Amazon’s Entertainment Business Has Multiple Generative AI Initiatives Underway, CEO Says

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The private-equity firm that owns MindGeek — which operates a massive network of adult entertainment properties, including Pornhub — has shed the company’s old name and, it hopes, some of the baggage that came with it. “The decision to rebrand the company as Aylo comes in response to the need for a fresh start and a renewed commitment to innovation, diverse and inclusive adult content, and trust and safety,” the Montreal-based company said in an Aug.

Todd Chrisley may not be able to show it, but he's ecstatic about the family getting another shot at a reality TV show.According to, Todd's attorney, Jay Surgent, said Todd is «thrilled and happy» that the family business is back up and running. The outlet reports Todd will not be part of the show, which started filming after Todd and his wife, Julie, were sentenced to a combined 19-year prison sentence following their conviction in their federal tax evasion case.Earlier this week, Savannah Chrisley's rep confirmed to ET that a new docuseries about her family is in the works.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The price of Amazon Music is increasing for Prime members — following price hikes by Apple Music, Spotify and YouTube Music. As of Sept. 19, the price of the Amazon Music Unlimited individual plan will increase from $8.99 to $9.99/month, which is still one dollar less than the comparable plan for non-Prime members (which increased to $10.99/month this February).

Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment, whose $375 million acquisition of Redbox closed about a year ago, delivered second-quarter financial results reflecting the company’s struggle to fully digest the deal.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Zoom changed its terms of service to say that it won’t use any customer content — at all — in training generative artificial intelligence models. The update, which the videoconference company announced Friday, comes after observers raised the alarm about a recent change in Zoom’s TOS that appeared to grant the company royalty-free rights in perpetuity for customer video calls and presentations for the purposes of training AI models.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Box office hit “Lost in the Stars” was a contributor to the April to June profits recorded by Chinese tech giant Alibaba’s digital media and entertainment division. The division, which spans streaming, ticketing, film production and distribution and web browser, recorded earnings before interest, taxation and amortization (EBITA) of $9 million (RMB63 million). That follows many years of losses, including $126 million (RMB907 million) of EBITA losses in the equivalent quarter last year.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Disney is coming for the streaming password-sharing freeloaders. Taking a page from Netflix’s playbook, Disney chief Bob Iger announced that the media conglomerate has put a priority on finding ways to convert password-borrowing users into paying customers.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Dave Portnoy had said he had bought Barstool Sports, the brash sports and pop-culture media company, for “pennies on the dollar” from Penn Entertainment. In fact, Portnoy paid 100 pennies for Barstool.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor A recent change to Zoom’s terms of service pertaining to AI set off alarm bells in Hollywood and the tech world — with some interpreting the videoconferencing provider’s update as granting the company royalty-free rights in perpetuity for customer video calls and presentations for the purposes of training AI models. In response, Zoom said it doesn’t use any customer audio, video or chat content for training AI without consent.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor The possibility of Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk squaring off in an MMA cage match is just a joke. Right? Over the weekend, the braggadocio continued apace between two of the world’s richest men about a physical fight — probably in jest, but possibly not.

Amazon cruised past Wall Street estimates in the second quarter, swinging from a loss in the year-ago period to better-than-expected profits.

The success of Barbie has seen toy company Mattel plot a new slate of movies based on its products.

Marcus Corp. CEO Greg Marcus insisted today that dual Hollywood strikes are nowhere near as threatening to exhibition as Covid was amid hand-wringing that a second massive hit to movie theaters is unfolding.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Elon Musk has taken legal aim at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, an independent research nonprofit group, over the organization’s findings that since the multibillionaire acquired Twitter (now called X) hate, racism and disinformation on the social platform has substantially increased. “Musk and his legal team, led by attorney Alex Spiro at Quinn Emanuel, have engaged in an aggressive campaign to intimidate, bully, and silence CCDH,” the organization said in a statement released Monday.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Lauren Tempest, an eight-year Hulu veteran, has been appointed general manager of the Disney-controlled streamer, assuming business responsibility for the streaming service, effective immediately. Tempest takes over the leadership spot at Hulu after Joe Earley, formerly Hulu’s president, was promoted to president of direct-to-consumer, Disney Entertainment this spring.

Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz said last weekend’s blockbuster release of Barbie – the toymaker’s first-ever major theatrical film – is a moment that “will be remembered as a key milestone in our company’s history.” His comments came amid second-quarter numbers in line with Wall Street forecasts.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor Meta turned in a healthy 11% uptick in revenue for the second quarter of 2023, topping Wall Street expectations and signaling the social giant’s ad business is recovering after last year’s doldrums. The parent company of Facebook and Instagram posted revenue of $32.0 billion and net profit of $7.79 billion ($2.98 per share), up 16%. On average, analysts expected revenue of $31.12 billion and earnings per share of $2.91, according to Refinitiv data.

Imax blew past Wall Street forecasts with sales up 32% at $98 million for the second quarter ended in June. Adjusted EPS was 26 cents a share – up 271%.

It sounds like Todd Chrisley and his wife Julie Chrisley are both going through it right now in their respective prisons.

It is apparently more than just a hard knock life for Todd and Julie Chrisley, who are currently serving prison sentences for bank fraud and tax evasion. Two of the couple's children, Savannah and Chase, are admonishing the living conditions in which their parents find themselves in - deeming the environment "a nightmare." "They both have no air. No air conditioning … They're both in states where it gets 100+ degrees.