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Luma AI, a Silicon Valley startup whose backers include Nvidia and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, is launching an L.A. studio and appointing two seasoned execs to key roles. “Dream Lab LA” is Luma’s name for its new operation in the entertainment capital. The company describes it as a “creative engine room” using “frontier” AI technology to propel storytelling of all kinds. Founder and CEO Amit Jain, who spent more than four years at Apple helping develop its Vision Pro headset, among other projects, said Luma will use the new LA base to “build what everyone else is still guessing at.” Verena Puhm has been named head of the new studio, and Jon Finger has been hired as a creative workflow executive, Luma also announced. Puhm, an early AI adopter, has created work for CNN, the BBC, Netflix, Red Bull Media, and Leonine Studios. Projects she has led have garnered recognition from Sundance, Project Odyssey, Curious Refuge, and OpenAI’s Sora Selects. In her new role, Puhm will spearhead the studio’s vision and lead a production slate. “I believe the future of storytelling should be shaped by the people who tell stories, not just the people who build the tools,” Puhm said. “We’re cultivating a community, a creative lab, and a launchpad for what’s next. This isn’t just another platform; it’s a creative studio built from the ground up to blend technological innovation with artistic intention.” Finger brings more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of emerging technology and content creation. A pioneer in at-home motion capture, 3D scanning, and virtual production, he has worked across various entertainment sectors with brands such as Paramount Network, The Game Awards, and Comedy Central, and has also developed for Netflix. For the past three years, Finger has focused on AI integration in filmmaking, emphasizing physicalized control over AI-driven productions. “The focus here is to find the best experiences for passionate creatives,” Finger said. “The world is changing quickly, and we want to find the best ways for fun, fulfilling human-centric creative expression to not only continue but be amplified, so more creative people can find a new prosperous way forward.” While many questions remain about AI, in particular the models for compensating intellectual property owners and the ultimate impact on the industry’s workforce, the practical ways to use it are rapidly multiplying. Luma maintains it is aiming to “empower creativity, not replace it,” calling Dream Lab LA “a space for experimentation, education, and collaboration between studios, creators, and curious minds.” Tools created by Luma since its founding in 2021 are being used by film and TV studios, creative agencies, game designers and major tech players Adobe and AWS. Its flagship platform, Dream Machine, enables photorealistic video and images to be generated from simple prompts, and the company says it has been used by 30 million creators. submitted by /u/SoftPois0n |