Tik-Tok and Netflix are using AI to personalize what users are seeing on their “For You Page” and Suggested Video content based on their past behaviors, preferences and interaction with other content.  These AI-generated systems are relying on machine learning techniques like collaborative filtering, deep learning and reinforcement learning to watch engagement from a user as well as looking at the user's watch history in order to suggest new content.  By using these systems, users become loyal to these applications, as the AI-systems keep suggesting new content that they will enjoy which helps build brand loyalty.  At the same time, algorithms can create echo chambers, reinforce biased ideologies, and make it impossible for new niche creators to break out and “go viral” on their own.  The lack of transparencies within the user’s algorithms can create mistrust from users, as we see sometimes things showing up that make us question how specific our feeds can get or even confusing to why certain things were suggested.

In regards to more ethical considerations, we also have to wonder where AI will overtake these said industries and replace the human-imprint with what was computer generated.  We need to quickly develop a system in which we can give credit to the original thinkers who supplied the information to these AI-generators and allow for said individuals to give consent.  We also need to be able to make obvious distinctions between AI-generated content and what is actually is actual, real life content to answer the question between transparency and trust due to the potential weaponization of deep-fakes and what that could mean for relationships between popular important figures, both in the entertainment and political industries.

I find the question of who owns the AI-generated content and whether that person can use someone’s likeness to create that content is important.  As someone who has worked prior in social media, the story that you tell is part of your brand and if someone can use your own brand and tell their own story could potentially disturb your own image.  At this point, some people are already having issues between telling apart AI-generated content and real content and I see this becoming more of an issue as AI continues to develop, so I feel we need to set clear guidelines with transparent labeling now in order to eliminate these issues in the near future.

AI is also based on user data and the information it collects, so privacy has become another concern.  Once the data is collected, we can see the information we collect to be used to help aid our recommendations, but that very same information can be used against us or monetized.  We can also see algorithms unintentionally reinforcing biases, cultural perspectives or limiting certain voices with these said equations, where creators who do not fall along these norms could not have the same opportunities.

For now, it is clear that AI still has a way to go in order for it to be unbiased in order to be shaping all aspects of the economy, not just the entertainment industry.  As someone who is transitioning from being behind a hairstylists chair to now overseeing all aspect of projects, I feel that I can see how AI is impacting all aspects of a human’s life and their career and it will be important to keep in mind that currently keeping culture out the equation will be important to allow for an equal opportunity for all.

Siles, I., Valerio-Alfaro, L., & Meléndez-Moran, A. (2022). Learning to like TikTok … and not: Algorithm awareness as process. New Media & Society, 26(10), 5702–5718. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448221138973 [Rational: I used this article to understand how people actually experience and respond to recommendation algorithms, which connects directly to how platforms like TikTok shape user behavior.]

Roy, J. (2025, September 3). AI influencers like Lil’ Miquela and Mia Zelu are redefining fame. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/03/style/ai-influencers-lil-miquela-mia-zelu.html?searchResultPosition=3 [Rational: This piece was useful for exploring how virtual influencers are changing branding and audience engagement, adding a cultural layer to my research.]

Mubarak, R., Alsboui, T., Alshaikh, O., Inuwa-Dutse, I., Khan, S., & Parkinson, S. (2023). A survey on the detection and impacts of deepfakes in visual, audio, and textual formats. IEEE Access, 11, 144497–144529. https://doi.org/10.1109/ACCESS.2023.3344653 [Rational: This study helped me explain the role of deepfake technology and why authenticity and regulation are such big concerns in AI-driven media.]

IBM Research. (n.d.). What is generative AI? Retrieved from https://research.ibm.com/blog/what-is-generative-AI [Rational: I used this source to break down the basics of generative AI in a simple way, so I could explain how these tools actually work behind the scenes.]

GenerativeAI.net. (n.d.). GenerativeAI.net. Retrieved fromhttps://generativeai.net/#:~:text=For%20instance%2C%20it%20can%20be,Learn%20more [Rational: This site gave me real examples of how generative AI is used in creative projects, which helped me connect the technology to what’s happening in entertainment right now.]

My goal as I progress into Project Management is to understand how AI systems are using algorithms and creative tools to shape the apps that we are using everyday online.  Whether it be for work or leisure, artificial intelligence has a very important role to everything we do.  Seeing that AI exists in our workplace to aid us is practical reasoning, but when we leave work and head home to our own personal devices and our own entertainment, that’s where some of the magic is happening.  In my Padlet wall, I will be highlighting three key applications of AI in Entertainment by showing how content recommendation systems are personalizing our own user experiences within each application we use, how generative AI tools are changing how content is being produced and discuss how deep fake technologies and virtual influencers are redefining what is authentic.

These emerging technologies matter to me as they connect to my everyday life for the past ten years as a social media manager, as a student learning a new field before they graduate, and a parent who wants to protect her children from the dangers of the internet.  Learning how AI will impact creativity, ownership and trust is still an ongoing concern as we move ahead into deeper levels of integration as well as navigating it ethically within the Entertainment industry.