Wall Street Journal: New AI Entertainment Studio Gets Backing From Peter Chernin, Andreessen Horowitz

Read the story on The Wall Street Journal here.

L to R: Jamie Byrne, George Strompolos, Dave Clark

Jessica Toonkel at The Wall Street Journal writes about the launch of Promise, an AI-native studio redefining how film, series and new formats are made. She covers the company's backing from Peter Chernin's North Road and Andreessen Horowitz, and the studio's origin story: co-founders George Strompolos and Jamie Byrne, both former YouTube executives, alongside filmmaker Dave Clark.

The story highlights that the studio will use generative AI for everything from conceptualizing scenes to actual production. Chernin explains his reasoning for investing separately rather than folding AI into an existing company, arguing that big companies dabbling in new technology rarely find success and that it's "likely better done bottom up rather than top down."

Toonkel notes that while other companies are experimenting in this space, Promise is one of the first in an emerging category of Hollywood studios specializing in using the technology to make shows and movies.

More here.