Amazon-Backed AI Startup Fable Revives Lost Orson Welles Masterpiece with Cutting-Edge Tech

Amazon-Backed AI Startup Fable Recreates Orson Welles' Lost Footage with Unlicensed IP Fable, an Amazon-backed artificial intelligence startup, has announced plans to recreate the lost 43 minutes of Orson Welles' classic film "The Magnificent Ambersons" using its proprietary AI model. The project, which began on Friday, aims to digitally reconstruct Welles' original vision for the movie, but raises questions about intellectual property and the limits of AI-generated content. Fable's platform uses AI prompts to create cartoons, and the company has already used this technology to generate unauthorized episodes of "South Park." Now, filmmaker Brian Rose plans to use Fable's new AI model to recreate the lost footage from "Ambersons" over the next two years. However, it is unclear how Fable obtained access to Welles' original work, as the company has not secured the necessary rights. "We're using our platform to create a tech demo that showcases the capabilities of our AI model," said Fable's CEO in an interview. "We believe this project will demonstrate the potential for AI-generated content to revolutionize the film industry." The decision to recreate "Ambersons" may seem unusual, but it is part of Fable's broader ambition to offer its platform as a tool for creators to work with Hollywood IP. The company has already raised money from Amazon's Alexa Fund and sees itself as the Netflix of AI. Welles' original cut of "The Magnificent Ambersons" was released in 1942 but was heavily edited by RKO Pictures, resulting in the loss of 43 minutes of footage. Rose, who has spent five years working on a digital reconstruction of Welles' vision, is now using Fable's AI model to recreate this lost material. The implications of Fable's project are far-reaching and raise questions about ownership and control in the film industry. "This raises concerns about the use of IP without permission," said a spokesperson for the Writers Guild of America. "We need to be mindful of the rights of creators and ensure that their work is not being used without their consent." Fable's project will likely never be released to the general public due to its unlicensed nature, but it serves as a demonstration of the capabilities of AI-generated content. As the film industry continues to grapple with the implications of AI and automation, Fable's experiment highlights the potential for new forms of creative expression. The next development in this story will be the release of Fable's AI model, which is expected to be made available to creators in the coming months. This will allow developers to build upon the platform and explore its capabilities further. In conclusion, Fable's ambitious project to recreate "The Magnificent Ambersons" using AI-generated content raises important questions about ownership, control, and the limits of creative expression. As the film industry continues to evolve, it is clear that AI will play an increasingly prominent role in shaping the future of storytelling. *Reporting by Techcrunch.*