AI's Big Year in Pop Culture: 2025's Shocking Changes

In 2025, AI shook up pop culture in ways no one saw coming. From movies to music, AI's impact was everywhere. First, there was a big stir in Hollywood. The movie "The Brutalist" used AI to tweak the actors' accents. Some people were upset, but others thought it was no different from other special effects. The Oscars even had to clarify their rules about AI. They said it didn't help or hurt a movie's chances. Music also felt the AI wave. A band called Velvet Sundown became popular, but it turned out they were AI-generated. This made people wonder if music platforms should tell listeners when songs are made by AI. Spotify said they were working on it. But AI music kept climbing the charts. Even big names like Timbaland jumped in, introducing an AI pop singer. Then there was the big "Wizard of Oz" show in Las Vegas. It used AI to make the classic movie feel new. Some loved it, others thought classics should stay as they are. But the debate didn't stop there.Podcasts got a tech boost too. AI could now mimic hosts' voices, even translating episodes into other languages. But some hosts and listeners weren't happy. They said it took away the personal touch that makes podcasts special. And let's not forget the deepfakes. AI brought back dead celebrities in videos, causing a stir. Zelda Williams, Robin Williams' daughter, spoke out against it. She said it was disrespectful to use her father's image like that. Hollywood also had to face AI actors. Tilly Norwood, an AI-generated actress, sparked fears about job losses. But her creator said she was just another way to tell stories. The acting union wasn't convinced. Some big directors spoke up too. Guillermo del Toro said he'd never use AI. James Cameron said he didn't use it in his "Avatar" movies. But Disney took a different path. They teamed up with OpenAI, letting users make videos with Disney characters.