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Developments in AI have skyrocketed over the past year, moving faster than expected and recent advances causing concern for governments. Using generative AI, you can now create realistic movies with just a little content and a few prompts. But this has far-reaching implications beyond the movies. The entire entertainment industry may be moving into a new era where robots take over as hosts, drones manage fireworks shows, and robots conduct orchestras.
Until recently, robots were not able to interact with humans on a regular basis. At the very least, I couldn't interact with humans in a way that people would appreciate, let alone tolerate, at a live event. Now everything has changed. The MSG Sphere in Las Vegas is certainly proof of that. The music and entertainment venue has introduced an army of Aura robots to assist with a variety of tasks, including the complex ones, such as giving directions, entertaining guests, and participating in conversations.
While not as immersive as Sphere, so-called “drone soccer” debuted at a recent CES event, taking the technology to a new level. In this iteration of the game, players no longer participate in the field. Drones will fly instead. His one player from each team acts as a striker and tries to score points by flying the drone past the circular goal posts. What this means for the future of the sport is still up for debate, but it certainly opens up new channels of entertainment. People can participate in the games rather than just watching them.
New areas of tourism are also emerging. For example, NatureEye is exploring the idea of immersive drone flights to take tourists to destinations around the world. And while there's nothing better than visiting exotic locations in person, for those who don't have the time, money, or ability to travel, here's an opportunity to travel to these destinations without technology.
What to expect in the coming years
Advances in technology continue to revolutionize what is possible in nearly every industry. Having been involved in these changes in the world of events and entertainment, I can say with certainty that there will be many more changes to come. When artists and technologists innovate and collaborate, the possibilities are endless. However, something like this could be a further foray into performance-based art.
1. Robotics is likely to take the stage.
For small businesses and entertainment groups, using robots at live events remains cost-prohibitive. But as the technology expands and improves, it will undoubtedly become much more affordable. We expect to see more companies renting out robots to host large-scale events, even if they don't have to perform on stage. In fact, live entertainment giant Cirque du Soleil is currently developing a new show featuring robot performers.
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2. The use of drones will continue to grow.
Drones have already been introduced to many Independence Day celebrations, with traditional fireworks displays being replaced by UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) displays in cities across the country. It's entirely possible that these shows will become grander, more sophisticated, and more intimate. Rumor has it that Disney will add a drone show to the nighttime show at its Anaheim theme park, similar to what it does at Disneyland Paris. Perhaps others will follow suit.
3. Emergence of new entertainment genres.
While technology is unlikely to replace existing entertainment and sporting events, it presents an opportunity for companies to participate in new areas before they take off. Who would have imagined that video games would become a spectator sport? But their popularity is rapidly increasing, with last year's League of Legends World Championship reaching a peak of 6.4 million viewers. . The same can happen with both drones and robotics. Drone soccer is one example, with filming locations popping up across the United States.
4. Employment stability becomes an issue.
AI will impact the job security of existing human entertainers, but it may not be as dire as it seems. Google made headlines in December for laying off tens of thousands of employees whose jobs were deemed unnecessary thanks to generative AI. And that's just Google. Goldman Sachs estimates that AI could soon eliminate up to 300 million jobs worldwide. However, most of these jobs will be in white-collar sectors and will focus on more mundane and repetitive tasks. While watching robots dance is novel, it's a long way from humans wanting to see their favorite acts replaced by robots. Honestly, should people praise machines?
5. Companies will be left behind if they lose their competitive edge.
As drone shows and immersive robotics experiences become more the norm, failure to incorporate the technology into events could lead to a loss of market share. However, there is one caveat. Simply copying what others are doing in this field will not benefit your company. Instead, it's important to monitor feedback to see if the technology attracts the public to your event.
Rapid advances in AI, robotics, and drone technology are changing the face of industry around the world, and will continue to do so for some time. The way artists, performers, and venues leverage available technology will certainly change. It's all a matter of understanding what's possible and what it makes sense for the audience that frequents the event.