Jorge Gutierrez quits Amazon AI series after backlash
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- Jorge R. Gutierrez announced at the AI on the Lot conference that Amazon MGM Studios had greenlit his AI‑generated animated series “Punky Duck” as part of the studio’s AI pilot program.
- Jorge R. Gutierrez later posted on X that he is withdrawing from the Amazon AI program and will not produce “Punky Duck” after receiving threats and criticism.
- Amazon MGM Studios launched the GenAI Creators’ Fund, offering animators access to its proprietary AI pipeline called Project Nara and initially announced three series, including “Punky Duck”, “Love, Diana: Music Hunters”, and “Cupcake & Friends”.
- Project Nara merges AI models trained on Amazon MGM intellectual property with traditional production tools to accelerate animation, a capability Gutierrez described as turning a two‑year pilot into a matter of weeks.
- BuzzFeed Studios also faced pushback for its AI‑generated series “Cupcake & Friends”, with creator Loryn Brantz objecting to the use of AI on her original property.
Why it matters: Amazon loses a marquee director for its GenAI Creators’ Fund, weakening the credibility of its AI animation push, while Gutierrez preserves his reputation among anti‑AI creators.
