Movie Mogul Tyler Perry Stops Production on $800M Studio Expansion After Seeing Video AI Model

By Lauren Victoria Burke, NNPA Newswire Contributor

Tyler Perry was planning an $800 million expansion of his studio in Atlanta. Now the plans are on hold. Why? Because a new text-to-video artificial intelligence (AI) model. The new AI model by ChatGTP entitled “Sora” creates video from a text prompt.

In an interview with the Hollywood Reporter on Feb. 23, Perry, who is worth over $1 billion, said that the new technology will cause job loss in the movie industry. The question of how artificial intelligence technology will impact employment across fields is a growing concern.

In the creative fields around special effects and animation design, artificial intelligence is all but certain to cause impact and create job loss. But there are other jobs that are likely to be impacted.

With the rise of e-commerce and automated checkout systems, traditional retail roles may diminish. Cashiers: Similar to retail salespersons, automated checkout systems are reducing the need for human cashiers. Telemarketers: AI-driven chatbots and voice recognition systems are increasingly handling customer inquiries. Data Entry Clerks: Automation tools can handle routine data entry tasks more efficiently. Bookkeepers and Accounting Clerks: AI can automate many financial tasks, potentially reducing the need for manual bookkeeping.

Over the years, Tyler Perry has expanded his talents from filmmaking, television production, and writing. He established Tyler Perry Studios, one of the largest film production studios in the United States, located in Atlanta, in 2006. Perry’s films often explore themes of faith, family, and resilience, resonating strongly with Black audiences.

Some of Perry’s notable films include: “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (2005), “Madea’s Family Reunion” (2006), “Why Did I Get Married?” (2007), and “For Colored Girls” (2010).

In addition to his film work, Perry has created successful television series such as “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” and “The Haves and the Have Nots.”

Now like so many others in an ever-changing industry impacted by changing technology, Perry will navigate changes brought on by AI.

Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the publisher of Black Virginia News. She is a political analyst who appears regularly on #RolandMartinUnfiltered. She can be contacted at LBurke007@gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke