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Google could have partnered with almost any film studio.
Instead, it chose A24.
That decision may reveal where the next generation of AI is really heading.
Here's what you need to know.
📌TL;DR
Google × A24: AI tools may soon be built with creators, not just for them.
Claude in Slack: AI is moving into the tools teams already use — and that changes how work gets delegated.
Figma: Design and build are collapsing into one environment — and AI is the reason the gap closed.
More AI news…
Estimated reading time: 4 - 5 minutes.
CATCH OF THE DAY
Why Google Chose A24 to Shape AI
Source: Deadline, A24/Courtesy Everett Collection - Glenn Garner
Google could have partnered with almost any film studio.
Instead, it chose A24.
That choice says as much about where AI is heading as the partnership itself.
Known for its creator-led storytelling and critically acclaimed films, A24 isn't the obvious choice if Google's only goal was to test new technology.
But in an industry that has grown increasingly cautious about AI, partnering with one of its most respected creative voices sends a different message.
Source: Google
Google DeepMind's new research collaboration will see researchers and filmmakers work together to develop new creative workflows and techniques.
Rather than building tools in isolation, the partnership allows A24's filmmakers to test ideas, provide feedback, and help shape how future AI tools evolve.
Google has also made an investment in A24, signalling that this is intended to be a long-term collaboration rather than a one-off experiment.
The timing matters.
Hollywood's relationship with AI has been strained, with ongoing concerns around copyright, creative ownership, and the role of AI in filmmaking.
Against that backdrop, inviting filmmakers into the research process represents a different approach from simply releasing new tools and expecting creators to adapt.
Whether that collaboration ultimately gives creators meaningful influence remains to be seen.
Google's announcement says the partnership's goals and creative milestones will evolve over time, so the real test won't be today's announcement—it will be whether creator feedback genuinely shapes tomorrow's tools.
The principle extends well beyond filmmaking.
Whether you're designing online courses, producing videos, writing newsletters, or creating social content, the most valuable AI often isn't the one that produces the finished product.
It's the one that helps you explore ideas faster, organise your thinking, and remove repetitive work while leaving the creative decisions to you.
If more AI companies begin building tools with creators instead of simply building tools for creators, the next generation of AI could feel very different from the last.
The Final Byte
It's one thing to be invited into the room. It's another to have your voice shape what gets built.
The creators who benefit most from partnerships like this won't be the ones who wait to use the finished tools.
They'll be the ones who take the invitation seriously.
See you in the next one,
BYTE-SIZED BUZZ
Here’s a quick roundup of what’s making waves in the AI world this week.
Anthropic launched Claude Tag in Slack, letting teams tag @Claude to delegate tasks, use approved tools, and build shared context over time.
The Big Deal: When AI lives inside Slack, it stops being something you go to — it becomes something that's already there. That's a different kind of adoption than downloading an app.
Figma's Config 2026 update adds code layers, Motion, shaders, generative plugins, and Weave tools to a shared workspace for designing and building.
The Big Deal: Figma isn't adding AI features — it's collapsing the gap between design and development entirely. For creators who hand off work to developers, that handoff may soon disappear.
Getty signed a multi-year deal with OpenAI to surface licensed images in ChatGPT search and discovery, rather than only AI-generated visuals.
The Big Deal: As AI search grows, trusted and licensed content could become a competitive advantage for creators.
Krea released Krea 2 RAW and Turbo, giving creators an open-weight base for fine-tuning and a fast 2K generator for production use.
The Big Deal: Open-weight AI models are giving creators more flexibility and control over how they generate images.
OpenAI improved ChatGPT's default model behavior so users get better context awareness and more natural multi-turn responses.
The Big Deal: Better AI experiences are increasingly becoming the default, lowering the barrier for creators to adopt AI in their daily work.
WEEKLY CREATOR LOADOUT 🐾
Flow (Google): Generate cinematic AI videos using real-world locations for more immersive storytelling.
Claude Tag (Anthropic): Turn Claude into an AI teammate in Slack that can handle tasks and collaborate across channels.
Subscribr: Write YouTube scripts and streamline your content creation workflow with AI.
Gamma: Create polished presentations, documents, and websites from a single prompt.
Kit: Grow your newsletter with AI-powered writing, automation, and industry-leading email deliverability.
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