European Parliament: The European Parliament’s Committee on Culture and Education (CULT) supported the proposal for a report on the implementation of the Directive on Audiovisual Media Services in EU Member States. At the same time, the deputies called for a faster implementation of this directive, which would reduce the legislative differences between the member states. More about this at this link .
INDUSTRY
Reuters: More than 1,300 prominent tech figures, including Elon Musk and Steve Wozniak, have signed an open letter calling on all artificial intelligence labs to immediately (for at least half a year) halt development of the most advanced artificial intelligence systems. The development of these systems is so fast that soon no one will be able to control them, not even their designers, which can be dangerous for society, they emphasize. More about this at this link .
Politico: The Italian authorities recently banned the use of the ChatGPT humanoid robot in Italy, because the operators of this artificial intelligence system allegedly violated European data protection legislation (GDPR). As they pointed out, the ban is temporary and will be valid until the robot’s operators, the American company OpenAI, comply with the law. This was also reported by the Variety portal, which listed other conflicts between Italy and Italian and Silicon Valley companies. More about this at this link .
Next TV: Commentary on statements from Oscar- and Emmy-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin about artificial intelligence, streaming and other pressing issues in the industry. More about this at this link .
Reuters: Tech giants are likely to challenge a new EU digital markets act aimed at curbing their market power, one of the EU’s top judges, Marc van der Woude, said. Among other things, the new EU legislation will include all online platforms with more than 45 million users as gatekeepers. More about this at this link .
Variety: Multinational Disney will cut its Next Generation Storytelling & Consumer Experiences group, which also included metaversal ambitions, as part of a cost-cutting program. 50 people will lose their jobs. Disney plans to lay off a total of 7,000 people over the coming years, saving the company $5.5 billion, according to management. More about this at this link .
Culture Action Europe: The mid-term review of the EU’s seven-year financial framework (2021-2027) will start next year. This is a time to assess past work on programmes, including Creative Europe. The review will also be an opportunity to obtain feedback and recommendations for the first years of the new cycle. More about this at this link .
The Hollywood Reporter: Commentary on How TV networks and streaming platforms are preparing for a strike by American creators. The Writers Guild of America West (WGAW), the American union that represents the rights of film, television, radio and new media creators, is still negotiating with the Producers and Publishers Association for a new contract. If an agreement is not reached, the first strike by American creatives in 15 years is expected. More about this at this link .
European Audiovisual Observatory: Analysis and commentary on How does Europe ensure online visibility of European films and series and services of general interest? More about this at this link .