Microsoft Veteran Jonathan Foster To Lead AI-Hollywood Symposium Hosted By MindRiot Entertainment

Zac Ntim
·2 min read

EXCLUSIVE: Transatlantic production outfit MindRiot Entertainment has teamed with Trinity College, Dublin, to host a conference on the future of cinema and artificial intelligence led by veteran Microsoft exec Jonathan Foster.

The session, The Future of Film: Cinematic Arts in the Age of AI, will take place at Trinity College, Dublin, on November 10 and will be moderated by Justin MacGregor, Head of Film Studies at Trinity College and Head of European Content at MindRiot.

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Other panelists set for the symposium include Emmy-nominated Black-Ish producer E. Brian Dobbin and Irish Times film critic and writer Tara Brady alongside academics, including Nicky Ali Jackson, Executive Director of Purdue’s Center for Justice and Post-Exoneration Assistance, where MindRiot founder Jonathan Keasey was recently appointed as an ambassador.

Headliner Foster is best known in the industry as a longtime advocate for “ethical artificial intelligence.” During his time at Microsoft, Foster was the lead on the creation of Cortana, Microsoft’s version of Siri, and headed ethical design of AI and content moderation. He is currently the Principal Content Experiences Manager of Office, Meta OS, Privacy, Security, and Content Intelligence at Microsoft.

Jonathan Foster
Jonathan Foster

“I was fortunate enough to meet Foster years ago.  Like my reps in Hollywood, Foster is someone I reach out to for advice,” said Keasey, adding that Foster gave him “hope as a screenwriter” during the WGA’s strike against the studios, of which artificial intelligence was a major stumbling block.

“Foster will offer similar words for other artists frightened by AI, especially actors, who are still fighting for their futures, and how they’ll feed their families, whether in the States, Europe, or any continent or country actors call home,” Keasey added.

Keasey’s MindRiot is perhaps best known as the team behind an upcoming feature about OceanGate’s titan submersible tragedy. MacGregor and Jonathan Keasey are co-writing the pic, which is currently in development. The pair said they received blowback as well as immense support upon news of the film.

MacGregor said the team aims to “pen a film that honors all and film we can all learn from as human beings.”

Keasey is repped by Michael Prevett at Circle of Confusion, and David Matloff and Adam Vitabile at Hirsch, Wallerstein, Hayum Matlof + Fishman

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