Dream Lab LA’s Jon Finger (left) and Verena Puhm
Tools & Platforms
Luma AI Launches Dream Lab LA for AI Use in Filmmaking
July 10, 2025
Generative AI company Luma AI has announced the launch of its initiative “Dream Lab LA” headquartered in Los Angeles that combines AI technology with expertise in filmmaking.
“Dream Lab LA is designed as a creative engine room where Hollywood veterans, emerging storytellers, studios, and curious minds come together to shape the next era of storytelling — before it arrives,” according to a Luma AI press release.
According to the company, Dream Lab LA will allow filmmakers to collaborate, learn and tell new stories; studios get embedded support to modernize workflows and upskill teams; and “curious daredevils push boundaries and experiment freely.”
“Dream Lab LA is where we build what everyone else is still guessing at,” Amit Jain, CEO and founder of Luma AI, said in a statement. “This is not about chasing trends, this is about defining what’s next.”
Dream Lab LA exists to explore how AI can empower creativity, not replace it, according to Luma AI, offering a space for experimentation, education, and collaboration between studios and creators.
Luma AI also announced the leadership team for Dream Lab LA, naming Verena Puhm as head of the studio. With experience in both traditional and AI-driven storytelling, Puhm has shaped content for global giants such as CNN, BBC, Netflix, Red Bull Media and Leonine Studios. As one of the earliest creatives to embrace AI in filmmaking, she’s led projects recognized by Sundance, Project Odyssey, Curious Refuge and OpenAI’s Sora Selects. In her new role, Puhm will spearhead the studio’s vision for next-generation content and lead a slate of productions.
“I believe the future of storytelling should be shaped by the people who tell stories, not just the people who build the tools,” Puhm said in a statement. “We’re cultivating a community, a creative lab, and a launchpad for what’s next. This isn’t just another platform; it’s a creative studio built from the ground up to blend technological innovation with artistic intention.”
Jon Finger, creative workflow executive, brings more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of emerging technology and content creation. A pioneer in at-home motion capture, 3-D scanning, and virtual production, he has worked across various entertainment sectors with brands such as Paramount Network, The Game Awards, and Comedy Central, and has developed for Netflix. For the past three years, Finger has focused on AI integration in filmmaking, developing workflows that give creators physicalized control over AI-driven productions.
“The focus here is to find the best experiences for passionate creatives,” Finger said in a statement. “The world is changing quickly, and we want to find the best ways for fun, fulfilling human-centric creative expression to not only continue but be amplified, so more creative people can find a new prosperous way forward.”
From its Modify Video, Reframe, and Keyframes to its foundation models Ray2 and Photon, Luma creates instruments explicitly designed for narrative storytelling.
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Tools & Platforms
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July 11, 2025
SEOUL – A wave of artificial intelligence certifications has flooded the market in South Korea over the past two years.
But according to government data, most of these tests exist only on paper, and have never been used by a single person.
As of Wednesday, there were 505 privately issued AI-related certifications registered with the Korea Research Institute for Professional Education and Training, a state-funded body under the Prime Minister’s Office.
This is nearly five times the number recorded in 2022, before tools like ChatGPT captured global attention. But more than 90 percent of those certifications had zero test-takers as of late last year, the institute’s own data shows.
Many of the credentials are loosely tied to artificial intelligence in name only. Among recent additions are titles like “AI Brain Fitness Coach,” “AI Art Storybook Author,” and “AI Trainer,” which often have no connection to real AI technology.
KT’s AICE is South Korea’s only nationally accredited AI certification, offering five levels of exams that assess real-world AI understanding and skills, from block coding for elementary students to Python-based modeling for professionals. PHOTO: KT/THE KOREA HERALD
Only one of the 505 AI-related certifications — KT’s AICE exam — has received official recognition from the South Korean government. The rest have been registered by individuals, companies, or private organizations, with no independent oversight or quality control.
