Farhoud Meybodi’s Post

The Megalopolis trailer opens with a bold provocation. Laurence Fishburne—who began his career in Francis Coppola’s masterpiece, Apocalypse Now—says, “True genius is often misunderstood.” What follows is a montage of harsh reviews for some of Coppola’s most celebrated films. The message is clear: if critics panned The Godfather, maybe their judgment on his latest work shouldn’t be taken at face value. It’s a brilliant insight, tapping into the growing rejection of establishment and authority that’s been simmering among the masses for years. But a few days later, the truth comes out—those reviews weren't real. Worse, they were AI-generated. Lionsgate quickly pulls the trailer, apologizes, and parts ways with the marketing consultant supposedly behind it. Once again, a massive company stumbles by using #AI without considering the broader implications. This incident highlights a larger issue: AI is a game-changing innovation, but without a proper strategy and thoughtful application, it can backfire terribly. Fabricating reviews, especially from critics who are still alive and remember what they wrote, isn’t just sloppy—it’s a profound miscalculation. As brands experiment with AI, we’ll see more blunders like this. That’s why it’s critical for executives to champion best practices for AI within their companies. One way to ensure #artificialintelligence aligns with a brand’s values is by creating an internal stakeholder group to review AI projects at key stages. This group should include artists, technologists, customers, and #brand advocates—people who understand and care about the company’s legacy. By properly utilizing this braintrust, leaders can ensure AI #innovation supports long-term goals and avoids the echo chamber mentality that plagues many organizations. While AI will continue advancing rapidly, rushing into it without a clear strategy, ethical considerations, or risk assessment can cause real damage. Now, this isn’t just about avoiding pitfalls; it’s about ensuring that AI enhances human creativity and helps build deep, emotional connections with audiences. To achieve this, we need a human touch. That means bringing together the right people and asking tough questions: Is it responsible for our brand to use AI, especially when its impact on human dignity isn’t fully understood? How can AI complement, rather than replace, human ingenuity? And most importantly, how can AI build on our brand’s values while ensuring innovation doesn’t compromise our core principles? In the end, AI’s #impact is shaped by how we choose to use it. Instead of rushing into quick implementation, let’s take the opposite approach—lead with intention and integrity, driven by responsible innovation and respect for the human element. This will require time, investment, and strong internal champions to bring it to life properly. But that’s not a drawback—it’s essential. After all, true genius takes time to be realized…I think Laurence Fishburne said that.

Over the past month, several brands have attempted to showcase the power of AI in advertising, but many, including Google's "Dear Sydney" and "Origin of Toys"R"Us, have fallen short. As a brand filmmaker with 14 years in the impact and cultural change space, I’d like to share a few insights to help marketeers navigate this new terrain. In "Dear Sydney," a father shares a heartfelt story about his daughter and her Olympian hero, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone. The spot starts pretty well with UGC content that makes it relatable with a humorous bent. But the narrative jumps the shark when Dad asks AI to write a fan letter for his daughter. In an instant, Google undermines the role of parents in teaching children the value of personal effort and sincerity. Moreover, the brand sends a dangerous message that there’s an inherent flaw in a child’s expression and creativity. For me, brand storytelling should always champion the power of human connection—anything a girl wants to say to her hero is perfect without needing help from AI. His daughter's true words should be cherished and widely shared as a testament to the purity of childhood and the significance of role models. Some Best Practices For Navigating AI Storytelling: 1) Understand Your Audience: Before green-lighting a commercial, assemble a group of trusted voices to conduct an internal review of the creative. This braintrust should have a clear focus: identifying potential landmines while also ensuring the story resonates with brand values and your core audience's needs/wants. Additionally, involve at least one or two voices from outside the brand and agency break the echo chamber. Refer to the "Pixar/Braintrust" case study for context. 2) Preserve Human Connection: Authenticity should always be the cornerstone of storytelling. Use AI to enhance, not replace, the genuine connection your company has with its audience. Consider whether your brand truly has the right to tell the story you want to share. Remember, the bond people have with your products took years to develop and nurture, but can be lost in seconds due to poor planning—consider the "Kendall Jenner/Pepsi" case study as a cautionary tale. 3) Champion Human Creativity: AI should support human creativity, not suppress it. Prioritize hiring talented artists and ensure they’re paid a fair wage. Equip them with tools to thrive, but do so responsibly. Encourage them to use AI for tasks that free up their time for creative, innovative work that requires a human touch. This will help maintain the originality vital to your brand’s success. 4) Balance Innovation and Core Values: Strive to balance technological advancements with the values that define your brand. In these times of political and economic turmoil, American families need reminders of the beauty and magic of our world—this comes from a deeply emotional and grounded approach to storytelling. Ensure any AI integration aligns with this and enhances your brand’s mission and values.

