More or Less · Topics · Episode #166
Jeffrey Katzenberg's New AI Venture Wants Hollywood to Own Its Own Models
Clip from the full recording, 29:33–32:34 · download mp4
Jess breaks an Information scoop — Katzenberg is launching a new AI company with the researcher behind Sora, pitched on Hollywood building and controlling its own models instead of licensing from the labs, reportedly in talks with a16z.
Katzenberg is teaming up with Bill Peebles (the OpenAI Sora researcher, not “engineer,” Jess corrects herself) on a new venture built around the idea that Hollywood should own and control the models that reshape its own industry rather than depending on outside tech platforms. Jess frames her sympathy plainly: whenever a media industry tries to control its own technological destiny instead of “bowing to the tech overlords,” she’s rooting for it. The company is reportedly in talks with Andreessen Horowitz for a large check — though Brit jokes “Andreessen has no money” — and Dave situates it as part of a bigger pattern: an emerging wave of vertical, fine-tuned AI companies built for specific industries, comparing the opportunity to Hollywood needing its own version of an effects house like ILM built for the AI era.
The group also runs down adjacent industry news in the same vein: ElevenLabs reportedly discussing an IPO in roughly two years, amid a wave of lawsuits from music artists over AI-generated vocals (echoing Suno’s legal fights) — and Jess notes the Trump administration has stated that “ignoring copyright is in our national interest,” which Brit suggests may be part of why AI voice/music companies are suddenly pushing toward IPOs now rather than waiting out the legal risk.
Key points
- The Information scoop: Jeffrey Katzenberg is launching a new AI company with Bill Peebles, the researcher behind OpenAI's Sora video model.
- Thesis: Hollywood should build and control its own AI models rather than license technology from outside platforms.
- Reportedly in talks with Andreessen Horowitz for a significant investment.
- Dave frames it as part of a broader wave of vertical, industry-specific AI companies — Hollywood's equivalent of an ILM for the AI era.
- Adjacent news: ElevenLabs reportedly discussing an IPO in about two years, amid lawsuits from music artists over AI vocals.
- Jess notes the Trump administration's stated position that "ignoring copyright is in our national interest" — which Brit ties to the timing of AI audio companies pushing toward IPOs now.
Where they landed
Quotes
“Anytime a media company or industry or sector is trying to control its own destiny with technology instead of bowing to the tech overlords, I'm in favor of it. So I wish them well.”— Jessica
“Hollywood needs probably like many of these companies. They need like the ILMs of this era that can go and make the AI tools, particularly in video, really, really work.”— Dave
“The Trump administration said ignoring copyright is in our national interest. I don't know if you saw that.”— Jessica
Suggested tweets
Information scoop via Jess Lessin: Jeffrey Katzenberg is launching a new AI company with the researcher behind OpenAI's Sora — thesis: Hollywood should own its own models, not rent them from tech platforms.
Tweet this →Jess Lessin's rule of thumb: any time a media industry tries to control its own tech destiny instead of bowing to the tech overlords, she's rooting for it.
Tweet this →ElevenLabs reportedly eyeing an IPO in two years — right as music artists pile on lawsuits over AI vocals. Coincidence? Brit Morin doesn't think so.
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