TL;DR
In 2025 the film and TV industry leaned hard into generative AI, but the most hyped uses — notably text-to-video models — failed to produce clear creative or practical wins. Major studios sued AI companies over training on copyrighted material even as some studios opted to partner with those same firms.
What happened
AI technologies have long been present in film and television post-production, performing tasks such as actor de‑aging and green‑screen cleanup that once required painstaking manual labor. In 2025 the industry shifted toward broader adoption of newer generative AI systems — particularly text-to-video tools — despite those models frequently producing low‑quality outputs that don’t fit established production workflows. The year also saw legal pushback: several big studios alleged that video generation models were trained on copyrighted works and filed suits against AI companies. Rather than universally opposing the technology, some of Hollywood’s major players chose to collaborate with AI vendors, entering commercial relationships even as litigation proceeded. By year’s end, despite heavy investment and publicity, no generative‑AI project had demonstrated a clear, widely accepted use case that justified the attention it received.
Why it matters
- Generative AI adoption could reshape production labor, replacing or augmenting tasks historically done by human artists.
- Copyright litigation from major studios highlights unresolved legal risks around how generative models are trained.
- Partnerships between studios and AI firms indicate the industry is exploring commercial paths even amid controversy.
- So far, the technology has not produced a demonstrably useful or compelling text-to-video product for mainstream productions.
Key facts
- Hollywood has used AI in post-production for years for tasks like de‑aging actors and removing green screens.
- In 2025 the industry increased use of generative AI, including text-to-video models.
- Text-to-video outputs were frequently described as low quality and not well suited to traditional production workflows.
- Several major studios filed lawsuits alleging video models were trained on copyrighted material.
- Named studios that sued include Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
- Despite legal action, some major entertainment companies entered partnerships with AI firms.
- By the end of 2025, no gen‑AI project had clearly demonstrated why the hype was warranted.
What to watch next
- Whether projects emerging from studio–AI partnerships produce commercially or artistically useful results (not confirmed in the source).
- How the copyright lawsuits filed by major studios will be resolved and whether settlements or rulings change model training practices (not confirmed in the source).
- If text-to-video tools improve to the point that they can be integrated into standard production workflows (not confirmed in the source).
Quick glossary
- Generative AI: Algorithms that produce new content — such as images, video, or text — based on patterns learned from training data.
- Text-to-video: A type of generative model that attempts to create moving images from textual prompts.
- Post-production: The stage in filmmaking and TV production after principal photography, including editing, visual effects, and sound work.
- Training data: The dataset used to teach a machine learning model; can include text, images, audio, or video.
Reader FAQ
Did studios sue AI companies in 2025?
Yes. The source says several major studios filed lawsuits alleging models were trained on copyrighted material, and specifically names Disney, Universal, and Warner Bros. Discovery.
Has generative AI produced any clear hits for film or TV?
According to the source, no generative‑AI project in 2025 had demonstrated a clear case that justified the hype.
Are studios working with AI companies despite the lawsuits?
Yes. The source reports that some large entertainment companies entered partnerships with AI firms rather than pursuing only adversarial legal action.
Will generative AI replace human artists in post-production?
Not confirmed in the source.
AI ENTERTAINMENT REPORT Hollywood cozied up to AI in 2025 and had nothing good to show for it The technology dominated the entertainment discourse, but there’s yet to be a…
Sources
- Hollywood cozied up to AI in 2025 and had nothing good to show for it
- Hollywood's AI Hype Hit Reality in 2025. Next Year, It All …
- Grapple With the Future of Hollywood
- Can movie stardom survive the age of AI?
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