Happy Monday, y’all 👋. I hope the week is off to a strong start and you are settling in.

Today’s deep dive examines Inside Hollywood’s AI Freak-Out, Featuring Darren Aronofsky, Natasha Lyonne, Tilly Norwood, and a Lot of Nervous Anonymous Sources, a clear portrait of an industry trying to reconcile its creative identity with fast moving advances in generative AI.

It is a story about power, economics and the psychology of change. It also sets the context for many of the shifts playing out across tech, culture and media this week.

Let’s get into it.

Driving the news: Hollywood spent the past year debating generative AI in broad terms. Now the industry is confronting it directly. Inside Hollywood’s AI Freak-Out, Featuring Darren Aronofsky, Natasha Lyonne, Tilly Norwood, and a Lot of Nervous Anonymous Sources by Tom Dotan captures that moment. The piece centers on a dinner at Timur Bekmambetov’s Los Feliz home where filmmakers, actors and technologists gathered to talk through what AI means for their future. It is a snapshot of a creative ecosystem under pressure and recalibrating in real time, with Dotan reporting for Vanity Fair. Link

The stakes: Hollywood has adapted to new formats for a century, but generative AI challenges the foundations of authorship, labor and ownership. Studios are under pressure to reduce costs while maintaining output. Talent wants clarity, protection and a sense of creative control. These interests do not align and the distance between artistic intent and economic pressure is widening.

• This moment matters because Hollywood shapes how society interprets creative work. The decisions made here will influence how other industries respond to similar tensions.

The friction: Dotan’s reporting reflects a clear divide. Optimists in the room see AI as a tool that reduces production friction and expands creative possibility. They focus on speed, efficiency and the ability to experiment with new approaches to filmmaking.

• Skeptics are concerned about erosion. They question the emotional quality of AI generated performances, worry about derivative output and fear the long term impact on actors whose likeness can be replicated without consent. Their concerns focus on authenticity and the preservation of human craft.

• These opposing views coexist while studios publicly limit AI usage and privately explore its potential. Executives avoid commenting directly. Unions negotiate protections. The industry is balancing what it communicates and what it is preparing to implement.

What this unlocks: A hybrid model is becoming the most realistic path forward. AI will handle technical lift in pre production and post production while human talent remains central to creative direction and storytelling. The middle of the production pipeline is where most of the transformation will occur.

• This shift introduces new dynamics. Smaller teams may produce higher quality work. Development cycles may speed up. New formats may emerge that take advantage of AI assisted workflows. The advantage will favor those who integrate the technology with clarity and responsibility.

The bigger picture: Hollywood’s debate mirrors the broader pattern of AI adoption across industries. The tension between efficiency, identity and trust is consistent whether the work involves filmmaking, publishing, design or software. Creative industries simply show the pressure more vividly.

Bottom line: AI is no longer a distant influence on Hollywood. It is already shaping decisions. The leaders will be the ones who adopt the technology without compromising the creative foundations that define the industry.

For everything else, see below 👇:

AI

1. When AIs Become Consumers (John Maeda for Fast Company) - Link

2. AI Ignites the Return of Bezos the Inventor (Tim Higgins for The Wall Street Journal) - Link

3. Who Is AI Nostalgia Slop Even For?(James Vincent for The Verge) - Link

Entertainment

4. ‘Wicked For Good’ Global Opening Weekend Fourth Biggest 2025 (Rebecca Rubin for Variety) - Link

Creators

5. Beehiiv’s CEO Isn’t Worried About Newsletter Saturation (Jordan Crook for TechCrunch) - Link

6. How TikTok, Micro-dramas, And Distracted Viewers Are Reshaping TV (Noel King and Kelli Wessinger for Vox) - Link

7. Make-A-Wish, Content Creators & Influencers on TikTok (Annie Lowrey for Fast Company) - Link

Culture

8. Celebrities Are Making Smoking Cigarettes Cool Again (Laura Cooper and Terell Wright for The Wall Street Journal) - Link

9. Friendslop Is The Biggest Gaming Trend of 2025 (Harper Jay MacIntyre for Inverse) - Link

Economy

10. Americans Are On a Year End Shopping Spree (By Suzanne Kapner and Sarah Nassauer for The Wall Street Journal) - Link

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