June 7, 2025

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AI Film, Security, DeepSeek R1 and Granola App

Recent developments in AI span across various sectors, from film to security and residential living. The Runway AI Film Festival in New York showcased AI's growing role in filmmaking, with submissions increasing significantly since 2023. Jacob Alder's "Total Pixel Space" won the top prize. Databricks and Noma Security are partnering to enhance AI security for businesses, particularly during the inference stage, while Microsoft's Azure AI Content Safety introduced Prompt Shields to defend against prompt injection attacks. Meta is focusing on AI-driven ad creation and exploring VR applications in Hollywood. X has restricted AI training on user posts, potentially opening avenues for data licensing. The EU might delay parts of its AI Act due to pending guidelines. Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami will integrate AI to enhance residents' living experiences. DeepSeek updated its R1 AI model, offering improved performance at a lower cost, though the launch received little attention. Granola, an AI note-taking app, was reviewed, highlighting its strengths and the critical omission of audio recording.

Key Takeaways

  • Runway's AI Film Festival highlighted the increasing use of AI in filmmaking, with Jacob Alder winning for "Total Pixel Space."
  • Databricks and Noma Security are collaborating to improve AI security and governance for businesses, including real-time threat analysis.
  • X has updated its terms to prevent AI models from being trained using content from its platform.
  • Azure AI Content Safety now features Prompt Shields to protect against prompt injection attacks.
  • The EU may delay parts of the AI Act due to pending guidelines.
  • Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami will use AI to create an immersive living experience for residents.
  • Meta is automating ad creation using AI and seeking Hollywood deals for its VR headset.
  • DeepSeek updated its R1 AI model, offering improved performance at a lower cost, but the launch was largely unnoticed.
  • Granola, an AI note-taking app, lacks audio recording, a key feature for journalists.
  • Noma Security received $32 million in funding, with support from Databricks Ventures, to tackle AI security risks.

AI Film Festival in New York Shows Off Artificial Intelligence Movie Magic

The AI Film Festival, hosted by Runway in New York, showcased ten short films made with AI. Runway CEO Cristobal Valenzuela noted the festival's growth, with submissions jumping from 300 to 6,000 this year. Jacob Alder's "Total Pixel Space" won first place, exploring the vastness of digital images. The festival aims to encourage experimentation with AI in filmmaking, highlighting its potential to assist creatives rather than replace them. Screenings will also be held in Los Angeles and Paris.

Runway AI Celebrates the Future of AI Movies at Film Festival

Runway AI hosted the AI Film Festival at Lincoln Center, showcasing ten AI-produced films. CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela highlighted the festival's growth, noting a surge in submissions from 300 to 6,000. Flying Lotus emphasized the importance of using AI tools without being constrained by rules. The films, including the runner-up "Jailbird," demonstrated a range of styles and moods, integrating AI's unpredictable qualities into their narratives. The festival aims to promote AI as a tool for artistic expression and innovation in Hollywood.

AI Film Festival in New York Shows Off Artificial Intelligence Movie Magic

The AI Film Festival, organized by Runway, premiered ten AI-generated short films in New York. Runway CEO Cristobal Valenzuela highlighted the festival's growth since its start in 2023. Jacob Alder's "Total Pixel Space" won the top prize, exploring the possibilities of digital images. Judges consider how AI is used in the films, but not all films are made entirely with AI. The festival encourages filmmakers to experiment with AI and showcases its growing capabilities.

AI Film Festival in New York Showcases Artificial Intelligence Movie Making

Runway's AI Film Festival in New York featured ten short films created with artificial intelligence. CEO Cristobal Valenzuela said the festival has grown a lot since 2023, with film submissions increasing from 300 to 6,000. Jacob Alder's "Total Pixel Space" won the top prize for its exploration of digital images. The festival judges how AI is used in the films, but some movies combine AI with live shots. The goal is to encourage filmmakers to experiment with AI technology.

Databricks and Noma Security Partner to Boost AI Security for Businesses

Noma Security and Databricks are partnering to improve AI security and governance for businesses. Noma Security also received an investment from Databricks Ventures. The partnership will integrate Noma Security's platform into Databricks AI environments. This will help companies use AI safely while meeting security and compliance standards like the EU AI Act. The combined solution offers AI discovery, vulnerability detection, runtime protection, and AI agent security.

