Your 2024 CES "Cheat Sheet"
The Critical Topics for Media & Entertainment Executives & Entrepreneurs to Expect (& How to Smartly Discuss Them)
Happy New Year! Yes, it’s that time of year again. No, not to make resolutions (that’s so passe). Rather, to prepare for CES next week! To that end, here are the key topics that will headline CES for media and entertainment executives and entrepreneurs, and some of my favorite 2023 “nuggets” that will give you the background you need to smartly consider them - and discuss them.
I. Overview of Main Topics & Trends for CES and 2024
My recent 10 Predictions for Media & Entertainment in 2024 lay out the key issues that face the media, entertainment and tech industries this year - and how to expect them unfold. Make no mistake. AI is the headline story not only for CES, but also for the entire year. Several of my 10 predictions dig deeply into AI and what to expect.
II. AI - Digging Deeper
These are some of my earlier newsletters that give you relevant “deep dives” - concisely - on specific key issues that surround AI:
(1) ChatGPT Turns 1 - Here’s How AI Will Impact Media & Entertainment in 2024.
I identify specific examples of key developments and leading companies, among other things.
(2) AI Is Transforming Media Before Our Eyes (& Accelerating Cable’s Demise).
More specific examples here that you can sprinkle into your cocktail hour chatter.
(3) “Synthetic Performers” Win Big in SAG-AFTRA Agreement with Studios.
For those of you interested in learning more about how the SAG and WGA strikes resolved AI issues - and left others wide open - check this one out.
(4) UMG v. Anthropic AI “Spoiler Alert” - We’ve Seen This Movie Before.
Here I lay out how the courts previously addressed game-changing technology in the world of media and entertainment, and what those past precedents and perspectives portend for how the courts will grapple with AI copyright battles.
(5) Recent Court Action Does Not Bode Well For Artist Claims of AI Copyright Infringement.
More specifics on the current pending key AI-related copyright litigation that is increasingly filling our court houses - and what to expect as they ultimately wind their way to the U.S. Supreme Court. I even come up with the Supreme Court’s answer before they get a chance to speak.
(6) Fandom - AI’s Kryptonite and Entertainment’s Superpower
AI can do lots of things. But it will never generate human fandom like Taylor Swift can. I’m confident about this. And here’s why.
(7) My Son Is Going to Film School. What’s the Point in An AI World?
AI-generated creative works, no matter how good, can never “connect” with humans in the same way human-generated creativity can. If you want to hear a bit of philosophy and humanity - and not just factoids - I urge you to check this out. Although it is a deeply personal story, the message is universal.
III. But It’s Not All AI - Media M&A Will Be Another Big Topic
As I wrote in my 10 predictions for 2024, expect major media and entertainment M&A to heat up significantly this year. It already has. My article Will Apple Buy Disney? Elon Musk Buy Fox? is worth revisiting. I discuss potential couplings for the coming year.
IV. And Don’t Forget About Web3 (Just Don’t Call Them “NFTs”)
In 2021-2022, much of the chatter in Hollywood focused on blockchain-fueled Web3 and “NFTs” as being the next big thing. AI, of course, stole all those headlines in 2023 - and Sam Bankman-Fried’s crypto demise didn’t help the Web3 cause (unjustly). Read my recent article Whatever Happened to NFTs for Creators & The Entertainment Business to understand why you shouldn’t count out Web3 and “NFTs.” Spoiler alert - I continue to be bullish on the promise of Web3 for creators and audiences alike.
And Reach Out To Me to Schedule a Meeting at CES (Or Soon Thereafter)
I’ll be at CES only one day this year - Monday, January 8th - speaking on an AI-focused panel in the “Digital Hollywood” sessions at the Aria Hotel at 2 pm. But I’ll have some time later that day - and of course, we can book some time for a subsequent Zoom or call. Reach out to me and my team at peter@creativemedia.biz to schedule a meeting.