Asger Risom
OpenAI has hired longtime Instagram executive Charles Porch in a bid to ease growing tensions with Hollywood, where many creatives remain openly hostile toward AI.
OpenAI is making a strategic hire aimed at easing tensions with the entertainment industry — a sector where skepticism about artificial intelligence runs deep.
The company has recruited Charles Porch, formerly Instagram’s head of partnerships, in what appears to be an effort to repair strained relations with celebrities and creatives who have publicly criticized AI.
A cultural bridge
Porch spent more than a decade at Meta cultivating relationships with high-profile figures and helping celebrities embrace Instagram in its early years.
His work helped transform the platform into a cultural force, onboarding major public figures and shaping how entertainment and social media intersect.
Announcing his move, Porch reflected on past milestones, writing: “From helping Beyoncé figure out how to launch an album exclusively on social media to onboarding Pope Francis to Instagram (he held my hands and asked me to pray for him) to watching creators become the next generation of entrepreneurs, the impact on culture that me and the team have been able to have is something that I take great pride in.”
He told Vanity Fair his first step at OpenAI would be a “listening tour” to understand the hopes and fears creatives have about AI.
Hollywood’s resistance
Those fears are not subtle. Prominent filmmakers and actors have warned that generative AI threatens human creativity, raises ethical concerns, and could undercut livelihoods.
The backlash comes at a vulnerable moment for the industry. Box office revenues have struggled to fully recover after the pandemic, streaming economics remain unsettled, and production slowdowns have strained workers across Los Angeles.
Many creatives also argue that AI systems were trained on copyrighted material without consent, fueling anger that the technology could replicate likenesses, scripts, or performances without compensation.
Deals vs. perception
OpenAI and other AI firms have begun signing licensing agreements with major studios. Disney struck a reported $1 billion deal tied to OpenAI’s Sora 2 launch, while Lionsgate and AMC have reached agreements allowing their catalogs to be used for AI training.
But such corporate deals may not translate into public support from individual artists. Winning over studio executives is different from persuading actors and directors who openly describe AI as destructive or “horrifying.”
OpenAI’s hire suggests the company recognizes that regulatory wins and enterprise contracts are only part of the battle. Cultural legitimacy — particularly in Hollywood — may prove just as important.
A different kind of influence
Porch’s skill set reflects a shift in priorities. As AI systems automate technical tasks, influence and relationship-building have become more valuable assets.
In Silicon Valley, “taste” and soft skills are increasingly seen as strategic advantages. Convincing high-profile creatives that AI can coexist with human artistry may be one of OpenAI’s toughest challenges yet.
Sources: Business Insider; Vanity Fair
