HAND's Monthly Newsletter | May 2024
HAND (Human & Digital)
AI powered Talent Identity Automation & Business Intelligence in Cultural Industries (Sports, Entertainment & beyond)
Welcome to our May newsletter!
In the May edition of our newsletter, we're excited to share new insights and exclusive interviews from our participation at the annual NAB conference in April. Additionally, we're proud to announce our new membership with the Digital Production Partnership (DPP).
This month, we're looking forward to our team's attendance at the EIDR Annual Participant Meeting (LA), the HITS Conference (LA), and the DPP's Media Supply Festival (NYC). In this newsletter, we will also delve into the latest news and discourse regarding deepfakes and AI, illuminating their significance in Media and Entertainment.
TBW Advisors: HAND CEO Will Kreth speaks on Notable Talent
TBW Advisors interviewed Will Kreth at NAB Show 2024, where he discussed the concept of identity intelligence in a world increasingly impacted by deepfakes. He also elaborated on HAND's role in labeling and tracking notable talent, serving as an interoperable talent ID standard.
HAND (Human & Digital) complements technology designed to detect unlicensed and fraudulent content in the media ecosystem.
IABM TV: In Conversation with HAND (Human & Digital)
In an interview conducted by Darren Whitehead at IABM, Will Kreth elaborated on HAND's Talent ID registry.
The discussion highlights HAND's ability to detect unauthorized likenesses, execute responses, and provide post-subscription support to customers. Kreth also addressed how organizations can customize tracking relevant likenesses and replicas.
NAB 2024: HAND CEO Talks AI and Automation
Will Kreth shared his thoughts on tracking and identifying digital talent and embracing AI in the supply chain with the IBC team.
HAND is the Digital Production Partnership's Newest Member
With 500+ member companies, the Digital Production Partnership (DPP) is the international association for media and technology.
As the network curated by media industry experts for industry experts, HAND (Human & Digital) is proud to be its newest member.
HAND featured in the DPP's Demand vs Supply Report
HAND was mentioned in the Demand vs Supply series written by David Thompson, Technology Strategist at the DPP.?
HITS Spring 2024
HAND (Human & Digital) is attending HITS Spring 2024 on May 22 in Los Angeles.
This year’s HITS conference will again address AI, but through the lens of the global entertainment supply chain. It will also intersect with the Entertainment Evolution Symposium (EES) and Women in Technology: Hollywood.
Media Supply Festival 2024
The Media Supply Festival gathers content companies, cloud providers, integrators, and startups to explore the landscape of content preparation and delivery.
HAND (Human & Digital) will be in attendance May 30 to 31 in New York.
领英推荐
Battling Deepfakes in Hollywood
As AI technology matures, talent agencies are cautious of the rise in deepfakes, which pose a threat to celebrities' brand integrity through the manipulation of content.
To address this pressing concern, talent agency WME has partnered with Loti, which specializes in flagging unauthorized content featuring talent likenesses, and issues takedown requests to platforms. By leveraging AI, agencies such as WME aim to protect Hollywood talent from misleading and damaging deepfake content.
This trend underscores the evolving landscape of AI and its inherent risks to the media and entertainment industry.
FKA Twigs Addresses Congress on AI and Deepfake Concerns
FKA Twigs recently testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Intellectual Property, addressing the risks associated with AI. She has even developed a deepfake version of herself, intending to manage her online social media interactions.
She expressed that AI can be valuable when controlled by artists but cautioned against its misuse without proper consent, urging lawmakers to enact legislation to regulate deepfake technology.
The Deepfake Dilemma in Music
The emergence of AI-generated music is wrecking havoc among fanbases. Alleged tracks attributed to Taylor Swift and Drake have incited passionate reactions, with neither artist having verified their legitimacy. This has sparked debates among fans, blurring the boundary between the genuine work of artists and illegitimate AI creations.
The music industry is currently grappling with the ramifications of AI and deepfake technology, prompting artists like Frank Ocean and Beyoncé to adopt stringent secrecy measures around their work. Exploitative practices have emerged, with others selling AI-generated songs to superfans. As AI-generated content becomes more accessible, the industry confronts ethical and legal dilemmas, striving to uphold artists' authenticity and rights.
Microsoft Unveils VASA-1
Earlier this month, Microsoft unveiled VASA-1, an AI model that is able to create synchronized animated videos of an individual speaking or singing using a single photo and an existing audio track.
Unlike traditional voice cloning techniques, VASA-1 leverages the actual audio input associated with the individual. By analyzing static images alongside speech audio clips, VASA-1 generates realistic videos complete with precise facial expressions, head movements, and lip-syncing.
In the wake of VASA-1, HAND's talent ID framework upholds authenticity, verification and provenance for AI-generated content. By ensuring that virtual representations of talent are both genuine and legally licensed, HAND plays a pivotal role in mitigating the proliferation of deepfakes.?
The evolution of real-time virtual reproductions represents a longstanding trend in AI, progressively improving both in speed and accessibility for creators. In the future, VASA-1 and similar technologies could usher in virtual avatars that render locally, and eliminate the necessity for video feeds. They may also empower individuals to capture online images of people and manipulate them to convey any message. Amid these advancements, the imperatives of provenance, authenticity, and verification remain at the forefront, reinforcing the need for trust and integrity in content creation.
EIDR Annual Participant Meeting
Gabriel Berger, Senior Advisor & Growth Officer at HAND, is scheduled to speak May 7 at the 2024 EIDR Annual Participant Meeting at Sony Studios in Culver City, CA.
HAND, much like the Entertainment Identifier Registry (EIDR), functions as an interoperable ID registry agency, supporting the standardized identification of media objects across the supply chain.
Learn how EIDR is collaborating with the HAND team to ensure interoperability and seamless identity management across diverse platforms, and join us as we navigate the evolving landscape of identity in the digital age, exploring innovative approaches to harmonize human and digital identifiers.
Interested in HAND?
HAND (Human & Digital) is actively seeking new commercial partnerships and investors.
We'd love to hear from you — reach out to us at [email protected].
For more information or to demo HAND's Talent ID solution, please contact [email protected].
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