David Vendrell

Stories

Author Neal Stephenson and Wētā Workshop create a worldbuilding project

Neal Stephenson’s Lamina1 metaverse platform is teaming up with Oscar-winning VFX house Wētā Workshop on the “participatory worldbuilding” project called Artefacts. The Big Picture: Social gaming is more popular than ever, thanks to platforms like Fortnite, Roblox, and Minecraft. While those are more kid-centered for the time being, a similar project aimed at adults could be a game-changer. Between The […]

August 27, 2024

1 min Read

Stories

OpenAI warns users they could fall in love with ChatGPT’s voice mode

The Future. The ability to talk with ChatGPT in a humanlike voice, a feature released last month, comes with a big risk factor, according to the company — the possibility of developing an unhealthy emotional connection to the system. Considering that some users are hosting group chats or even dating chatbots via Character.AI and Replika, […]

August 16, 2024

1 min Read

Entertainment

4DX screenings soar in popularity thanks to Twisters

The Future. 4DX screenings — the immersive cinema format that utilizes 20 off-screen special effects to make audiences feel like they’re in the movie — had its two best weekends ever this summer with the releases of Twisters and Deadpool & Wolverine. If audiences continue to be drawn to the format, it’s possible that some […]

August 16, 2024

1 min Read

Stories

Apple opens up tap-to-pay chip to third-party developers

The Future. One of the most-used features on the iPhone these days is the NFC chip — the technology that allows users to make contactless payments with Apple Pay. Now, that tech will be open to third-party developers, who can retrofit its use for any contactless applications. Expect there to be a new app gold […]

August 15, 2024

1 min Read

Entertainment

SAG-AFTRA signs off on AI voice deal with Narrativ

The Future. SAG-AFTRA approved a deal with AI startup Narrativ that will allow union actors to license their voices to commercial projects in an ethical way. Not every actor will be comfortable with their voice being cloned for gigs (they’ll stick with the recording booth), but at least this ensures that they’re protected if AI […]

August 15, 2024

1 min Read

Music

Music catalogs create a legacy industry

The Future. The last few years have seen a wave of top artists selling stakes in their music catalogs for major windfalls. The investments have become a significant asset class for labels and PE firms. As the gold rush continues, some innovative companies may look to offer their own version of an ETF in individual […]

August 13, 2024

1 min Read

Entertainment

The Olympics are the NCAA All-Star Games

The Future. In the aftermath of the 2021 ruling that college athletes could monetize their name, image, and likeness, more and more athletes are competing at both the Olympics and NCAA tournaments — an either/or choice in previous years. As the spotlight on top athletes brings them celebrity acclaim, watch for universities to market their […]

August 13, 2024

1 min Read

Entertainment

MrBeast’s Amazon game show influenced some hard truths

The Future. Amazon was hoping for big things when it signed a $100 million deal with MrBeast (Jimmy Donaldson) to bring his $5 million-prize Beast Games competition series to Prime Video… but reports of a chaotic production and mistreatment of contestants have put the whole experiment under the wrong kind of spotlight. If Amazon is […]

August 12, 2024

1 min Read

Entertainment

NBCUniversal’s takeaways from the Paris Olympics

The Future. The Paris Olympics was the best guinea pig NBCUniversal could’ve asked for in the run-up to the Los Angeles Games, giving the Olympics broadcasters ample data on what audiences loved about the revamped coverage of the Games. Considering the love for this year’s entertainment and celebrity factors, don’t be surprised if NBCU taps […]

August 12, 2024

1 min Read

Media

TikTok puts a “Spotlight” on user-generated film marketing

The Future. In an effort to reach young audiences, movie studios want to start collabing with digital creators… so TikTok is launching a new promotional tool, “Spotlight,” to help bridge the gap. As Spotlight helps movie marketers spot growing trends on the platform, it could become a crucial tool in determining when and where marketing […]

August 9, 2024

1 min Read