Hollywood is bracing for a potential disruption as ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, faces criticism over its new AI video generator, Seedance 2.0. The tool, currently available only in China, allows users to generate high-quality AI videos from text prompts and has drawn condemnation from the Motion Picture Association, which alleges copyright violations. In other news, Amazon's Ring has ended its partnership with police surveillance tech company Flock Safety following public backlash, and coffee lovers are rethinking their daily routines due to rising prices. Additionally, the documentary world mourns the loss of filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, who died at 96.
Seedance 2.0, developed by ByteDance, has sparked concerns within the movie and television industry. The Motion Picture Association stated that the tool has engaged in unauthorized use of U.S. copyrighted works on a massive scale, according to Fortune. The association argues that by launching a service without adequate safeguards against infringement, ByteDance is disregarding copyright laws. A Hollywood screenwriter, whose name was not mentioned in the source material, warned that the tool could signal the end for the industry.
Meanwhile, Amazon's Ring decided to terminate its partnership with Flock Safety. The decision followed a negative reaction to a Super Bowl ad featuring a lost dog found through a network of cameras. While the ad didn't directly involve Flock, it fueled fears of a surveillance society. Ring and Flock had previously announced plans to allow Ring camera owners to share video footage with law enforcement through the Community Requests feature. However, following a review, the partnership was ended, according to Fortune.
Consumers are also adjusting their habits due to rising costs. Coffee prices in the U.S. were up 18.3% in January compared to the previous year, according to the latest Consumer Price Index released on Friday, as reported by Fortune. Chandra Donelson, a 35-year-old from Washington, D.C., gave up her daily coffee routine due to the price increases. "I did that daily for years. I loved it. That was just my routine," she said.
In other news, the documentary world is mourning the loss of Frederick Wiseman, who died at 96. Wiseman created roughly 50 documentaries that captured the "weirdness and wonder of everyday life," according to NPR News. He chronicled the inner workings of everyday institutions.
Finally, the ultrawealthy continue to employ strategies to reduce taxes and ensure the smooth transfer of wealth to future generations. Estate planning attorney Mark Bosler told Fortune that the wealthy utilize a different playbook than the average person, often involving trusts and strategic planning over decades.
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