Los Angeles, Ca
Justine Bateman sounds the alarm over AI use in Hollywood
Hollywood has taken notice of a tweet thread from Justine Bateman, where she says, among other things, that studios are poised to use Artificial Intelligence to fully replace writers, actors, and more.
Bateman explained that the ongoing Writers Guild of America strike and negotiations have never been more critical.
Her knowledge on the topic is expansive as she has a degree in Computer Science from UCLA.
“It’s basically an algorithm,” she explained to KTLA 5’s Sam Rubin. “It’s more complex than what I’m going to describe. Basically, you just feed it a lot of information, like if you like Waze, you feed it all the maps, you feed it all the real-time traffic, and then you give it a task, ‘take me from spot A to spot B in the shortest amount of time’ and it delivers that task based on all the material you’ve given it.”
The “Face: One Square Foot of Skin” author then broke down just how this would impact the industry.
“The really kind of harsh reality of AI in the entertainment business is it’s trained on all of our past work, all of our scripts, our films, all these actors, performances, all of this, so it’s a regurgitation. It’s an amalgamation,” she said. “You give it a task, and it spits out some new product based on all of our past work.”
This segment aired on the KTLA 5 Morning News on May 15, 2023.
Bateman said she has the Copyright Office involved as this is “a massive infringement, the size of which we’ve never seen before.”
She’s also warned SAG actors to have “iron-clad protection against the AI” of their “image and voice” and to “demand it from SAG-AFTRA” and to “not accept any AMPTP (Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers) proposal that does not have it.”
When Sam asked her if this was even a possibility, she said the AMPTP refuses “to engage with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) at all, which she said is “extremely troubling.”
“That I think is the absolute problem,” Bateman said.
While the WGA and AMPTP go head-to-head on negotiations, Bateman warns that those within SAG-AFTRA need to pay attention as the union, along with the Directors Guild, are set to speak with the AMPTP.
“If the Directors Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild can’t get restrictions on AI, I don’t personally believe that there’s any other choice but to strike, because them saying, ‘we’re not going to even talk to you about AI,’ means they are not only going to use it, but they’re already planning on using it.”
When Batemen, the former “Family Ties” star who has transitioned to writing, producing, and directing, served on the SAG-AFTRA negotiating committee during the last strike 15 years ago, the thought of making money off of video on the internet seemed impossible. However, she had the foresight to make sure the union “had some real estate in that area.”
She’s glad that decision was made back then, seeing how profitable streaming has become and how it remains a point of contention within the WGA-AMPTP negotiations.
“The streamers are the most profitable. They’re some of the biggest companies in the world, not in entertainment, in the world. For them to not restrict AI and to not give a share of the billions and billions of dollars they’re making off of the work of the writers, the crew, the directors, the actors is obscene,” she exclaimed.
Right now, some actors and voice actors are being asked to “sign away the rights to future use of their image and voice,” Bateman said. With that being said, some actors are voluntarily doing it so an agent can book them more for voiceover gigs.
The writers’ strike has entered its third week with no sign of ending soon.
When it comes down to it, Bateman explained that AI is just being used for “human greed.”
“It’s replacing human expression,” she said. “I’m saying that’s ridiculous. We don’t need to replace human expression. With AI. There’s not a problem that needs to be solved.”
The FBI is searching for a man wanted in connection with a deadly shooting in Los Angeles County.
The suspect was identified as Cesar Villarreal, 46, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
He is known by aliases including “Moreno,” “Rat,” “Black Boy,” “Little Black Boy,” Cesar Garcia and Cesar Moreno. He is a “convicted felon and known gang member,” authorities said.
On May 21, 2010, Villarreal was at a store with his two young daughters when he began arguing with two men.
During the confrontation, Villarreal allegedly pointed his gun at the men who eventually left the store. Shortly after as Villarreal was driving his pickup truck without his daughters, he spotted the men a short distance from the store.
That’s when he allegedly shot the pair, leaving one man dead and the other injured, authorities said.
