Latest news with #Pika
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Tokyo E-Prix 2025: Nico Mueller, David Beckmann unleash Pikachu power in Japan, go-kart on streets — watch videos
Image credit: Instagram Andretti driver Nico Mueller and Cupra Kiro driver David Beckmann tried go-karting in the streets of Japan before hitting the track for the Tokyo E-Prix. The Formula E drivers dressed up in bright yellow Pikachu costumes and had a blast racing on the streets in go-karts. The videos of them go-karting as Pikachus are enough to hint at how much fun the two are having in Japan. Nico Mueller, David Beckmann have some fun in Tokyo The video of Nico Mueller and David Beckmann go-karting in Japan was shared by Andretti on Instagram. The video was shared with the caption: 'Unleashing Pika power on the streets of Tokyo.' The Instagram account of FIA dropped a comment on the post, 'Serving looks @ @david_beckmann.' Fans loved the funny video, as the two Formula E drivers looked hilarious in their Pikachu costumes. A fan came up with a new name for Nico Mueller, writing, 'Nicachu looks cute there.' Another said, 'Petition to make Tokyo a triple header, 2 E-Prixs and this Pikachu go-kart street race.' One more commented, 'Not blending in with the crowd as well this week, Nico.' Another video featuring Nico alone was shared by Andretti with the caption: 'Nico Mueller core.' It shows Mueller doing funny gimmicks while go-karting. A fan commented on the video, 'It's Nico's world and we're just living in it.' Beckmann also shared pictures from the go-karting session on Instagram and wrote, 'Tokyo unlocked a wild Pikachu.' Dan Ticktum asked in the comments section, 'Is that gen4?' Beckmann responded to him saying, 'yea, we were lucky testing the prototype.' Mueller is currently in 14th position in the Formula E Driver Standings. Beckmann is in last place on the list. The drivers will now be taking part in the Round 8 and Round 9 Formula E races on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. Also Read: Tokyo E-Prix 2025: Norman Nato tops First Free Practice, Taylor Barnard suffers a crash This is the second season of the Tokyo E-Prix. The Gen3 Evo cars will be racing at the Tokyo Street Circuit in the Tokyo double-header. The Formula E season has many more races to go until the 2025 season comes to an end in July.
Mint
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Mint
Smalltown content creators can now play in the big leagues. All they need is AI.
Smalltown content creators without access to fancy equipment or studios are finding they can level up with their fully equipped big city rivals simply by using the right artificial intelligence tools. Pocket FM, Kuku FM and other similar platforms streaming user-generated content are going beyond their role as distributors to equip creators with tools to write crisper narratives, polish their audio and video, and help their posts appear more professional so as to lure paying customers. 'We are building custom GPT's (generative pre-trained transformers) to put current and past data together to decide which ad or stories will perform better or what our consumers will prefer," said a spokesperson for Kuku FM, an audio entertainment platform. 'We use AI for generating scripts, thumb stops, etc., and then the GPT tells us what will work and what won't." Kuku FM's AI model also helps content creators increase their output 'by five times, which means we can test more stories, scripts, concepts, or ideas," the spokesperson added. Essentially, AI opens up opportunities for creators who may not have access to professional tools such as recording studios, said Dipankar Mukherjee, co-founder, StudioBlo, an AI-powered content studio. StudioBlo works with filmmakers, brands, musicians and others to create content using AI. It recently launched a music video starring actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who sang for the video but didn't have to shoot for it as his images were generated by AI. The video has so far attracted more than 500,000 views on YouTube. To be sure, several AI platforms offer only a few basic features for free, requiring users to pay for more advanced tools. Besides, while AI can help improve production quality and output, content creators still need to work on the storytelling and audience engagement. Also read | These small towns are turning into growth engines for live events How Dhananjay Bhosale uses AI Dhananjay Bhosale, who posts content on technology-related hacks and tips on Instagram and YouTube, is seeing a massive shift in how content is being created, chiefly because of how AI is being integrated across the workflow. 'In my own work, we have started building smart, semi-automated pipelines that cut down repetitive tasks. That frees up time and budget to work on more projects, which means more opportunities for editors, illustrators, sound designers, and collaborators across the board," said Bhosale, who has nearly 620,000 followers on Instagram and more than 450,000 on YouTube. 'What used to take a full team and days of effort can now often be done by a single creator using AI tools. Whether it's writing scripts, doing voice overs, editing, or even animation and VFX (visual effects)—AI is speeding up the process across the board." Bhosale added that media and entertainment companies are building content workflows around tools like ChatGPT for ideation, Pika and Runway for video creation, and ElevenLabs for realistic voiceovers. 'These tools don't just save time, they have made it possible for people who have never used professional software to jump in and create studio-level content," Bhosale added. 