Tyler Perry has halted an $800 million expansion of his studio after being shocked by the release of OpenAI’s video generator Sora and the threat it brings to jobs in the film industry.
Over the past four years, producer Perry had been planning to expand his studio complex in Atlanta, Georgia, and add 12 new soundstages to the 330-acre property.
However, the film mogul says he has paused his plans indefinitely because of the rapid developments he has witnessed in the realm of AI technology — most notably OpenAI’s text-to-video model Sora which launched on February 15.
The tool and its terrifying cinematic capabilities caused widespread astonishment among the researchers and video creators who got access to it.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter on Thursday, Perry says he too was left stunned by Sora’s cinematic video outputs and paused his studio expansion as a result.
“All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I’m seeing,” Perry tells The Hollywood Reporter.
“I had gotten word over the last year or so that this was coming, but I had no idea until I saw recently the demonstrations of what it’s able to do. It’s shocking to me.”
‘I Just Don’t See How We Survive’
Perry clarified that he’s not against AI technology, saying that he had used it in two of his upcoming films, choosing to age himself in post-production instead of in a makeup chair.
The producer said there is a way that AI could assist in filmmaking, allowing him to create sets with text instead of by traveling. However, he said he fears for the jobs that could be lost to the technology
“It makes me worry so much about all of the people in the business,” Perry tells The Hollywood Reporter.
“Because as I was looking at it, I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this, including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors, and looking at this, I’m thinking this will touch every corner of our industry.”
Perry believes that there is an urgent need for the film industry to come together and get ahead of AI’s potential impact.
“There’s got to be some sort of regulations in order to protect us,” Perry says.
“If not, I just don’t see how we survive.”
Image credits: Header photo licensed via Depositphotos.