The future of acting just changed forever

Three very different stories just pointed to the same shift. A film brought back a late actor using AI. EY compressed software development from months into days. And a nonprofit built AI tools with the people they’re meant to serve. At first, they feel unrelated. But look closer, and a pattern emerges. AI isn’t just improving systems anymore. It’s redefining who creates, how things get built, and what’s even possible.

In today’s post:

• AI just brought Val Kilmer back

• AI glasses just changed independence

• EY just sped up software by 80x

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BREAKTHROUGH

A late actor starring again is forcing Hollywood to rethink reality

A new film featuring Val Kilmer. But this time, his performance wasn’t recorded in the usual way.

• The film “As Deep as the Grave” uses AI to recreate Val Kilmer’s performance with full approval from his estate.

• Kilmer, known for roles in “Top Gun” and “Batman Forever,” passed away in 2025 after years of health struggles.

• The director chose AI instead of recasting, preserving a role Kilmer deeply connected with.

• This marks a shift from traditional CGI methods toward fully AI-generated performances.

• Hollywood unions like SAG-AFTRA are already pushing back, fearing loss of control over actors’ likenesses.

• Laws like California’s AB 1836 now try to define who owns a digital identity after death.

• Meanwhile, some artists are embracing AI, seeing it as a tool rather than a threat.

This isn’t really about one film. It’s about ownership of identity in a digital world. If a person can perform after death, then the question changes. It’s no longer “Can we do this?” but “Who gets to decide?”

RESEARCH

The real breakthrough isn’t AI, it’s who builds it

Lighthouse Guild just launched a new AI initiative with Meta. But the story isn’t about technology alone.

• Lighthouse Guild AI puts blind and low-vision people at the center of building the technology they use.

• Instead of designing first and testing later, users now shape products from day one.

• The first focus areas include navigation, travel, and real-time obstacle detection.

• Meta is partnering to develop AI-powered glasses tailored for real-world needs.

• CEO Thomas Panek ran a half marathon using these glasses, guided by live AI feedback.

• The system provided real-time awareness, from water stops to course navigation.

• This signals a shift from assistive tech to empowering tech built with lived experience.

Most innovation fails because it guesses what users need. This flips that model completely. When people closest to the problem build the solution, the outcome changes. Not slightly, but fundamentally. The question is simple: how many industries are still building without their users?

STRATEGY

Software development is no longer a slow, linear process

EY has launched a new AI-native development system. And it’s aiming to rewrite how software gets built.

• EY.ai PDLC replaces traditional step-by-step development with a system of AI agents working alongside humans.

• Instead of months-long timelines, companies can now move from idea to production in days or weeks.

• The model removes rigid handoffs between teams, replacing them with a continuous, collaborative workflow.

• Early results show a 70% boost in productivity and up to 80x faster delivery speeds.

• It also improves quality, with over 95% automated test coverage built into the process.

• The system tackles two major problems: legacy system modernization and building new products from scratch.

• At its core, this shift isn’t just about efficiency, but redefining how software gets created and maintained.

Most companies think their bottleneck is talent. It’s not. It’s the system they use to build. When the process changes this much, the advantage shifts fast. The question is no longer who can build, but who adapts first.

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