Field: Entertainment
Google’s AI can create a video game based on a napkin drawing
Named Genie, the AI can create a short video games from a single image. It could one day create a wide range of interactive environments.
How one streamer learned to play video games with only her mind
Perrikaryal uses an EEG to translate her brain activity into game commands, turning her mind into a video game controller.
OpenAI’s text-to-video AI, Sora, is futurism come to life
Sora will let anyone transform their ideas directly into video and the implications are breathtaking.
Google’s Lumiere has created a new paradigm for text-to-video AI
Google's new text-to-video model, Lumiere, promises a new architecture that will make video AI models more modern and powerful.
Disney’s new robot is a cartoon came to life
A highly expressive new Disney robot developed in a fraction of the time it usually takes could be the first of many expressive bots to come.
AI narrates 5,000 free audiobooks for Project Gutenberg
A new text-to-speech system developed by Microsoft and MIT was used to create nearly 5,000 audiobooks for Project Gutenberg.
New voice cloning AI lets “you” speak multiple languages
Voice cloning AIs are gaining more abilities, while the amount of audio needed to replicate a person’s voice is shrinking.
AI is now DJing radio stations
GPT-3, the OpenAI tech behind the hugely popular AI chatbot, ChatGPT, is now being used to automate radio DJing.
This $3,000 completely wireless TV vacuum seals to your wall
Home entertainment startup Displace has unveiled a completely wireless TV that vacuum seals to walls and is controlled by hand gestures.
Bruce Willis sells his likeness for a deepfake ad
Retired actor Bruce Willis had a "digital twin" made so that his likeness could be inserted into a new project using deepfake tech.
How do DALL-E, Midjourney, Stable Diffusion, and other forms of generative AI work?
DALL-E and other types of generative AI can produce images that look like photographs, paintings, or drawings that were created by humans.
People who read live longer than those who don’t, Yale researchers say
A study by Yale researchers finds that reading books in particular returns cognitive gains that increase longevity.
“Read 2,000 books”: Werner Herzog’s advice on reading
In the past, Werner Herzog has stated that you can't be a filmmaker without a regular reading habit, from Hemingway to Norse mythology.
Avatar 2: How much has CGI really improved since 2009?
Some critics say CGI has actually gotten worse. Here's why it's not so simple.
Kendrick Lamar deepfakes made by South Park creators’ studio
Rapper Kendrick Lamar harnesses the artistic power of deepfake technology in the new music video for his song “The Heart Part 5.”
Inside the luxury cabins taking tourists to space with a balloon
Space Perspective plans to use a massive space balloon to lift a luxury cabin containing space tourists high above the Earth.
Where’s my holographic TV?
Holographic TVs are the technology of the future and maybe always will be.
A space film studio is launching into orbit in 2024
A new space module designed for the recording and livestreaming of movies and sporting events is expected to attach to the ISS in 2024.
Disney creates “Virtual World Simulator” for its theme parks
Disney’s new “Virtual World Simulator” would let theme park visitors interact with 3D digital elements without the use of AR goggles.
William Shatner has boldly gone to space with Blue Origin
Star Trek actor William Shatner has gone to space as a passenger aboard Blue Origin’s second crewed flight — making him the oldest astronaut.
Science fiction doesn’t predict the future. It inspires it.
Jeff Bezos’ love of Star Trek inspired him to go to space. Here are a few other innovators to draw inspiration from science fiction.
Historic Blue Origin flight included four people — but no pilot
A Blue Origin flight on July 20 marked the first time a pilotless spacecraft has flown with a crew consisting solely of space tourists.
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Hard Reset
What will the Disneyland of the future look like?
VR theme park experiences are adding a new dimension to an industry that’s long relied on 20th-century technology.
Virgin flight shatters record for number of people in space at once
A Virgin Galactic flight that set a new record for number of people in space at one time may have kicked off the era of space tourism.
Virgin Galactic gets greenlight to fly space tourists
Virgin Galactic is the first spaceline to get the Federal Aviation Administration's approval to fly space tourists — a huge milestone in space tourism.
You can now buy a balloon ride to the edge of space
Space tourism company Space Perspective has begun selling tickets for rides in a stratospheric balloon that can reach the edge of space.
Discovery Channel is looking for wannabe astronauts
The winner of Discovery Channel’s new astronaut competition series, “Who Wants To Be an Astronaut?” will spend eight days aboard the ISS.
AI dubbing can make actors appear to speak any language
A new AI dubbing tech called TrueSync matches actors’ mouths with recorded dialogue to make watching a movie in an unknown language feel less jarring.
How will movie theaters survive post-pandemic?
Chicago musician Chance the Rapper is releasing his new concert film, “Magnificent Coloring World,” exclusively through AMC Theatres.
The future of ‘live’ is hybrid, real-time, and interactive
A new study reveals that audiences still plan to attend virtual events—and in-person live events with virtual features—in a post-vaccine world.
Tom Cruise deepfake is the work of a pro VFX artist
The Tom Cruise deepfake featured in a series of TikToks that went viral was created by a professional VFX artist.
Disney gives humanoid robot a “lifelike” gaze
To escape the uncanny valley, Disney created a humanoid robot that mimics the minor eye and head movements people make during interactions.
Deepfakes shine in South Park creators’ new show
The creators of South Park have released a web show, Sassy Justice, that makes use of incredibly realistic deepfakes.
This robot dolphin could free animals from captivity
This robot dolphin could replace the real ones forced to entertain people at marine park exhibits across the globe.
New VR movie lets you play god to a planet of AIs
In the new VR movie “Agence,” artificially intelligent characters respond to the actions of the viewer in unpredictable ways.
Storm chasers explore Hurricane Laura with new flight simulator
Virtual storm chasers are using Microsoft’s new flight simulator to explore Hurricane Laura as it moves across the U.S.
This haptic suit lets you 'hear' music through your skin
It’s been nearly impossible for the deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing to experience live music together. The use of a haptic suit may finally change that.
I went to the hottest online club in quarantine
Four extroverted friends looking to dance, drink, and be merry during quarantine created an online club where people from around the globe can come together to socialize and regain some normalcy.
Mind-blowing holograms are replacing circus animals
With pressure to eliminate circus animals, one show gets creative with holograms.
Freethink recognized with 11 Telly awards
This year, Freethink was honored to receive 11 Telly Awards for excellence and creativity in storytelling.
The algorithm playwright
Annie Dorsen allows algorithms to write her plays, and it challenges our fundamental understanding of art.
Improv for anxiety
In a judgement-free setting, improv requires the mind to focus on the present, providing natural anxiety relief for performers.
Freethink staff picks: Best of 2019
Fear of missing out on some of the year's most loved shows, books, and games? Here's a quick list of what the team at Freethink enjoyed most in 2019.
Freethink's favorite behind the scenes insights from 2019
Join Freethink's directors behind the scenes to discover the experiences and insights that went into creating some of our favorite videos from 2019.