift from photography to artificial intelligence (AI) as a tool for remembering the deceased. Ginger Liu is the founder of Ginger Media & Entertainment, a Ph.D. Researcher in artificial intelligence and visual arts media — specifically death tech, digital afterlife, AI death and grief practices, AI photography, entertainment, security, and policy, and an author, writer, artist photographer, and filmmaker. Listen to the Podcast — The Digital Afterlife of Grief. Ginger Liu is a writer who covers the latest developments in artificial intelligence, entertainment, and art.