Adobe Developing ‘IP-Safe’ AI Models for Entertainment Industry
ElevenLabs launches AI music album with Liza Minnelli and Art Garfunkel
AI audio firm ElevenLabs has unveiled The Eleven Album, a collection it says was “co-created” by human artists and its AI composition model. Among the contributors are Liza Minnelli and Art Garfunkel, who worked with the company’s Eleven Music system to generate and refine new tracks. ElevenLabs claims the technology can produce full compositions from short text prompts, with artists able to tweak lyrics, timing, and instrumentation, and download up to six studio-quality stems for mixing. The company says the tool is designed to “spark new ideas and speed up creative workflows” while keeping artists in control of their material. Both Minnelli and Garfunkel are part of ElevenLabs Voice Marketplace, which licenses celebrity voices for brand collaborations and media projects. According to the firm, musicians retain full authorship and commercial rights, with streaming revenue from The Eleven Album routed directly to each artist.
AMC Networks Relaunches Sundance Now as Indie Streaming Hub
AMC Networks has retooled Sundance Now into a boutique streaming service for independent film, ditching algorithms for handpicked selections that evoke the vibe of a neighborhood arthouse. The rebooted platform rolls out with 1,000-plus hours of content, spanning fresh theatricals, festival standouts, and a deep vault of drama, docs, and genre fare chosen by film experts, not data-driven suggestions. Titles will flow directly from cinemas, festival premieres, and exclusive Sundance-tied packages, with monthly new-release drops including Violent Ends, 100 Nights of Hero, The Plague, Forbidden Fruits, and Over Your Dead Body. Weekly Featured Movie Nights kick off every Friday, spotlighting culturally timely picks, while rotating festival collections highlight winners and buzz titles from Sundance, TIFF, Venice, and Berlin.
AMC exec Courtney Thomasma calls it a destination for “passionate communities…“Sundance Now will be a home for both filmmakers and film enthusiasts, promoting access and discovery through curation,” she said.
Adobe Developing ‘IP-Safe’ AI Models for Entertainment Industry
Adobe is developing generative AI models designed to be “IP-safe” for entertainment workflows, partnering with directors, talent agencies, and art schools to bolster its Firefly suite. The company announced at this year’s Sundance Film Festival that it is collaborating with studios and agencies on private Firefly Foundry “omni models.” These tools generate assets like audio-reactive videos and 3D graphics for seamless integration into Premiere Pro and other Adobe products. Unlike many market rivals trained on internet-scraped data, Foundry models are customized for business clients and use only IP to which users hold rights, addressing widespread copyright concerns among artists and creatives.
“These accelerate creativity without compromising ownership or intent,” Adobe execs said.
Comic-Con Ban AI-Generated Works After Creative Backlash
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association reversed its Nebula Awards policy this month to prohibit all large language model-generated work following member protests over rules that initially permitted partial AI use with disclosure. San Diego Comic-Con also updated its art show guidelines to bar AI-generated material entirely after artist complaints about prior allowances. Bandcamp joined the push, banning generative AI music from its platform amid broader mobilization by creative communities.
Streaming Hits Record Share of U.S. TV Viewership
Streaming TV captured 47.5% of total U.S. television usage in December 2025, up 3 percentage points from the prior month, according to Nielsen figures. Netflix drove much of the growth with a 10% viewership increase, claiming 9% of all TV time. The platform’s Christmas Day NFL doubleheader, featuring the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Commanders, Minnesota Vikings, and Detroit Lions, followed by the second volume of Stranger Things’ series finale, helped push streaming to over 55 billion minutes viewed that day alone, or 54% of TV usage, Nielsen’s largest single-day streaming share on record. YouTube led all streaming services at 12.7%, while Amazon Prime Video rose 12% to 4.3%, boosted by Thursday Night Football and new Fallout episodes. Broadcast TV held 21.4% and cable 20.2%.
Celebrities Back Campaign Against AI Trained on Copyrighted Work
Writers, actors, and musicians have rallied behind the Human Artistry Campaign’s “Stealing Isn’t Innovation” drive, which demands licensing and opt-out options for human-created works used in generative AI training. The effort, launching Thursday, targets tech companies for building AI tools on copyrighted material without permission. Supporters include Scarlett Johansson, Cate Blanchett, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Fran Drescher, Jennifer Hudson, Kristen Bell, Sean Astin, and Vince Gilligan. Musicians such as Cyndi Lauper, LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Questlove, and groups including MGMT, OneRepublic, R.E.M., and OK Go have signed on, along with authors George Saunders, Jodi Picoult, Roxane Gay, and Jonathan Franzen. The campaign draws from unions like the Writers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, and the Recording Industry Association of America, plus artists’ rights groups and the NFL Players Association.
Social Video Surge Cuts Into TV and Movie Time
Social media and creator video platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram are reshaping viewer habits and eroding traditional TV and movie consumption, a new Hub Entertainment Research report shows. Weekly TV and movie viewing dropped from 21 hours to 19 hours since 2022, while social and creator video held steady at 11 hours. YouTube has topped Nielsen TV charts since 2024 as creators land lucrative studio deals often exceeding those of traditional producers. Social video appeals increasingly to viewers over 35, with more than half of Gen Z (13–34) enjoying short YouTube clips on TV as much as longer shows, compared to under 40% of those 35 and older. Yet over half of young viewers feel guilty about excessive social video time. Microdramas, 1–3 minute episodic stories, have gained traction, with 22% of viewers watching them for easy access and suspenseful plots. Still, platforms like TikTok and Instagram drive discovery of longer TV and movies, especially among those 13–34.
