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☆ ChatGPT-style A.I. replaced crypto as the hot tech topic for Davos crowd at 2023's WEF summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Jonathan Raa | Nurphoto | Getty ImagesAttendees of the annual World Economic Forum couldn't get enough of a new development in the realm of artificial intelligence: generative AI. Most machine learning tools rely on existing information and identify patterns in the data to pick out trends or reach a preferred outcome. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E stand out from the crowd through their ability to take data inputs and create new content. This week at the WEF forum in Davos, Switzerland, generative AI virtually replaced crypto and so-called "Web3" as the hyped technology of choice for top business executives and policymakers. "Generative AI has a huge potential," said Hiroaki Kitano, CEO of Sony Computer Science Laboratories, on Tuesday's generative AI panel.

HONG KONG — Marvel films are set to be released on screens in mainland China for the first time in more than three years, the endgame for an apparent ban in the world’s second-largest movie market. The China Film Administration, a division of the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda department that approves all foreign film releases, gave no official explanation for the blocking of those films. Marvel’s brief announcement did not mention the earlier films or say why “Black Panther” and “Ant-Man” were being released. Marvel fans in China welcomed news of the two new releases. Others lamented the films that had not made it to Chinese theaters.

☆ 'Netflix correct your mistake' is trending on Twitter as fans vent about the cancellation of 'Warrior Nun'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Aditi Bharade | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Netflix canceled its fantasy drama series "Warrior Nun" in December, and fans are not happy. This snowballed into "#NETFLIX CORRECT YOUR MISTAKE" trending on Twitter. Over 108,000 people have signed an online petition on Change.org to renew "Warrior Nun" for its third season. Henry T. Casey, a senior editor at Tom's Guide, an online publication that reviews tech products, tweeted: "Honestly, respect to the Warrior Nun fans. We learned a lot from Sense and we're going to try not to do this in the future," Netflix tweeted.

☆ Netflix plans biggest-ever slate of Korean content in 2023 as Korean fever explodes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Hong Kong CNN —Netflix is planning its largest-ever lineup of South Korean content, with 34 new and returning titles set to roll out this year. It said that audience data showed “over 60% of all Netflix members” watched Korean titles last year. In 2021, company executives said Netflix (NFLX) planned to invest about $500 million into Korean content, on top of $700 million already spent since 2016. The move underscores how Netflix is increasingly doubling down on Korean content as fans worldwide continue to buzz over it. Other media behemoths, such as Disney (DIS), are also betting big on Korean content.

☆ A busier movie calendar will lead to a 15% jump in box office sales, JPMorgan predicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Slow and steady will win the race at the box office this year, according to JPMorgan analyst David Karnovsky. The first is tied to the depressed state of the box office last year . However, if additional movies are released, here's where there could be upside to his box office forecast. DIS 3M mountain Disney shares have gotten a boost from a proxy battle, but box office gains could be ahead. Paramount's "Top Gun: Maverick" topped the box office charts last year, while NBC Universal had new films in the Jurassic Park and Minions franchises.

☆ Alejandro Jodorowsky’s ‘Dune’ Was Never Made, but With A.I., We Get a Glimpse of His ‘Tron’ - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-13 | by ( Frank Pavich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +12 min

I was recently shown some frames from a film that I had never heard of: Alejandro Jodorowsky’s 1976 version of “Tron.” The sets were incredible. However, Mr. Jodorowsky, the visionary Chilean filmmaker, never tried to make “Tron.” I’m not even sure he knows what “Tron” is. caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption Generation Text prompt The A.I. caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption caption Generation Text prompt The A.I. If A.I.s were eligible for the Academy Awards, I’d vote for “Jodorowsky’s Tron” for best A.I.

