Amazon Invests In AI-Streaming Platform Showrunner

Amazon has invested an undisclosed amount in Fable Studio’s AI-powered streaming service, Showrunner, which allows people to generate their own shows or remix licensed content to make their own episodes.

The Big Picture: There’s a heated debate over how AI-generated movies and shows will (or should be allowed to) revolutionize the entertainment industry, with issues like copyright protection, content personalization, and general quality leading the conversation. Showrunner is hoping to sidestep all of that by positioning AI-content not as a replacement for traditional film and TV, but as an entirely separate medium — one that’s more akin to video games.

Behind the Scenes: After an extensive alpha test with 10,000 users, Showrunner is launching for all audiences starting today.

Here’s how it works:

• Subscribers pay $10 to $40 per month for credits that allow them to generate their own animated shows (live action is hard) via text prompts. Showrunner uses Fable’s proprietary AI model, “SHOW-2.”
• They can also remix existing IP that Fable has licensed, like making a new episode or adding a scene to an actual episode (with plenty of safety guardrails). On top of license fees, IP holders will also get a cut of whatever users pay to play with their content.
• When making a show, users can also insert customizable avatars of themselves into the content — which has already proven a hit with test users.
• Creators of “original content” could also get around 40% of the revenue from users who spend tokens to build on top of their shows, potentially making shows go viral.
• Showrunner is also making shows in-house, with two available at launch — Silicon Valley-satire Exit Valley and Ikea-set romcom Everything Is Fine.

Final Prompt: Fable CEO Edward Saatchi, who co-founded the Emmy-winning Oculus Story Studio, hopes that Showrunner can stand at the intersection of a new AI-powered creator economy and traditional Hollywood marketing. People can make money off of their creations or simply play with IP they love after watching a movie or show — the kind of marketing that studios are already chasing with Fortnite and Roblox partnerships. Speaking of which, Showrunner has already signed up one studio and is in talks with Disney.

Prediction: While AI-generated shows may never reach the cultural heights of Hollywood, the ability to remix Hollywood IP in creative ways may soon be the ultimate sign of fandom.