In 2024, just 36 of these certifications held any kind of exam. Only two had more than 1,000 people apply. Fourteen had a perfect 100 percent pass rate. And 20 were removed from the registry that same year.
For test organizers, the appeal is often financial. One popular certification that attracted around 500 candidates last year charged up to 150,000 won ($110) per person, including test fees and course materials. The content reportedly consisted of basic instructions on how to use existing tools like ChatGPT or Stable Diffusion. Some issuers even promote these credentials as qualifications to teach AI to students or the general public.
The people signing up tend to be those anxious about keeping up in an AI-driven world. A survey released this week by education firm Eduwill found that among 391 South Koreans in their 20s to 50s, 39.1 percent said they planned to earn an AI certificate to prepare for the digital future. Others (27.6 percent) said they were taking online AI courses or learning how to use automation tools like Notion AI.
Industry insiders warn that most of these certificates hold little value in the job market. A local AI industry official told The Korea Herald that these credentials are often “window dressing” for resumes.
“Most private AI certifications aren’t taken seriously by hiring managers,” he said. “Even for non-technical jobs like communications or marketing, what matters more is whether someone actually understands the AI space. That can’t be faked with a certificate.”
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Microsoft is launching a $4 billion initiative to train 20 million people in artificial intelligence skills through a new global program called Elevate. The effort, announced by company President Brad Smith, is part of Microsoft’s commitment to “put people first” as AI becomes more integrated into work and education.
The tech titan described the program as a centralized platform for its technology support, donations, and training across schools, colleges, and nonprofits. Through the Elevate Academy, it plans to deliver AI literacy at scale, including offerings like “Hour of AI” and partnerships with educators and labor unions.
A unified platform for Microsoft’s AI training
Microsoft Elevate consolidates the company’s nonprofit and education initiatives into a single operational framework, replacing both its Philanthropies division and Tech for Social Impact team. It combines funding, cloud infrastructure, and AI tools to expand access to training and technology.
The $4 billion will be allocated over five years through a mix of grants, software, and computing resources for K–12 schools, community colleges, and nonprofit organizations worldwide.
Massive training effort for in-demand AI credentials
As part of its credentialing plan, Microsoft is introducing the Elevate Academy, a program to reach millions of learners in just two years. It will offer structured learning across a spectrum of competencies, from digital basics to advanced technical instruction.
Course content will run through LinkedIn Learning and GitHub, two platforms already used within professional and developer communities.
The academy serves as a centerpiece delivery channel, combining investment and infrastructure with partnerships and events to help learners earn industry-recognized certifications.
National and local partners help execute large-scale rollout
Microsoft is working with education nonprofits, labor groups, and government bodies to scale rollout..
“Hour of AI,” developed with Code.org, introduces younger students to foundational concepts through short-form instruction. A summer skilling series extends access outside the school year.
Labor unions are also involved in workforce development, including the National Academy for AI Instruction and courses across the building trades. In Germany, Microsoft is partnering with North Rhine-Westphalia for better regional programs.
Aligning training with public and institutional standards
To support policy alignment, Microsoft is working with public agencies to integrate AI skills into national education systems. It has also partnered with the United Nations, the Vatican, and academic institutions to promote responsible use and ethical standards in AI learning.
These collaborations build on Microsoft’s long-standing involvement in digital literacy and public education initiatives, now carried forward under Elevate’s global scope.
Technology with purpose, training with intent
Microsoft maintains that technology should augment human potential rather than replace it. Elevate reflects that view by focusing on skills amplifying judgment, creativity, and contribution.
Work, the company argues, is deeply tied to identity and dignity, a principle it says must guide how artificial intelligence is developed and deployed. Elevate carries that outlook forward, linking digital learning to values about the role of work in people’s lives.
Another way Microsoft is supporting AI training is by giving $12.5 million in funding to the National Academy for AI Instruction, which the American Federation of Teachers is launching this fall.
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