From start to finish, Tuesday's 80th annual Golden Globe Awards was a very queer affair. Here are some of the evening's queerest (and gay Twitter meme-worthy) moments. Jerrod Carmichael apologizes to Jennifer Coolidge 'on behalf of all the gays'Jerrod Carmichael hosted the 80th annual Golden Globe Awards on Tuesday. The 26-year-old actor, who already has two Emmy awards for the same role, was not present to accept her Golden Globe. The Burnett award was started in 2019, with its namesake, comedian Carol Burnett, being its first honoree.

☆ 'Elvis' and 'Avatar' face off as Hollywood returns to Golden Globes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Lisa Richwine | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] The Annual Golden Globe Awards ceremony will be held on Tuesday in Beverly Hills, California, U.S. Photo taken on December 12, 2022. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniLOS ANGELES, Jan 10 (Reuters) - The flashy "Elvis" biopic and sci-fi blockbuster "Avatar: The Way of Water" battle for the top honor at the Golden Globes on Tuesday when stars return to a ceremony trying to rebuild its reputation after scandals. The Golden Globes will be back on television after celebrities and broadcaster NBC abandoned the 2022 show because of ethical lapses at the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), the group that hands out the awards. "I think we're going to see 'Elvis' win and Austin Butler win," said Chris Beachum, managing editor of awards website Gold Derby. Golden Globes voters "have proven time and time again that they love spectacles and they love musicals."

[1/12] Angela Bassett poses with her award for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture for "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" at the 80th Annual Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, California, U.S., January 10, 2023. REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniBEVERLY HILLS, Calif., Jan 10 (Reuters) - "Black Panther" actress Angela Bassett won a supporting actress award on Tuesday at the first Golden Globe awards since a scandal knocked the glitzy Hollywood ceremony off television. Bassett was honored for playing Queen Ramonda in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever," a sequel that was rewritten after the death of star Chadwick Boseman. Ke Huy Quan was named best supporting actor in a drama film for his role of Waymond Wang in "Everything Everywhere All at Once." Among those voters, nearly 52% are racially and ethnically diverse, including 10% who are Black, according to the HFPA.

Once considered taboo in film and television, gay entertainers and characters will be hard to miss at the 80th Golden Globe Awards. Some of the evenings most nominated films — including sci-fi dramedy “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and psychological thriller “Tár,” — and TV series that include “The White Lotus” and “Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story” — star LGBTQ actors or feature fictional queer characters. And to top off the evening, the Golden Globes will honor gay television writer and producer Ryan Murphy, perhaps best known for co-creating “Glee,” “Pose” and the “American Horror Story” franchise, with a lifetime achievement award. While this year’s pool of Golden Globe nominees ups the awards ceremony’s queer factor, many of the most anticipated wins involve seemingly straight actors playing queer characters. The Golden Globes airs on Jan. 10 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on NBC and Peacock.

The most chilling moment in Gerard Johnstone’s new horror film, “M3GAN,” comes early. Its wildly popular — and immediately viral — trailer seems to give away the entire story, beat by beat, but what it can’t convey is the picture’s delightfully oddball tone, which is poised at a peculiar juncture of slasher horror and self-aware satire. Gemma, dressed in flannels, so you know she’s an antisocial nerd, has developed M3GAN, short for Model 3 Generative ANdroid. As a character, M3GAN is a marvel of design, combining body actor (Amie Donald), voice (Jenna Davis), animatronics, makeup and special effects. (“Humanity kills every day, just to make its existence more bearable,” M3GAN cackles, presumably after doing some online reading about Apple and Foxconn’s Longhua facility.)

☆ How Spotify’s ‘Case 63’ Went From Regional Hit to Unexpected Chart-Topping Podcast
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-05 | by ( Anne Steele | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Spotify Technology SA’s original sci-fi thriller “Case 63” has become one of its biggest shows, marking a strategic shift for the streaming giant in the type of content it is creating for its audio business. Initially a Spanish-language Chilean series, “Caso 63” ranked No. 1 for nearly a month in Argentina and Mexico post-premiere in 2020. 1 podcast in translations for Brazilian and Indian audiences. The English version, released at the end of October, topped the charts in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K.

