Did you catch this month’s headlines in tech and the arts? Advancements in technology make new opportunities for creators and consumers alike. Policy to support transparency in device repair and use of AI may help users make informed decisions. Meanwhile, a landmark Google antitrust ruling supports competition in the search engine market.
Consumer Habits and Wants in AR, VR and the Metaverse
Researchers conducted surveys and industry expert interviews to understand current and future consumer demand for AR, VR and Metaverse entertainment options. The survey indicated that consumers were most interested in using AR and VR to enhance experiences in concerts, educational content, and gaming. Respondents also indicated that they were interested in joining the metaverse to participate in social experiences and to attend live music events. The research unveiled generational differences, emerging opportunities, and trends to follow to best meet consumer demands.
The Potential Market for AR, VR and the Metaverse
Even though VR, AR, and the metaverse are already a growing part of the consumer
marketplace, it is still important to define these relatively new technologies since they are not yet
mainstream. VR technology enables users to immerse themselves in and “interact with a
computer-generated environment, a simulation of the real world or an imaginary world” (Akbari
et al, 2022). In contrast, AR technology incorporates digital elements or objects into the real-
world environment in real-time (Akbari et al, 2022). The VR market is expected to generate a
global revenue of $20.8 billion, and the AR market is projected to grow to $31.3 billion by 2027
(Statista, 2022a). The market projections indicate the potential growth and opportunities in these
immersive technologies.
Survey Results: Audiences and Generative AI and the Comic Book Industry
Studies focused on the “artistic” aspects of generative AI reveal negative bias, and a preference for human creations. None of these studies, however, account for the multimodality of comic books: text and image. Is a human-written story a mitigating factor for readers? Is it feasible for writers to become “AI comic book artists" or will consumers drive AI imagery out of the market altogether? Given the multitude of information making it difficult to discern how comic book consumers perceive AI imagery, the following provides first-person research by generating an AI comic and conducting a survey on unsuspecting comic book customers.
Generative AI Text-to-Image: Artist, Audience and the Comic Book Industry
As little as ten years ago, the capabilities of image generators were mere fantasy. Now, images can be made in seconds or minutes and children’s books can be generated in an hour, but how will this impact an industry where the art is at the forefront of consumers' minds? Comics, whether they be digital or print, have been heavily dependent on individual or small groups of artists to weave together stories. The ease of using AI to replicate that work may not be simple.
The Impact of Prestige TV on Streaming Television's Storytelling and Execution
he current era of television feels most like the decade preceding ‘New Hollywood’ in the 1970s, the fall of big budget movie musicals and an industry wide scramble to find out what comes next. Television is in some ways returning to the old model with commercial breaks and digital bundles, but television as a medium and an industry has been forever changed by the birth of prestige television. The lessons that are learned from this time will likely dictate the next fifty years of American television.
DAF Punks Part Two: Beyond Simple Giving, A New Model for DAFs
With little success in larger-scale government oversight so far, it begs the question: how is the marketplace for DAFs changing and innovating in the response to these singularizing criticisms? Is the market listening and self-correcting as a way to preempt such legislation? Given the broad variety of DAF sponsor organizations, it is evident that the field, while large, is not a monolith and deserves to be measured at its innovative margins. Newer sponsors have revealed themselves to be particularly aware of the controversies yet remain focused on the opportunities these accounts provide and are demonstrating new approaches to DAF sponsorship aimed at greater payout rates and democratization of their platforms.
DAF Punks Part One: How Tech-Fueled Disruptors are Reshaping the Role of Donor Advised Funds
While institutional philanthropy is in a boom-time, foundations have not monopolized such growth. The renewed interest in donor advised funds (DAF) since the pandemic has triggered meteoric growth in the amount of assets stored in DAFs, with recent figures showing over $229 billion stored across 2 million DAF accounts, receiving roughly $86 billion in annual contributions, and granting nearly $52 billion in 2022.
TikTok — to Ban or Not to Ban
As previously foreshadowed by Samantha in an article written in July of 2023, TikTok: Opportunity and Risk, TikTok has been under a microscope from governments across the globe for quite awhile. The analysis provided in her article is still relevant today given the recent vote to ban TikTok, and the United States House moving forward to force Chinese state-owned TikTok company ByteDance to sell their ownership of the U.S. version of TikTok, or lose access to the United States TikTok market. To fully understand the situation, this article will recap TikTok’s controversial Privacy Policy and the 2023 testimonies, and also discuss the current governmental situation surrounding the ban.
Digital Strategy: Not Optional Anymore
Digital strategy has become a buzzword after the explosion of AI in the last 18 months. Yet, it is not about AI. AI has been the tipping point for organizations and professionals to recognize that they must update or create a digital strategy for success. Digitally-forward arts organizations already have a digital component as part of their strategic plan. Read more to understand the need for technology to be a core component of strategic plans and operations.