Hollywood's New AI Classroom

Hollywood is changing fast. AI is taking over, and people are feeling the heat. Michael Eng, a visual effects pro, found himself out of a job. He saw a problem: he didn't know AI. So, he turned to Curious Refuge, an online school teaching filmmaking with AI. Curious Refuge is like a lifeline for Hollywood workers. It helps them learn new skills to keep up with AI. The school has taught 10, 000 students so far. Most of them are already in the entertainment or advertising world. They want to stay relevant as AI changes everything. AI is scary for some. Remember Tilly Norwood? She's an AI-generated actress. The actors' union wasn't happy. They said AI is replacing real people. But others see AI as a chance. Like Petra Molnar. She was a dental hygienist. Now, she's making ads with AI. She even made a video for a company that played on a huge screen in Times Square.Curious Refuge started in 2020. Now, it teaches in 11 languages to students in 170 countries. It's not the only one. Other schools are also adding AI to their classes. But Curious Refuge is different. It's online, flexible, and global. AI is changing jobs in Hollywood. A study says nearly 120, 000 jobs could be lost by the end of this year. But some see a silver lining. AI might create new jobs too. It might even help new storytellers emerge. Curious Refuge is now owned by Promise, an AI entertainment studio. Promise sees the school as a way to find new talent. Hollywood is waking up to AI. And the race for AI-savvy artists is on.