OpenAI has hired Charles Porch, formerly Instagram’s head of partnerships, to improve relations with Hollywood creatives amid growing skepticism about AI. Porch spent over a decade at Meta cultivating relationships with high-profile figures and helping celebrities integrate social media into their work.
Porch’s first step at OpenAI will be a “listening tour” to understand the concerns and expectations of actors, directors, and other creatives. The move comes as generative AI faces criticism for potential impacts on human creativity, ethical questions, and unlicensed use of copyrighted material in training datasets.
Although OpenAI and other AI firms have signed licensing deals with studios – such as Disney’s reported $1 billion agreement tied to Sora 2, and arrangements with Lionsgate and AMC – these corporate contracts do not necessarily alleviate individual artists’ fears. Porch’s role underscores the importance of cultural legitimacy in addition to regulatory and enterprise milestones. OpenAI aims to bridge the gap between AI technology and the creative community, leveraging Porch’s expertise in relationship-building and influence within entertainment.