Databricks and Noma Security Team Up to Fight AI Security Threats

Databricks Ventures and Noma Security are working together to tackle AI security risks, especially during the inference stage. This is when AI models are used with real-world data, which can lead to vulnerabilities like data leaks. Noma Security received $32 million in funding, with support from Databricks Ventures. The partnership aims to provide real-time threat analysis and AI protection to help businesses use AI safely. They will focus on proactive measures to identify and fix vulnerabilities before AI models are put into use.

Meta, AI, and XR Take Center Stage in Hollywood

The Augmented World Expo (AWE) in Long Beach is focusing on XR going mainstream, with AI lowering the barrier to entry. Meta plans to fully automate ad creation using AI by 2026. Meta is also seeking Hollywood deals for its new virtual reality headset, called "Loma," to compete with Apple's Vision Pro. Google Deepmind's Matthieu Lorrain praised Henry Daubrez's AI film, Electric Pink, created with Google's Imagen 3 and Veo 2.

X Bans AI Model Training Using Its Content

X has updated its terms to prevent AI models from being trained using content from its platform.

X Restricts AI Training on User Posts

X has changed its policy to stop AI companies from training their models using posts on the platform. This change could allow X to create deals with AI companies for training data.

Azure Enhances AI Security with Prompt Shields and Content Safety

Microsoft's Azure AI Content Safety now features Prompt Shields, which defends against prompt injection attacks on AI systems. Prompt injection attacks involve manipulating AI inputs to cause harm. Prompt Shields uses machine learning to identify and block malicious prompts in real-time. It integrates with Azure OpenAI content filters and includes Spotlighting, which detects threats in documents and emails. Azure AI Foundry also offers risk evaluations and controls to ensure AI safety.

EU May Delay AI Rules, Says Tech Chief

The European Commission might delay some parts of the EU's AI Act, according to tech chief Henna Virkkunen. The AI Act aims to limit risks from artificial intelligence. Companies are waiting for guidance to meet the new rules. Some EU ministers are open to delaying the restrictions if the guidelines are not ready in time. Poland suggests creating a plan for the extra months instead of just delaying the deadlines.

Mercedes-Benz Places to Connect Residents to the World with AI

Mercedes-Benz Places in Miami will use AI to create an immersive living experience for residents. The building includes residences, a hotel, offices, and a public park. AI will allow residents to seamlessly integrate their daily activities, such as having their car ready when they need it. The condos will feature customizable designs and high-tech amenities like an F1 simulator. The first residents are expected to move in by 2027.

AI Note-Taking App Granola: Good, But Missing One Key Feature

Business Insider reviewed Granola, an AI note-taking assistant. It easily synced with the reviewer's calendar and launched a Microsoft Teams call. Granola provided a thematic summary and action items after the interview. However, Granola does not record audio, which is essential for journalists to verify quotes. The reviewer used Apple's Voice Memos app as a backup. Granola is sleek and smart, but the lack of audio recording is a significant drawback.

DeepSeek's Powerful, Cheap AI Tech Launch Barely Noticed

DeepSeek recently updated its R1 AI model, which is more powerful and cheaper than many other top models. However, the launch was largely unnoticed by the tech industry and investors. This is different from earlier in 2025 when DeepSeek's R1 model caused concern. The latest model is about 17 times cheaper than the top model. Experts say that most top AI models are similar in performance because they train on the same data.

Sources

AI Film Festival Runway AI Artificial Intelligence Filmmaking AI-generated films Cristobal Valenzuela Total Pixel Space AI in Hollywood Databricks Noma Security AI Security AI Governance EU AI Act AI Vulnerabilities AI Threat Analysis Meta XR Augmented World Expo AI Ad Creation Virtual Reality Google Deepmind Imagen 3 Veo 2 X (formerly Twitter) AI Model Training Azure AI Content Safety Prompt Shields Prompt Injection Attacks Machine Learning Azure OpenAI AI Safety EU AI Act Delay Henna Virkkunen Mercedes-Benz Places AI Living Experience AI Note-Taking App Granola DeepSeek R1 AI Model