AI-generated videos took a big leap forward this week — is that worrying?
If the future of the internet looks like a constant stream of amusing videos generated by artificial intelligence, then OpenAI just placed its stake in an emerging market. The company behind ChatGPT released its new Sora social media app on Tuesday, an attempt to draw the attention of eyeballs currently staring at short-form videos on TikTok, YouTube or Meta-owned Instagram and Facebook. The new iPhone app taps into the appeal of being able to make a video of yourself doing just about anything that can be imagined, in styles ranging from anime to highly realistic. But a scrolling flood of such videos taking over social media has some worried about “AI slop” that crowds out more authentic human creativity and degrades the information ecosystem. Joining AirTalk this morning for more is Drew Harwell, technology reporter for the Washington Post.
With files from the Associated Press.
Why do we have superstitions, and where do they come from?
From avoiding black cats to walking under ladders, or clutching onto your lucky charms during the 9th inning, superstitions have been a part of humanity for longer than you may think. In fact, humans have always leaned on superstitions to manage what they deem as the “unknown.” But why? And are our superstitious tendencies actually helping us? Today on AirTalk, we are joined by Jess Boddy, science journalist and producer of the podcast The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week, to talk about our deep love affair with superstitions and how a little belief in magic may not be so silly after all! To take a deeper dive into how superstitions may be tied to our desire for control and how these practices can be traced all the way back to ancient Greece, we're also joined by Laura Krantz, journalist, editor, and author of "Do you believe in Magic?". We also want to hear from you! What is your superstition, and how do you practice the ritual? Is it for sports, school, work, or just daily life? Give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email us at atcomments@laist.com.
Food Friday: Indian Food Festival comes to Los Angeles
This Saturday, October 4th, will mark the first annual Indian Food Festival of Los Angeles. This day-long outdoor event will celebrate Indian culture, community, and cuisine with music and a variety of food vendors, showcasing the very best of Mumbai street food and more. For this Food Friday, we're joined by Mandeep Pabla, founder of the Indian Food Festival Radio5 Events, as well as Rohan Jain, general manager of Fitoor, an Indian restaurant with locations in Santa Monica and San Jose, who will be one of the featured vendors at the festival.
The Indian Food Festival of Los Angeles goes from 12 PM to 7 PM this Saturday, October 4th. You can find more information here.
FilmWeek: ‘The Smashing Machine,’ ‘Anemone,’ ‘The Lost Bus,’ and more!
Larry Mantle and LAist film critics Tim Cogshell and Manuel Betancourt review this weekend’s latest movie releases in theaters and on streaming platforms.
Films:
The Smashing Machine, Wide Release
Anemone, In Select Theaters
The Lost Bus, In Select Theaters & Streaming on Apple TV+
Play Dirty, Streaming on Amazon Prime
Fairyland, Landmark Sunset [West Hollywood]
The Ice Tower, Laemmle Glendale
Are We Good?, AMC Americana [Glendale] & Alamo Drafthouse [DTLA]
Viva Verdi, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
Coyotes, In Select Theaters
Good Boy, In Select Theaters
Norita, Laemmle Monica Film Center [Santa Monica]
Stripped for Parts, Streaming on PBS.org and PBS app
Feature: A new book recontextualizes horror classics through a feminist lens
From Scream Queens to Final Girls, women have been at the center of horror cinema since its rise in the late 60s. Violence on screen mirrored the violence real women faced off-screen. From the allusions to reproductive control in Rosemary’s Baby to the undertones of domestic violence in The Shining, horror’s female protagonists cannot be divorced from political and social commentary. In her new book “Scream with Me: Horror Films and the Rise of American Feminism (1968-1980), Eleanor Johnson, professor of English and comparative literature at Columbia University, views some of our most popular scary movies through a feminist lens. And once you see the themes of women’s oppression, it’s hard to look at a horror film the same way again. This week on FilmWeek, Larry speaks with Johnson about her new book and reanalyzes some horror classics together.