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Cesar Villarreal, 46, is a fugitive wanted by the FBI for a deadly 2010 shooting in Los Angeles County. (Federal Bureau of Investigation) -
Cesar Villarreal has a tattoo of red lips and the word “Ofelia” on his left chest. He is fully tattooed from above his right chest and around to his back along with his left and right legs below the knees. (Federal Bureau of Investigation) -
Obdulia Medina is the suspect’s longtime companion and may be with him, along with their two daughters. (Federal Bureau of Investigation) -
Cesar Villarreal, 46, is a fugitive wanted by the FBI for a deadly 2010 shooting in Los Angeles County. (Federal Bureau of Investigation) -
Cesar Villarreal, 46, is a fugitive wanted by the FBI for a deadly 2010 shooting in Los Angeles County. (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Villarreal fled the scene and has remained on the run since. He is believed to be living in Mexico, according to detectives. He has previously lived in Baldwin Park and may have ties to Oregon.
He may also be in the company of his longtime companion, Obdulia Medina, who is not a fugitive, the FBI noted.
They may be accompanied by Medina’s daughter, Aileen Cecille Rey Diaz, 23. Villarreal and Medina also have a daughter together, Ahtziri Citlalli Villarreal-Medina, 17, who may also be with them.
Villarreal is described as a Hispanic man around 5 feet 6 to 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing 160 to 165 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
He has scars on his back and left ankle. He has a tattoo of red lips and the word “Ofelia” on his left chest. He is fully tattooed from above his right chest and around to his back along with his left and right legs below the knees.
His last known occupation was a concrete mason and cement finisher.
Villarreal was charged with murder by the L.A. County Superior Court and a state warrant was issued for his arrest on June 11, 2010.
A federal arrest warrant was issued by the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California on August 27, 2010, after he was charged with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Other charges he is wanted for include attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon.
The FBI is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the suspect’s arrest. He should also be considered “armed and extremely dangerous.”
Anyone who knows Villarreal’s whereabouts or has information on the case is asked to contact a local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate.
The Los Angeles Police Department is searching for the suspect in a fatal hit-and-run that killed a man who was on a bicycle.
The incident occurred around 8:05 p.m. Friday near the area of Woodley Avenue, south of Victory Boulevard in Van Nuys.
Authorities say a silver SUV was speeding southbound on Woodley Avenue when it collided with the victim, who was thrown from his bicycle and onto the road.
The silver vehicle failed to stop at the scene and was last seen continuing southbound on Woodley Avenue towards Burbank Boulevard.
LAPD says the victim is a man in his early 40s. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Valley Traffic Division,
Investigator Hansen at 818-644-8115 or Reyes at 818-644-8022.
Los Angeles saw a record number of traffic fatalities in 2023, and 2024 is off to a troubling start, according to data compiled by Crosstown L.A.
Based on publicly available police reports, the nonprofit news outlet found there were 343 traffic deaths in 2023, the third consecutive year of increases, and 77 deaths through the first three months of 2024.
Hit-and-run deaths in L.A. have nearly doubled in recent years, the data shows, from 56 in 2020 to 108 in 2023. Through April 6, there have been 31 fatal hit-and-runs in the city.
Los Angeles, Ca
Guns, firearm manufacturing machinery and large magazines seized in Riverside County
Gang Task Force Officers with the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office seized guns, firearm manufacturing equipment and other illegal gun-related items in a Beaumont search on Thursday, according to authorities.
Authorities served a search warrant on the 300 block of 12th Street at 9 a.m. Thursday.
According to the sheriff’s department, the following were seized during the search:
- 17 firearms
- Various firearm components in varying stages of assembly
- Firearm manufacturing machinery
- Several firearm suppressors
- 4 Ballistic plate carrier vests with steel ballistic plates
- Ballistic helmets
- Numerous large-capacity magazines
- Tens of thousands of rounds of varying caliber ammunition
Two Beaumont residents, Ronald Partain Jr, 54, and Michael Ortega, 46 were arrested on suspicion of various weapons-related charges and booked into the Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility. Both men are convicted felons and are legally barred from owning any firearms.
Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Deputy Cooley with the Riverside County Gang Task Force, Region 2, at 951-766-2553.
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