Deepfakes On The Call Sheet

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Happy Tuesday, Future Party. Who had it on their bingo card that the mightiest company of the AI era, Nvidia, could potentially fall from grace (both financially and reputationally) because its CEO, Jensen Huang, got caught in an alleged honeypot?

After Huang admitted to having an affair with former Megaspeed exec Alice Huang, a suspected spy for Beijing, the company launched an independent investigation into whether any sensitive trade secrets were compromised or confidential information was passed as pillow talk.

For many executives, a controversy like this could have led to an immediate leave of absence or even resignation… but Huang is so powerful, and Nvidia is so foundational to the entire AI economy, that removing him could potentially be the very thing that pops the AI bubble. Absolutely no one wants to be responsible for making that call.

CAA and advertising giant Ogilvy are partnering to launch ECHO, a new AI-powered name, image, and likeness marketplace.

The Big Picture: The tension over AI in the entertainment industry recently hasn’t been so much about whether the tech should be used, but who has control over its use. After helping clients capture and register their greatest asset — themselves — CAA is now opening the door for them to turn their digital doubles into a new revenue stream.

Behind The Vault: Deepfakes are here to stay, and CAA is looking to capitalize on them.

Final Render: ECHO’s big pitch is how much money it’ll save brands (CAA and Ogilvy estimate as much as 75%) and how much money it can generate for talent (celebrities can be in an infinite number of places simultaneously). But the jury’s still out on the cultural challenges ECHO will face—namely, which celebrities will agree to have their avatars used and whether audiences will respond positively to AI-generated spokespeople.

Granted, maybe the goal is for the deepfakes to be so convincing that nobody can tell the difference between a real actress and an AI-generated one talking up the latest GLP-1.

Coming Soon: Soon, a celebrity showing up in person may be reserved for only the most creative ads… or simply for brands they have a personal stake in.

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Hermès debuted a play in Hong Kong over the weekend, turning its luxury products into literal artistic tools.

The Big Production: In the age of AI, audiences are gravitating toward analog art — it’s why The Odyssey made almost two billion dollars, Wildwood is being praised by critics, and rock and roll is making a comeback. Theater has long been considered one of the most sophisticated human-driven art forms, making it the perfect venue to showcase handcrafted luxury fashion.

Behind The Curtain: The Birkin bag took center stage in Hong Kong.

Final Scene: Several of the biggest labels in fashion have ramped up their analog-artistic endeavors recently, but Hermès has been at the forefront. According to Highsnobiety, the brand hired 50 artists last year to create social content and added animated paper illustrations to its website. It’s not even the first time a version of Hermèstories has been staged — it quietly debuted in Milan in 2025. With the Hong Kong edition, Hermès may be looking to take the show on the road.

Coming Soon: It’s possible that a fashion brand could splurge on a theater on Broadway or the West End, giving the luxury house a cultural destination to call its own. After all, A24 has already bought an Off-Broadway theater…

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87.9% of you voted I’ve seen one in person but never ridden in one in yesterday’s poll: Which best describes your experience with the Cybertruck?

“I would not willingly ride in one of those monstrosities. I live in the Austin area and see them all the time. A neighbor has one and is not impressed with it. ”

“Too ugly to consider and too prone to problems!”

“I don’t trust them — Elon could shut them all down on a crazy whim.”

“There’s an abundance of them in RED Florida.”

“Orange County must have all 73,000 of those Cybertrucks because I see at least 50 a day.”

“I love the Cybertruck. I was at the big unveiling in 2019. It was quite the historic event, especially when Franz accidentally smashed the window. I always wanted one, but I can’t afford the price tag. It’s the only car that ever looked like something out of a sci-fi movie.”

Let’s keep the conversation going. Join Poll Of The Day, so your opinions can shine. Discover how your views line up with your peers’, check out cool insights, and have some fun. It’s data with personality.

🎥 David Ellison has shaken up the leadership at DC Studios, with former Marvel exec Jeremy Latcham set to replace James Gunn and Peter Safran as the studio’s president and chief creative officer.

🎧 After a nearly year-long standoff, YouTube will resume sharing streaming data with Billboard in 2027.

🎙️ Tubi CEO Anjali Sud is taking the same job at SiriusXM, starting January 1, 2027.

🐭 Disney has struck a multiyear deal with Adobe, naming the tech company its “official AI innovation partner.”

🤖 Anthropic has released updated versions of its frontier AI models, Mythos and Fable, ahead of its planned IPO.

🚗 Uber is getting into the parking business following its acquisition of SpotHero.

🧥 André 3000 is releasing his first new music in over a year as part of a new campaign with Moncler.

⛹️ Cactus Jack, Nike, and GTA VI are teaming up on an official Miami Heat jersey.

🧾 Venmo is finally making it easier for people to split their bills correctly.