Tyler Perry said that an around $800 million expansion of his studio is "indefinitely on hold" due to the possibilities offered by artificial intelligence‚ according to the Hollywood Reporter.OpenAI's Sora model produces videos based on text prompts‚ and while this type of capability will likely revolutionize the content creation industry‚ opening a world of possibilities and cost savings‚ it will also likely lead to some people losing their jobs. "I have been watching AI very closely and watching the advancements very closely. I was in the middle of‚ and have been planning for the last four years‚ about an $800 million expansion at the studio‚ which would've increased the backlot a tremendous size‚ we were adding 12 more soundstages. All of that is currently and indefinitely on hold because of Sora and what I'm seeing. I had gotten word over the last year or so that this was coming‚ but I had no idea until I saw recently the demonstrations of what it's able to do. It's shocking to me‚" Perry said‚ according to the Hollywood Reporter."I think of all of the construction workers and contractors who are not going to be employed because I'm not doing this next phase of the studio because there is no need to do it‚" he said.Perry noted that AI could enable him to avoid traveling to film at locations because a text prompt can be used to generate a desired scene."I no longer would have to travel to locations. If I wanted to be in the snow in Colorado‚ it's text. If I wanted to write a scene on the moon‚ it's text‚ and this AI can generate it like nothing. If I wanted to have two people in the living room in the mountains‚ I don't have to build a set in the mountains‚ I don't have to put a set on my lot. I can sit in an office and do this with a computer‚ which is shocking to me‚" he noted."It makes me worry so much about all of the people in the business. Because as I was looking at it‚ I immediately started thinking of everyone in the industry who would be affected by this‚ including actors and grip and electric and transportation and sound and editors‚ and looking at this‚ I'm thinking this will touch every corner of our industry‚" Perry said‚ according to the outlet.Sora has not yet been rolled out to the general public. "Sora is becoming available to red teamers to assess critical areas for harms or risks. We are also granting access to a number of visual artists‚ designers‚ and filmmakers to gain feedback on how to advance the model to be most helpful for creative professionals‚" OpenAI notes on its website.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

A former Nebraska prison guard convicted of sexual assault of an inmate imprisoned for murder and having his baby avoided jail time. Samantha Cedillo‚ 31 at the time of the accusation in March‚ was charged in 2023 with first-degree sexual assault of an inmate — which is punishable by up to 20 years in prison.Cedillo pleaded no contest and was sentenced to probation on the amended charge of attempt of a class 2A felony.However‚ Cedillo was spared jail time when District Court Judge LeAnne Srb sentenced her to three years of probation. Cedillo is prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm and ordered to maintain employment‚ abstain from drugs and alcohol‚ attend a women’s trauma group‚ and participate in a parenting program. Cedillo must also register as a sex offender.If Cedillo completes her probation‚ she is eligible to have the conviction dropped. “This is a disturbing case‚” Srb told Cedillo. “What happened here should not have happened.”Her attorney‚ James McGough‚ said‚ "One of the issues created with trauma she has experienced in her past‚ it changes someone and has ripple effects. A struggle to create clear lines and boundaries."Cedillo worked at the Omaha Correctional Center as a nonclinical program manager starting in June 2021.Prison staff members allegedly suspected Cedillo of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 47-year-old man serving a life sentence for murder. The convicted murderer worked as a library clerk at the prison but was removed after the allegations. However‚ the pair reportedly continued to have close relations‚ including inside Cedillo's office. The Omaha World-Herald reported‚ "In March 2022‚ Cedillo was seen on surveillance taking off her radio belt while the inmate was in her office and they moved behind the door and out of the camera’s view. When another officer came into the library‚ Cedillo was seen hurrying back to her chair with an untucked shirt and messy hair‚ according to reports."When asked to write a report regarding the alleged incident‚ Cedillo responded by resigning. Law enforcement investigators later discovered a baby registry that Cedillo had created. The baby's alleged due date was mid-December — nine months after the March incident. Cedillo and the inmate allegedly continued to communicate through text messages via an illegal cell phone the murderer had in his possession. Authorities said the baby's DNA matched the inmate's. According to Nebraska law‚ it is a felony for any employee or contractor within a state prison‚ city‚ or county jail to subject an inmate or parolee to sexual contact‚ regardless of consent.Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has urged Jonathan Kanter‚ assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Antitrust Division‚ to seek to put the kibosh on the planned acquisition of Discover by Capital One."This is destructive corporate consolidation at its starkest. If consummated‚ this merger will create a new juggernaut in the credit card market‚ with unprecedented powers to extort American consumers‚" Hawley declared in a letter to Kanter."You‚ in partnership with other regulators‚ must take the lead in blocking this merger. No doubt a legion of proxies and allies for the financial industry will soon emerge‚ claiming that this proposed deal will benefit consumers. That is doubtful. If the last several decades of American political economy indicate anything at all‚ it's that the supposed benefits of monopoly never trickle down to the public at large. Instead‚ consolidation redounds to the benefit of shareholders and a handful of top executives—not ordinary Americans‚" the senator wrote.Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts has also called for killing the acquisition."The merger of @CapitalOne and @Discover threatens our financial stability‚ reduces competition‚ and would increase fees and credit costs for American families. This Wall street deal is dangerous and will harm working people. Regulators must block it immediately‚" Warren declared in a post on X.A press release about the deal notes that‚ "Under the terms of the agreement‚ Discover shareholders will receive 1.0192 Capital One shares for each Discover share‚ representing a premium of 26.6% based on Discover's closing price of $110.49 on February 16‚ 2024." Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

Harry Sisson Stunned That Michael Knowles Went on a Homophobic Rant at CPAC

Former Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii warned at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Thursday that American democracy is facing an existential threat‚ reported The Washington Examiner.

Reps. Mike Gallagher‚ R-Wis.‚ and Raja Krishnamoorthi‚ D-Ill.‚ the chair and ranking member‚ respectively‚ of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party reaffirmed Thursday there is bipartisan support in Congress for Taiwan and its democracy.

CBS seized the confidential files‚ personal items‚ and laptop of investigative reporter Catherine Herridge‚ who was investigating the Hunter Biden laptop scandal when she became one of hundreds laid off last week‚ the New York Post reported Thursday.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)‚ working together with Kansas State University‚ has announced the discovery of slab waveguides made from the two-dimensional material hexagonal...

U.S. Navy officials report that a chief petty officer serving on a guided-missile destroyer has been charged with espionage and communicating defense information to a foreign citizen.The “charge sheet”…

Actor Sylvester Stallone will be moving to Florida after decades of living in California with his wife‚ Jennifer Flavin Stallone. The pair made the announcement during the second season premiere of their…