In 30 years working in film and television, I’ve seen some remarkable changes in how we produce images. Today, mastering those changes requires securing an authorized digital likeness before a single frame is generated.

I’ve watched film give way to digital, the explosion of reality television, digital cameras move to resolutions we once couldn’t imagine, CGI become accessible to productions of almost any size, and LED walls change what’s possible on a soundstage.

Now we’re watching artificial intelligence evolve at a pace that makes many of those transitions seem slow. The sheer speed of generative media has left traditional legal frameworks scrambling to catch up, forcing networks and brands to rethink production logistics.

But through all those changes, two things have remained remarkably consistent.

Those questions aren’t going away with AI. If anything, they’re becoming more important.

Lionsgate recently expanded its partnership with AI video company Runway to develop new content. Meanwhile, Getty Images is building AI-generated imagery around licensed source material and commercial protections.

Two different approaches, but both reflect an industry adapting to new technology while navigating familiar business realities.

I don’t believe the question is whether AI will become part of our production toolkit. It already is. The question is how we make it practical, responsible, and commercially viable.

That’s one of the reasons I co-founded Castor.

We’re building a way for productions to access authorized digital likenesses while giving talent control over how they’re used and compensated.

The technology may be new, but the need for clear rights, permissions, and accountability is as old as the business itself.