AGBO Studios Hires Former Apple AI Expert to Lead AI Initiative in Filmmaking

Russo Bros.' Production Company Hires AI Expert to "Enrich Creative Process"

Meta Crushes Wall Street Earnings Estimates As It Ramps Up AI Spending AGBO, the production company run by Avengers directors Joe and Anthony Russo, is making a significant push into artificial intelligence, hiring Dr. Dominic Hughes to serve as its chief scientific officer. In his new role Hughes "will partner with AGBO's in-house storytelling and innovation teams to guide the development and deployment of AI technologies to enrich the creative process," the company says. Hughes is an expert in AI and machine learning, and previously served as the co-founder and chief scientist at the personalized audio news app Swell, which was acquired by Apple in 2014. At Apple he led the design and implementation of AI and language models for Apple News. He received his Ph.D from Oxford University and serves as a visiting scholar at UC Berkley. He joins AGBO at a moment when the entertainment industry writ large is grappling with the emergence of advanced generative AI technology. Visual effects and similar areas are already being disrupted by the tech, and the company suggests that Hughes will help it figure out where it can develop or utilize proprietary, third-party, or public AI tech. AGBO chief creative officer Angela Russo-Otstot says that with a company built around writers, directors and crew, it was "determined to ensure that new technologies are developed by the creative community. We are excited to work with Dr. Hughes to develop tools and processes that will enable our artists to be more precise, more streamlined, and even more creative." "The entertainment industry is evolving at breakneck speed, and we have never felt more energized by the possibilities," said AGBO co-chairs and partners Anthony and Joe Russo. "At AGBO, we are relentlessly focused on a creative-led approach to technology and innovation. Working in tandem with our writers, directors, crew members, and technologists, Dr. Hughes will help us imagine new ways to empower artists to tell their boldest and most ambitious stories." "This is an exciting time to partner with creative visionaries to develop the next generation of filmmaking technology," adds Hughes. "AGBO's longstanding approach of adopting and adapting technologically advanced filmmaking techniques positions them well for this era of discovery. I look forward to working with their broad array of creatives to develop artist-led AI-enabled solutions that will help shape the future of storytelling."

Russo Brothers' Studio Taps Former Apple Executive to Lead AI Initiative - Decrypt

Everything Everywhere All At Once film producer AGBO Studios has hired AI veteran Dominic Hughes as its newly created chief scientific officer, the production company said on Thursday. Hughes will now work with AGBO's in-house teams to develop its AI capabilities to "enrich the creative process," the company said. AGBO was founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, the brothers who directed some of the highest-grossing films in Hollywood's history and are considered legends in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, especially for Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. "At AGBO, we are relentlessly focused on a creative-led approach to technology and innovation," the Russo Brothers said in a statement. "Working in tandem with our writers, directors, crew members, and technologists, Dr. Hughes will help us imagine new ways to empower artists to tell their boldest and most ambitious stories." Before joining AGBO, Hughes, who holds a Ph.D. from Oxford and is an expert in algorithms, machine learning, and AI, led Apple News after Swell, an audio news app he co-founded, was acquired by the technology giant in 2014. "This is an exciting time to partner with creative visionaries to develop the next generation of filmmaking technology," Hughes said. "AGBO's long-standing approach of adopting and adapting technologically advanced filmmaking techniques positions them well for this era of discovery." Hughes' appointment comes amid growing industry debate over AI's role in Hollywood. Writers Guild of America (WGA) union members, for instance, view Hollywood's embrace of AI with caution following a 2023 strike where the technology -- which some fear could replace writers in the future -- played a central role. "There is clear language in the contract to keep some of this stuff from happening," WGA member and screenwriter Jamarcus Turner told Decrypt. "But there is nothing prohibiting the studying of these technologies." Turner, who previously wrote for CBS's "Bob Hearts Abishola" and served as a captain during the strikes, believes studios are preparing for the next time negotiations between the Writers' Union and Hollywood studios come. "If I had to guess, all the studios will continue their research until the next contract," he said. "They're setting the table to be at the forefront of this pretty ugly practice once it's allowed in the future."