☆ The tech startup playbook to follow when money is tight
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Diamond Naga Siu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Raising capital via venture debt will be key for many startups in 2023 PM Images/Getty Images1. This is the startup playbook to follow when money is tight. Instead of getting money from investors, they're taking out multiyear loans. But investors got scared in 2022 when the tech industry started to wobble. Odds and ends:The Volkswagen ID.7 electric sedan.

☆ These are the 28 books Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates think you should read to get smarter about business and leadership
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Sarah Jackson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Many executives say they learned some of their most valuable business lessons from books. Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Bill Gates have recommended many over the years, from biographies to sci-fi novels. Here are 28 books they say have taught them a lot about business, leadership, and the world. Many influential business figures, including Twitter, Tesla, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk; Amazon founder Jeff Bezos; and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates say they learned some of their most important lessons from books. Here are 28 books recommended by Musk, Bezos, and Gates to add to your reading list for 2023:

☆ I've driven 15 different electric cars this year — these are the 3 I'd buy (if I was rich)
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Tim Levin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

My three favorites were the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Rivian R1S, and Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo. The Hyundai Ioniq 5The 2022 Hyundai Ioniq 5 Limited AWD. The Porsche Taycan Cross TurismoThe 2022 Porsche Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S. Tim Levin/InsiderThe Taycan Cross Turismo is Porsche's totally badass electric station wagon. The Taycan Cross Turismo showed me why the German brand has been the poster child of impeccable driving dynamics for decades. The Taycan Cross Turismo starts at $97,700, $11,000 more than the regular Taycan sedan.

"Alice in Borderland" season two hit Netflix on December 22. Check out the trailer for 'Alice in Borderland' season 2"Alice in Borderland" is directed Shinsuke Sato, who also co-writes the series with Yoshiki Watabe and Yasuko Kuramitsu. How to watch 'Alice in Borderland'You can watch "Alice in Borderland" on Netflix. "Alice in Borderland" season two includes eight episodes, just like the first season. "Alice in Borderland" season two holds an "88% Fresh" score on Rotten Tomatoes, and season one holds a "75% Fresh" rating based on eight reviews from critics.

☆ 11 trends set to shape business in 2023, including sci-fi, self-care, and side hustles
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Alexandra York | Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The social platforms TikTok, Shopify, LinkedIn, and Pinterest published trend reports for 2023. They expect trends like sci-fi, sustainability, and innovative brick-and-mortar offerings to grow. Here are 11 trends set to shape businesses next year and what small-business owners should know. Pinterest, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Shopify released their 2023 trend reports this month, sharing the unique insight they'd gathered from their users. Insider gathered the top trend insights that could help entrepreneurs in 2023, including tips on launching a fresh idea and acquiring customers.

Mike Hodges, the British filmmaker who directed the hard-boiled gangster saga "Get Carter" and the campy space opera "Flash Gordon," died Saturday, according to his friend Mike Kaplan. "My middle-class eyes were forced to witness horrendous poverty and deprivation that I was previously unaware of," Hodges wrote in a letter published in The Guardian in May. "Get Carter" quickly entered the pantheon of British film classics. He replaced the acclaimed British director Nicolas Roeg ("Walkabout") on "Flash Gordon," a goofy project that has since attracted a cult following. I think that as a young man I probably did."

"Alice in Borderland" season two hits Netflix on December 22. Check out the trailer for 'Alice in Borderland' season 2"Alice in Borderland" is directed Shinsuke Sato, who also co-writes the series with Yoshiki Watabe and Yasuko Kuramitsu. How to watch 'Alice in Borderland'You can watch "Alice in Borderland" season two on Netflix starting December 22. "Alice in Borderland" season two is set to include eight episodes, just like the first season. "Alice in Borderland" season two doesn't have a score on Rotten Tomatoes just yet, but season one holds a "75% Fresh" rating based on eight reviews from critics.

