Jeffrey Katzenberg, one of the co-founders of Studios, former CEO, and a seasoned entertainment industry veteran, delivered a keynote address at a Bloomberg New Economy panel in Singapore. Within a span of fewer than three hours, he shared insights on the pressing concerns faced by graphic artists in the business.
During the panel discussion, when Katzenberg was probed about the impact of AI on production processes, he opined that within the next three years, the creation of top-tier animated films would require significantly less time and effort compared to the traditional methods.
In the past, Katzenberg noted that it took a team of 500 designers five years to develop a world-class animated film. However, he anticipates that in the near future, this task would demand only a fraction of that time, possibly less than 10% of the previous duration.
From Katzenberg’s vantage point, he emphasized that no industry would undergo a more profound transformation than the realm of media and entertainment creation due to the integration of AI technologies.
Katzenberg envisaged a future where AI would serve as just another instrument in an artist’s arsenal, aligning with a sentiment widely echoed across various forums.
He articulated, “We transitioned from a pen to the paintbrush, from the printing press to the camera lens, and now to the movie camera.” These tools have revolutionized creativity and storytelling in unprecedented ways. In his view, AI represents a novel creative medium, akin to a new canvas or lens with boundless possibilities.
The executive contended that AI would streamline the creative process, unlocking storytelling avenues that were previously inaccessible to most artists.
On the flip side, he acknowledged, “I believe it will disrupt and commodify elements that currently pose significant challenges for artists and writers.”
In response to queries about the essence of creativity and storytelling sources, Katzenberg underlined, “I believe imagination will continue to be the driving force.” While access to vast knowledge resources is crucial, it is the ability to channel and translate that information creatively that yields impactful outcomes. Thus, inspiration is poised to evolve into a pivotal creative asset across various storytelling dimensions.
