## Creative Industries Face Big Changes from AI This Week

This week brought exciting and important news about how artificial intelligence is changing the creative world. From video makers to musicians to game designers, everyone is discovering new ways AI can help them work faster and better. But there are also big questions about whether AI will treat creative workers fairly.

## New AI Tools Make Video Creation Easier

On December 18th, two big companies - Adobe and Runway - announced they are working together. Adobe makes popular programs that video creators and designers use every day. Runway is a company that builds AI tools for making videos. By joining forces, they are making it easier for anyone to create professional-looking videos using AI. The partnership means Adobe users will get to try new AI video features before anyone else. This is important because video creation takes a lot of time and skill. With AI helpers, creators can make videos much faster, which means they can share more stories with the world.

## AI Agents Learn to Do More Complex Work

One of the coolest developments this week involves AI agents - computer helpers that can do multiple tasks without being told exactly what to do each time. Zoom, the company people use for video meetings, released a new version of its AI Companion that does much more than before. The old version just wrote down what people said in meetings. The new version, called AI Companion 3.0, can now look at websites, connect to other programs, and help people automate their work. This means creative workers can spend less time on boring paperwork and more time on actual creative work.

Google also improved its Gemini Deep Research tool, making it work better for people who need to find information quickly. And a company called IBM released an open-source AI agent called CUGA that can complete complex business tasks. These agents show that AI is becoming smarter at understanding what people really need.

## Disney Makes Historic Deal with OpenAI

One of the biggest news stories this week was Disney's announcement of a $1 billion investment in OpenAI. Disney agreed to let OpenAI use 200 of its famous characters like Mickey Mouse and Elsa for AI tools. This is historic because Disney is one of the oldest and most respected companies in entertainment. The deal shows that major companies believe AI is the future of entertainment. However, unions that represent actors and writers immediately protested, saying the deal did not include them in important decisions. This raises a key question: will AI be used to help human creators, or to replace them?

## Governments Step In to Protect Creators

Governments around the world are waking up to the importance of AI and creative work. In the United Kingdom, a recent survey found that 95% of creative workers want the government to protect their work from AI companies training on their creations without permission. This is a huge percentage, showing that almost everyone in the creative industries worries about AI.

The Australian government released its national AI plan this month. The plan focuses on making Australia better at using AI technology and training workers for AI jobs. However, some creative workers are disappointed because the plan does not say much about protecting copyright - which is the law that says artists own their own work. Without strong copyright protection, AI companies might use artists' work to train their systems without paying them or asking permission.

## Smaller Companies Struggle with AI Decisions

Not all creative companies are excited about AI yet. A research report from the University of South Australia showed that some video game companies are worried about using AI. They think AI systems are like "black boxes" - meaning nobody really understands how they work or why they make mistakes. These companies worry that AI might create problems they cannot control. However, they also know that companies using AI might produce work faster and cheaper, which puts pressure on everyone to use AI tools.

## Looking Forward

This week's news shows that AI is becoming a major part of the creative industries. New tools are making work easier and faster. Big companies are racing to control AI's future. And governments are starting to protect creative workers. The key challenge ahead is making sure AI helps human creators instead of replacing them.