This week on Denoised, hosts Addy Ghani and Joey Daoud cover the latest wave of AI image generation updates from major players, examine why Hollywood productions are increasingly filming overseas, and explore how Roblox is bringing generative AI to 3D object creation. With multiple new releases competing for attention in the AI space and production economics shifting dramatically, there's plenty to unpack in this information-packed episode.

The AI Image Generation Race Intensifies

The past week has seen a flurry of activity in the AI image generation space, with multiple companies releasing significant updates to their models and capabilities. This acceleration highlights how quickly the technology is advancing and how competitive the field has become.

Reve Makes a Splash with Photorealistic Output

Joey kicked off the discussion by highlighting Reve, a new image generation model that emerged early in the week. Despite being a newcomer, Reve immediately impressed with:

• Highly accurate, photorealistic images from their own proprietary model

• Exceptional text handling capabilities, an area that has traditionally been challenging for AI image generators

• A preview beta that showcases the model's impressive output quality

Though details about Reve's training data remain undisclosed, the quality of its output puts it immediately in competition with established players. Addy noted that this represents another American company entering the increasingly crowded AI image generation market.

ChatGPT 4o Brings Powerful Image Generation to Mainstream Users

The biggest news of the week came when OpenAI announced a major image generation update to their ChatGPT 4o model during a livestream with CEO Sam Altman and developers.

This update represents a significant advancement because:

• It integrates high-quality image generation directly into the familiar chat interface

• Users can create and modify images through natural language without needing technical knowledge

• The system demonstrates impressive spatial understanding

Joey highlighted several examples that showcase the model's capabilities:

• One user uploaded a 3D model of a dragon and requested a wireframe overlay, which the AI accurately mapped, demonstrating its understanding of 3D spatial relationships in 2D images

• Users can easily modify rooms or spaces by uploading a photo and requesting specific changes

• The system can transform hand-drawn sketches into photorealistic images while maintaining the original composition

Addy noted this represents a significant shift in accessibility: "This is like really advanced control net stuff where you can guide the inference and you're doing it with just basic prompting." The integration eliminates the need for complex UIs or technical knowledge that previous systems required.

The model also includes important safeguards against creating deepfakes or manipulating images of real people, a crucial feature for responsible AI deployment.

Ideogram 3.0 Focuses on Design and Brand Applications

Completing the week's trilogy of major releases, Ideogram launched version 3.0 of their image generation model. Joey has been a fan of their previous versions, particularly for their text handling capabilities.

The new update focuses on:

• Enhanced style adherence across different images

• Expanded capabilities for creative brand graphics and design work

• Improved tools for logo creation and graphic design applications

Ideogram's interface continues to be a strength, offering users guided options beyond just text prompts, such as buttons to specify whether you're aiming for realistic images, animated styles, or graphic designs.

The Studio Ghibli Controversy

A side effect of ChatGPT's new image capabilities has been a flood of images created in the style of Studio Ghibli, sparked by Sam Altman changing his profile picture to a Ghibli-style AI-generated portrait of himself.

This trend has proven controversial because:

• Hayao Miyazaki, founder of Studio Ghibli, is a vocal opponent of AI in animation

• The style represents the work of countless animators and artists over decades

• Using a specific studio's distinctive style raises questions about appropriation and respect for creative work

Addy expressed concern about this trend: "Culturally, that's not a good move on his part because it's a distinct style. It's a middle finger to a lot of artists."

The hosts discussed how this type of style mimicry fuels criticism of AI as it appears to directly copy existing creative work rather than fostering original creation. They emphasized the importance of using AI as a tool within creative processes rather than simply replicating established styles.

Hollywood Production Economics: The Overseas Migration

The conversation shifted to the economics of film and TV production, sparked by a clip of actors Rob Lowe and Adam Scott discussing the financial realities of production locations on a podcast.

The Surprising Economics of International Production

Rob Lowe made a striking statement about his game show filming in Dublin, Ireland: "It's cheaper to bring in a hundred American people to Ireland than to walk across the lot to Fox and shoot in LA."

This economic reality has led to:

• Major productions moving to locations with attractive tax incentives

• Infrastructure development in these new production hubs

• A fundamental shift in how and where content is created

Adam Scott mentioned that if Parks and Recreation were made today, they'd likely shoot in Budapest rather than Los Angeles. The hosts discussed how even productions set in Los Angeles are now filming elsewhere - Joey mentioned Luckiest Man in America, a film set in 1980s LA that was entirely shot in Colombia, South America.

Tax Incentives Drive Production Migration

The primary driver behind this shift is tax incentives offered by locations eager to attract production:

• Ireland offers substantial tax credits (around 40%)

• Georgia has uncapped tax incentives

• California's incentives ($300 million, potentially increasing to $750 million) still can't compete

• Countries like Colombia are emerging as production destinations

These economic factors have led to infrastructure development in these regions. Addy mentioned how Trilith Studios in Atlanta (where many Marvel movies are shot) has built residential areas on their lot to accommodate talent during long productions.

The Changing Nature of Production and Celebrity

The discussion expanded to how these geographic shifts might reflect broader changes in entertainment:

• The traditional Hollywood system is being challenged by new production models

• Creator economy content requires smaller crews and different approaches

• YouTube creators like MrBeast and Michelle Khare produce high-quality content with much smaller teams

Addy connected this to the changing nature of celebrity: "The devaluation of production out of Hollywood... ties into the devaluation of celebrity status." He noted that content creators on platforms like YouTube and TikTok now command audiences comparable to traditional celebrities while using different production approaches.

Is Hollywood Dead?

The hosts referenced Seth Rogen's recent comments on Howard Stern's show, where he countered pessimism about Hollywood's future: "Hollywood's not dead. We're just one or two big hits away from changing everybody's opinions on this town."

Rogen compared current concerns to similar fears in the 1960s when the Western genre declined. This historical perspective suggests the industry may be in a transitional period rather than terminal decline.

Addy mentioned how entertainment tends to move in cycles, with genres rising and falling in popularity. The superhero movie era may be waning, but another genre will likely emerge to drive the next phase of Hollywood production.

Roblox Cube: Generative AI Enters the Metaverse

The final segment focused on Roblox's announcement of Roblox Cube, their new generative AI system for creating 3D objects.

Making 3D Creation More Accessible

Roblox Cube allows users to generate 3D objects within the Roblox platform through text prompts, significantly lowering barriers to creation:

• Users can describe objects they want rather than importing pre-made models

• The system generates objects that match Roblox's existing aesthetic

• It integrates directly into the platform's creation workflow

Addy highlighted the massive scale of this implementation: "I can't think of another generative AI product that has to service... something like 80 million daily active users at the same time across millions of games."

The Future of 3D Generation

The hosts discussed how this represents an important step in generative AI's evolution beyond 2D image creation:

• The technology could eventually extend to generating entire 3D environments

• Roblox's existing library of assets provides valuable training data

• The integration demonstrates how AI can enhance rather than replace 3D creation

Addy emphasized this point: "One of the big misalignments with gen AI is that people think 2D is gonna kill 3D. But clearly it's not the case here... 3D will still be the founding block of all of this metaverse stuff. But AI will just make things easier."

Conclusion:

This week's episode of Denoised highlights the rapid pace of change across the media and entertainment technology landscape. From the intensifying competition in AI image generation to the economic forces reshaping where content is produced to the integration of generative AI into 3D creation platforms, these developments are transforming how creative work happens.

What connects these seemingly separate stories is accessibility - whether it's making sophisticated image generation available through simple chat interfaces, finding economical ways to produce content, or lowering the barriers to 3D object creation. The technology and business of media continue to evolve in ways that both challenge traditional models and create new opportunities.