‘Punky Duck’ Creator Jorge R. Gutierrez Scraps Amazon-Backed AI Project After Criticism

Jorge R. Gutierrez, 1 of nan filmmakers down an AI-driven task greenlighted by Amazon Prime Video via a recently established creator fund, has decided to driblet retired of nan program.

Citing backlash from imaginative peers and fans, Gutierrez announced nan move Friday connected societal media.

“I will not beryllium making a Punky Duck series,” he wrote connected X. “Actions speak louder than words. My intent was to showcase artists, some caller and seasoned, some wrong and extracurricular nan studios, driving this caller tech. My sincerest apology to those I upset. I committedness to do amended moving forward. Thank you for your patience pinch me. I will effort harder.”

Amazon announced nan creation of nan GenAI Creators’ Fund, which is besides backed by its AWS division, connected Wednesday arsenic nan AI connected nan Lot convention kicked disconnected successful Los Angeles. The institution said Punky Duck and 2 different bid would watercourse connected Prime Video arsenic portion of nan program. The tech institution was 1 of nan event’s title sponsors. Albert Cheng, VP and caput of AI studios for Amazon MGM Studios, talked up Punky Duck and nan different series successful an quality astatine nan conference.

With attendance of astir 2,500, nan convention demonstrated nan beardown imaginative appetite to research constructive uses of AI. But that groundswell is playing retired against a backdrop of utmost sensitivity crossed nan imaginative organization fixed nan dynamics of nan emerging technology, whose models are trained connected established IP. For each James Cameron and Jon Favreau leaning into AI, location are galore others who insist it is an invitation to copyright usurpation that will only exacerbate nan industry’s challenges.

Amazon MGM Studios did not respond to Deadline’s petition for comment.

Here is nan connection from Gutierrez, who made a abstracted apperarance from Cheng’s astatine AI connected nan Lot to talk nan project, and subsequently had a batch of back-and-forth pinch his followers: