A movie trailer created by artificial intelligence (AI) that combines the highly anticipated films Barbie and Oppenheimer into a unique mashup has taken the internet by storm. This “Barbenheimer” trailer cleverly pokes fun at the hype surrounding both movies, attracting viewers who were curious about these seemingly incompatible films. Oppenheimer is a serious biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, while Barbie offers a lively, feminist, live-action portrayal of the iconic doll. One of the standout features of the mashup is the inclusion of a pink mushroom cloud.
The creator of the trailer utilized image generation AI Midjourney and movie generator Runway Gen2, along with AI-generated voices resembling Margot Robbie and Matt Damon. Surprisingly, this impressive crossover took just four days to make, as revealed in the creator’s Reddit post, where they also shared a link to their AI filmmaking course.
The Implications of the “Barbenheimer” Trailer
As an AI enthusiast covering both the lighthearted and serious aspects of this technology, I find the “Barbenheimer” trailer to be thought-provoking. It offers insights into the current state of generative AI. The trailer quickly gained traction, encouraging content creators to experiment with their own AI-generated content for social media platforms. Traditional ad agencies simply cannot match the speed required to produce similar parodies like “Barbenheimer,” making their involvement impractical and costly.
In today’s era, where social media content plays a vital role in shaping the cultural landscape, the rapid development of AI-generated entertainment aligns perfectly with the demand for viral moments. Earlier this year, a Reddit user shared an AI-generated video of Will Smith eating spaghetti on the r/StableDiffusion subreddit. This video swiftly spread across social media and mainstream press, leaving a lasting impression on viewers.
Meanwhile, Hollywood has faced significant disruptions due to strikes by SAG-AFTRA actors and writers, who express concerns about the impact of generative AI on their industry and job prospects. The “Barbenheimer” trailer exemplifies this issue. Why invest in the expensive services of Margot Robbie and Matt Damon when AI can provide a serviceable alternative? Why employ time-consuming work from artists and editors when Midjourney and Runway Gen2 can generate output swiftly?
Simultaneously, AI-driven creatives continue to explore the possibilities of generative AI, forging ahead while regulators and policymakers struggle to keep pace. The Senate is set to delve into AI education this fall, aiming to establish a foundation for regulations by 2024. However, some fear that this may be too little, too late.
In my opinion, the AI-generated “Barbenheimer” trailer is both amusing and endearing. However, it is equally astonishing and unsettling to witness the fusion of one of history’s most horrifying periods – the development of the atomic bomb during World War II, resulting in the devastating deaths of hundreds of thousands in Hiroshima and Nagasaki – with a candy-colored Barbie aesthetic and a pink mushroom cloud. This encapsulates the essence of generative AI: simultaneously stunning and shocking, exciting and frightening, dazzling and appalling. All stakeholders involved in AI development must delve beyond the surface-level appeal of generative AI and confront the profound and genuine issues that lie beneath.
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