'We are at a point where it's less about having expensive gear or a big production crew and more about having an idea and knowing how to use the right tools to bring it to life." Also read | The rise of Hollywood-style cinematic universes in southern films Not just a streaming platform With AI being integrated into content creations, new-age media and entertainment companies are evolving so they are no longer just content distributors but also enablers for a whole new generation of creators. Pocket Entertainment, which runs audio streaming platform Pocket FM, has partnered with ElevenLabs to launch a feature called AI Audio Series, which lets writers turn their text stories into high-quality audio with custom voices and background music. 'On Pocket Toons (the company's webcomics app), we have introduced Blaze!, our AI-powered comic studio, which helps writers turn their scripts into professional-quality comics in minutes. It handles everything from illustration to styling, allowing creators to focus on storytelling," said Prateek Dixit, co-founder and chief technology officer. 'We are also building advanced AI tools to adapt stories for different languages and cultures, ensuring that each version feels authentic to local audiences," he added. Munish Vaid, vice-president, Primus Partners, a management consultancy, said there has been a surge in demand for AI-generated special effects, characters, and set designs—which can drastically reduce production costs while enhancing visual richness. Production budgets can be slashed by 30-40% by using AI to generate visuals instead of traveling to locations or employing foreign crew for shoots, Industry experts said. But while AI tools are easily accessible, studios still need adequately trained designers and professionals to supervise and control use. As a result, according to the experts, the industry is seeing a rise in demand for AI editors, prompt engineers, voice coaches, and localisation experts. Also read | OTT Platforms Pivot: Short, sweet shows slowly replacing long, dark dramas The rise of smalltown studios Content studios are also emerging across tier-two and tier-three towns, where creators are tapping into local stories and leveraging AI to go national or global. Actor Ajay Devgn and filmmaker Dil Raju recently announced AI ventures, which could also open up opportunities for smalltown professionals to find work in the film and entertainment industry. Rahul Regulapati, founder, Galleri5, a platform for AI-powered marketing solutions, said the quality of content has improved significantly with AI, reducing barriers for the creator economy that earlier struggled with no access to professional infrastructure, including studios. 'With AI, content creation has become more accessible. Even individuals without formal training can now deliver affordable and efficient services," said Chandrashekhar Mantha, partner, media and entertainment sector leader, Deloitte India. 'New-age media and entertainment companies are embracing AI across every stage of the content lifecycle—ideation, creation, editing, and marketing," Mantha added. 'The growing suite of AI tools is making it possible to produce content faster, at lower costs, and with higher production quality." Also read | Why star-powered movies have OTT handprints all over them
India Today
24-04-2025
- Business
- India Today
Adobe launches revamped Firefly app to create AI images and videos
Adobe has introduced a redesigned version of Firefly app at its MAX London creativity conference. According to the company, the app will serve as an all-in-one platform for users to generate images, videos, audio, and vector graphics using artificial intelligence. The company says that the Firefly app will now use Firefly Image Model 4 and Image Model 4 Ultra, as well as third-party AI models like Gemini and the core of the new Firefly app are Adobe's updated AI models, Firefly Image Model 4 and Image Model 4 Ultra. The company says that the new models can generate images based on prompts, offering enhanced realism, lighting, detail, and image structure. These AI models also support 2K resolution and allow users greater control over elements such as zoom, perspective, and major update to the Firefly app is the Firefly Video Model, which is now widely available. This AI-powered model has the ability to generate 1080p video content based on text prompts or reference images. It includes tools to adjust motion, camera settings, and even specific start and end frames, offering users more options for how they want AI to generate videos based on their ideas. Another new feature that the Firefly app is introducing is Text-to-Vector, a feature powered by Adobe's Vector Model. It will let users leverage AI to create vector graphics, such as icons, logos, and patterns, directly from text access to other AI models, Adobe has revealed that Firefly can now use third-party AI models. This means users can generate content using models developed by OpenAI, Google Cloud (Imagen 3 and Veo 2), and Flux, with more providers such as Pika, Luma, and Runway set to be added later. Adobe says it has included Content Credentials with each output, indicating which model created it, in line with efforts to help maintain transparency in AI-generated Firefly new app availabilityThe revamped Adobe Firefly app is now available globally as a web app and is integrated across major Creative Cloud tools like Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Express. The new Firefly Image Model 4, Image Model 4 Ultra, and the Firefly Video Model are also generally available, says the Boards introduced Meanwhile, Adobe has also introduced Firefly Boards. The feature is now available in public beta. Adobe says this feature functions like a digital mood board, allowing users to generate visual ideas quickly, explore different concepts side-by-side, and organise them into collections for review or collaboration. The idea is, probably, to take a stab at what Canva from Firefly, Adobe at MAX London announced updates to its other apps as well. The updates include new pattern generation tools in Illustrator, a refined background removal option in Photoshop, and a smarter search features in Premiere Pro.
