AGBO Studios Appoints AI Expert Dominic Hughes As Chief Scientific Officer

According to Decrypt, AGBO Studios, the production company behind the film 'Everything Everywhere All At Once,' has appointed AI veteran Dominic Hughes as its new chief scientific officer. Hughes will collaborate with AGBO’s in-house teams to enhance the company's AI capabilities to support the creative process. AGBO, founded by Anthony and Joe Russo, is known for directing some of Hollywood's highest-grossing films, including 'Avengers: Infinity War' and 'Avengers: Endgame.' The Russo Brothers emphasized their commitment to a creative-led approach to technology and innovation. They stated that Hughes would work closely with writers, directors, crew members, and technologists to explore new ways to empower artists in telling their most ambitious stories. Hughes, who holds a Ph.D. from Oxford and has expertise in algorithms, machine learning, and AI, previously led Apple News after his audio news app, Swell, was acquired by Apple in 2014. Hughes expressed his excitement about partnering with creative visionaries to develop the next generation of filmmaking technology. He highlighted AGBO’s history of adopting advanced filmmaking techniques, positioning the company well for future discoveries. His appointment comes amid ongoing industry discussions about AI’s role in Hollywood. The Writers Guild of America (WGA) union members have expressed concerns about AI potentially replacing writers, following a 2023 strike where the technology was a central issue. WGA member and screenwriter Jamarcus Turner noted that while there are contractual protections against some uses of AI, there is no prohibition on studying these technologies. Turner, who has written for CBS's 'Bob Hearts Abishola' and served as a captain during the strikes, believes studios are preparing for future negotiations with the Writers’ Union. He suggested that studios will continue their research into AI until the next contract negotiations, aiming to be at the forefront of this practice once it is permitted.