For most of its short modern existence, AI has been seen as an enemy of actors — a dinger of their craft if not swiper of their jobs — as synthetic media is prompted instead of performed.

USC wants to switch all that up.

The university’s School of Dramatic Arts has just launched an “Institute For Actor-Driven Innovation” that administrators hope will give performers a chance to benefit from, instead of lose to, the rise of artificial intelligence.

“Up until now actors have really been on the wrong end of these changes,” Emily Roxworthy, dean of the USC School of Dramatic Arts, tells The Hollywood Reporter in an interview. “We want to do something about that.”

At the outset the institute will focus just on helping students understand the rudiments of AI. USC will work with Adobe on educational events like one scheduled for later this month (the company is a sponsor of the institute) as well as build lab spaces and “student think tanks where they can be given equipment and guidance,” according to Roxworthy. Eventually, though, AI will be presented as something acting students could use to augment their craft and careers.

Roxworthy envisions a host of use cases, from reading with legendary scene partners (resurrected Olivier, anyone?), to getting advice on setting up a production company, to receiving notes from A-listers who would not otherwise be available, to even having AI serve as a de facto representation for the many students not yet signed, in a kind of twist on the term AI agent.

The Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/usc-dramatic-arts-ai-actors-institute-classes-1236566282/