Brilliant analysis by Dawn Ostroff on the Hollywood and #ai: “As we chart our path forward, we are all best served to start from a place of mutual respect for one another’s work. Our colleagues in the tech industry patent every aspect of their inventions to ensure that the inventor or company is protected and compensated every time their tech is used. Similarly, artists, creators, talent and IP owners expect to be paid every time their content is used by others. Recognizing that the contributions on all sides deserve a compensatory value and consent to use is a great place to start. We’ve been at the brink of existential threats before. And while our imagination and creativity often brought us there, it also brought us back. Finding the ways to use AI to make us better at what we do is the path best chosen. Otherwise, AI will do it without us.”

Honored to have been a speaker at The Elevate Prize Foundation's #MakeGoodFamous Summit in Miami last week. It was a real pleasure diving into this conversation about the power of storytelling to shape a better world. Many thanks to my fellow panelists Melissa Malzkuhn, Eddie Ndopu, and Bing Chen as well as our moderator and Elevate Prize, CMO, Eva Bloomfield — your brilliant insights and personal stories made this discussion truly special.

This week marks a monumental time for #AI, with groundbreaking developments surrounding OpenAI's GPT-4o and the pathway to scalable monetization. It’s also time we consider implementing a tax for all AI users, similar to the fees we pay for cellular services or broadband internet. Now, why do this? Empowering the Workforce: I believe our first priority should be empowering citizens who are in jobs at risk of being phased out over the next 5-20 years. Yes, this is an unfortunate reality that accompanies innovation, but by investing these tax dollars in training programs, we can equip people with the skills necessary for emerging industries, ensuring that they remain competitive and valuable. Similarly, during the Great Depression, FDR’s New Deal included elements like the Works Progress Administration and the Civilian Conservation Corps, which not only provided immediate employment but also offered retraining opportunities in emerging industries. Except, in this case, I think the people benefiting from artificial intelligence day-to-day should be the ones footing the bill. At least partially. Shared Responsibility: It’s not just users who should bear this responsibility. Technology companies making billions from AI advancements must also consider all stakeholders involved and the broader impact of AI on the world. Unfortunately, as of now, many of these companies are falling short in leading the way. While OpenAI has been valued at around $80 billion, there’s no reason the company’s leadership can’t ensure the health and stability of our people in relation to their innovation. This could involve funding independent research on the social impacts of AI, developing universal ethical guidelines, or engaging more actively with grassroots artist communities. This lack of leadership, present at both governmental and corporate levels, contributes to the fear, confusion, and anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence. Global Ethical Standards: To address the challenges posed by artificial intelligence, we should also support the creation of a United Nations-affiliated international body focused on AI ethics, the protection of intellectual property, and human artwork. Modeled after the International Atomic Energy Agency, which was established following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this new entity (the IAIA) would develop global standards and ensure that AI technologies are developed and used responsibly. It would also safeguard the interests of creators by protecting their intellectual property, promoting a safe and ethical advancement in AI technologies worldwide.

Some brilliant insights here. It's refreshing to see more and more people taking an independent approach to television. As Hollywood continues to contract and transform, I think it's incumbent upon us, the creatives, to operate outside the traditional system and counterbalance the fear and anxiety. By independently funding our projects, creating world-class storytelling, and engaging directly with audiences, we can break through the noise and also maintain ownership of our work. It’s an exciting time.

This Earth Day, as we explore the theme "Planet vs. Plastics," let's draw inspiration from a story shared by Nobel Peace Laureate Wangari Maathai Foundation. Like the brave hummingbird that fought a forest fire one drop at a time, each one of us humans has the capacity to contribute, drop by drop, to extinguish the flames of our plastic crisis. In the debut episode of "Earthbound," we spotlight Nzambi Matee. Her determination to address the plastic problem inspired her entrepreneurial journey with Gjenge_Makers, where discarded plastic from East Africa’s largest landfill site is transformed into sustainable construction materials, helping to provide a solution to Nairobi’s pavement problem. I think she's extraordinary human being, and a leader all of us can learn from. #EarthDay2024 #EarthDay #PlanetvsPlastic #WangariMaathai #PlanetEarth #OnePlanet #storytelling #impact

Honored to share that our film "Earthbound" has been shortlisted for two AICP (Association of Independent Commercial Producers) awards. At Ritual Arts, we're committed to changing culture through film and television. Our featured brand, Gjenge_Makers, is making strides in sustainable building practices across Africa. For these two companies to be acknowledged in the same arena as giants like Apple, GEICO, Chevrolet, and State Farm is humbling and highlights the universal language of purpose-driven storytelling. Thank you to the folks at AICP, our incredible team, and everyone who supported us along the way.

This week, an AI-generated trailer for a fake James Bond movie featuring Henry Cavill and Margot Robbie went viral, amassing over 2 million views in just five days. Despite its many flaws—unconvincing VO, poor syncing, and crappy story—the trailer has sparked excitement among Bond fans during casting for the next series of films. Lionsgate has even capitalized on the buzz by placing preroll ads for a new Henry Cavill movie on the fake trailer. Pretty remarkable. So what does this mean for filmmaking? Over the past decade, there's been discontent among fans surrounding the management of beloved franchises like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. This highlights what I believe to be a growing trend: fans often have keener insight into the quality of the films they love than studio executives. This 007 trailer, though far from perfect, illustrates how emerging technologies can revolutionize content creation at the apex of filmmaking. I think that by leveraging AI, filmmakers can create MVPs for films to help tease, test, and refine story through real-time audience feedback. This could also herald a new frontier for fan engagement where AI democratizes the creative process, empowering fans to reinterpret and reshape their favorite franchises. Envision a new genre of "fan fiction" within premium filmmaking, where the most compelling and fan-approved works have the potential to redefine actual film and TV franchises. Participatory storytelling like this could transform audience members from passive viewers into active contributors, even creating a new genre of fan created, studio sanctioned films. And while there are many potential downsides to this, what if we could achieve an ideal balance? One that ensures beloved franchises deliver for fans, and also remain financially viable for studios? One that incorporates fans into the creative process, perhaps even offering them compensation or equity stakes based on success? I think that the future of filmmaking will be purely collaborative, and despite all the alarmism, AI has the potential to ensure the gilded tower approach to Hollywood is over. #ai #film #storytelling #artificialintelligence

Thank you to the European Union for pioneering the world's first law to regulate artificial intelligence. This landmark legislation marks a critical step in safeguarding industries, intellectual property, and our people from potential harms associated with the misuse of this transformative technology. As a believer in the power of AI to liberate artists and creatives, I think government inaction has significantly held us back, escalating fears and anxieties about AI's impact on jobs and livelihoods. The EU's action is significant in that it makes sure AI is developed and used ethically and responsibly. Most importantly, it ensures that AI is managed by human beings -- in contrast, the US has only one AI regulation, New York City's Local Law 144, which requires a bias audit on automated hiring processes. Let's hope that our leadership follows the EU's example and takes the necessary steps to regulate AI for the benefit of all. #ai #regulation #ethics #responsibility