A.I. company debuts new video hub ad along 101 Freeway near Hollywood

Inspired by the Hollywood sign, a 30-foot display is boasting a new A.I. tool for creating high-quality videos at a fraction of the cost.

"It is a super interesting opportunity for both creators, who can come and take these tools and then facilitate and make ads or branded content for mom-and-pop shops, the small startups that would otherwise not have these resources," A.I. director Billy Bowman said. "You can't miss it. A lot of people have been asking who the hell is Billy Bowman."

Bowman, whose social media handle is scrolled across the display, is one of the directors for hire on Fiverr, an online marketplace behind the video hub. The company promises to help small businesses create high-quality videos without Hollywood-sized budgets.

However, the ad comes at a time when not all of Hollywood is embracing the new technology, and concerns about the industry's future are top of mind for many.

"About the reaction, it's true," Fiverr creative director Nir Refuah said. "This is a revolution, and every big change there is an initial resistance. The more time passes, and the more technology evolves, the resistance turns into, sort of, curiosity."

A.I. was one of the reasons why SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild went on strike in 2023. 

"You are not possibly putting people out of jobs," said Lisa Catara, a stuntwoman and actress. "Hundreds of thousands of employees in the entertainment industry are without work right now."

Some are confident that A.I. can't match what human beings bring to the story. 

"At the end of the day, the camera is my tool, not A.I.," documentary filmmaker Vern Moen said. "I think it's a stretch to think that art is going to be replaced by humans that can look you in the eye and ask you a question."

Bowman said the goal is to merge the two and create something together.

"It's not about spending less on budget," Bowman said. "It's about spending more on imagination."

SAG-AFTRA and the Directors Guild of America did not immediately respond to CBS LA's requests for comment. 

The sign will be taken down in a couple of days.