AMC Networks is openly supporting AI through a “partnership” with AI research company Runway. CEO Kristin Dolan backed up the decision in the corporation’s second-quarter earnings call on Friday, asking for it to be viewed as “a technology play” instead of endangering “the company’s IP or creative partners.” Dolan explained the AI partnership further, saying the collaboration is in line with “the company’s aim to put the best tools in the hands of our creatives.” President of Entertainment and AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, spoke about the network’s application of AI, stating that they “live clearly and cleanly within the parameters established by all the guilds.”
AI has been a contentious subject in the media industry over the last few years, gaining prominence during the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023 as it became a key point of conflict, with the prevailing view being that AI is “eliminating jobs” in the media and entertainment industry. Advocates refute this by saying, “It will be disruptive but ultimately will add job opportunities.” One proponent of AI is Netflix Co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who commented last month that “AI is making films and series ‘better, not just cheaper.’” On the other end, Disney and NBCUniversal have reportedly “sued AI Midjourney” alleging the firm of “unlawfully training its models on proprietary IP.”
During the call, Dolan was also asked if the partnership with Runway entails permitting the company to utilize “AMC Networks programming to train its models in exchange for use of its tool,” to which she answered, “Our teams are using Runway for visualization of ideas, whether it’s set design or, you know, interestingly, shots that we wouldn’t be necessarily be able to afford on our budgets.” She explained further that this relationship will center around helping to “facilitate our opportunities to expand our scope, ensure creative alignment… visualize more quickly…It’s not an integrated IP kind of play with any of our content or anything that we’ve created.”
McDermott labelled AMC Networks as an “early adopter” by utilizing AI, “to help [AMC Networks] ideate, come up with concepts, ideas, help our showrunners, visualize what they want to do, where they want to do it.” He praises generative AI, calling it “so good right now,” explaining, “it delivers 4K imagery priced at anywhere from 20% to 40% of what traditional VFX is.” McDermott does reiterate that AMC Networks is “committed to the principle that everything we do is the support of the people that make these great shows possible, and we’re literally just giving them tools that will enhance their ability to do the great work they do.”
