Together, the projects paint a striking picture of the divergent paths ahead: one rooted in artistic empowerment, the other in ruthless production efficiency. “The process of composing music and editing film are both about orchestrating change through time,” Adler told Forbes. His project used Midjourney, Runway, and ElevenLabs — all text-prompted — to beat 6,000 entries. Meanwhile, Ace leaned into speed and scale, using AI to cut costs by 95% compared to a traditional commercial production. Gizmodo dubbed it a “slopfest.” Kalshi called it a success.

But what unites them is the fact that neither Adler nor Ace is a trained director. Both simply had an idea, and the tools to bring it to life — tools now accessible to anyone in a newsroom, studio, or marketing office. “This isn’t a passing meme,” said Kerry Oslund, VP of AI Strategy at Scripps. “It’s the biggest shift in storytelling for the screen since the birth of cinema.”

As media companies grapple with how to adopt AI into their workflows, experts suggest embracing both creative verticals: artistry and disruption. “One is about pushing boundaries,” said Defiant LA founder Michael Vamosy. “The other is about speed. The smart play is to build a team that knows when to be the artist — and when to be the disruptor.”