☆ Disney’s ‘Avatar’ Sequel Opens With Ticket Sales Shy of Predictions
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Robbie Whelan | Austin Ramzy | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ was shown on over 1,500 IMAX screens worldwide. “Avatar: The Way of Water” made waves at the box office, but lingering concerns over the coronavirus tempered ticket sales in China, where the makers of the sci-fi epic were hoping to score a major hit. Directed by James Cameron and distributed by Walt Disney Co.’s 20th Century Studios, the film earned $435 million in theaters around the world in its debut, the second-highest global opening-weekend gross of 2022, trailing only “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” from Disney ’s Marvel Studios.

"Avatar: The Way of Water" premiered December 16 exclusively in theaters. Though the movie is currently exclusive to theaters, it's expected to hit Disney Plus at some point in 2023. Like the original movie, "Avatar: The Way of Water" is directed by James Cameron ("Titanic"). As of December 16, there is no official streaming date set for "Avatar: The Way of Water." The sequel repeats one of the biggest draws of the first "Avatar" movie in terms of being a groundbreaking visual spectacle.

☆ Tesla shares have fallen 28% since Elon Musk took over Twitter, lagging other carmakers
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-13 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

CEO of Tesla Motors Elon Musk speaks at the Tesla Giga Texas manufacturing "Cyber Rodeo" grand opening party in Austin, Texas, on April 7, 2022. U.S. electric truck maker Rivian has fallen by 27% over that period. Shares in electric vehicle maker Tesla have fallen 28% since October 27, when CEO Elon Musk bought Twitter and appointed himself "Chief Twit," or CEO, of the social media business. Musk sold billions of dollars' worth of his Tesla holdings to finance the Twitter takeover. Since he took over the company, Musk has been regularly posting incendiary tweets, especially aimed at people who hold center-to-left political values, and whom Musk often paints as enemies with a "woke mind virus."

☆ A strong China open for 'Avatar' lays the ground for a film stock rally, Morgan Stanley says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Chinese audiences appear eager to see Disney's "Avatar: The Way of Water," according to initial ticket sales ahead of the film's Dec. 16 opening. In 2009, China accounted for only $910 million in ticket sales, but 10 years later its box office receipts swelled to $8 billion. Stage set for box office recovery Morgan Stanley's Xu expects China's box office to rebound 50% in 2023, to Rmb51 billion, with the assumption that China's reopening gains momentum in the spring. In China, there is a "rich slate of blockbuster films" ready to come to theaters, Xu said. With this in mind, Xu raised her price targets for IMAX China, Ali Pictures, Wanda Film , Enlight and China Film.

☆ North Korea Wants Dollars. It’s a Sign of Trouble.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | Pablo Robles | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +18 min

Media Korean Studies 2016 2008 New Finished New buildings Repainted TAEDONG RIVER TAEDONG RIVER Pyongyang in 2008. Media Korean Studies 2008 2016 New Finished New buildings Repainted TAEDONG RIVER TAEDONG RIVER Pyongyang in 2008. Under Mr. Kim, North Korea has opened a new terminal at the city’s international airport, renovated subway stations and opened new amusement parks. Missile tests this year alone cost North Korea hundreds of millions of dollars, according to estimates by South Korean and American researchers. An array of cell phones, assembled in North Korea with components imported from China, is on sale and advertised on state TV.

☆ 2022 People’s Choice Awards: The winners list
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The fans have spoken about what they found to be the best in movies, television, music and pop culture. “Saturday Night Live” cast member and comedian Kenan Thompson hosted the 2022 People’s Choice Awards from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, California, which aired on NBC and E! Award-winning actor, producer, screenwriter and entrepreneur Ryan Reynolds was honored with the People’s Icon Award, while Emmy and Grammy award-winning performer Lizzo was presented with the People’s Champion Award. Lizzo is seen performing at the Citi Concert Series for the 'Today' show at the Rockefeller Plaza on July 15, 2022 in New York City. Shania Twain performs on stage during the 2022 People's Choice Awards held at the Barker Hangar on December 6, 2022 in Santa Monica, California.

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