[This article is part of a series where I invited media industry leaders to share their thoughts on 2025 and what it means for the future. Jeff Greenberg is a Consultant / Author / Editor / Colorist / Advisor) in post. He’s the guy who helps groups see their blind spots and work smarter. An early adopter, he sent his first email in the 80s. He chairs conferences and is a Master Trainer (teaches the “Train the trainer” classes for the major NLEs.) Most of all, he’s a Dad and Filmgeek. And hates being defined by fifty words. Just like you. Website: JGreenbergConsulting.com.] (This has been lightly edited for clarity. LJ)
2025: The Year AI Got Real (And Really Annoying)
Are you tired of hearing about AI yet?
I am. I’ve been consulting around ML for a decade and AI for six years. I’m exhausted. You’re either digging into the cool parts, genuinely amazed, or going, “Crap, more AI slop?”
Too many vibe-coded cash grabs. Too many hallucinating tools. Too many executives drinking Kool-Aid.
Yes, it’s a disruptor. There are tools I can’t live without. I also can’t leave the house without my phone. Since 2007.
AI Fatigue Is Real
Assisted coding and vibe coding? Great concepts.
I see too many groups either trying to bolt on AI to their post production tool… or teams chasing VC money by creating Ai tools that are meant to be acquired. Low. Hanging. Fruit. Stop pitching animated captions, transcripts, or review tools. These are solved.
Why are we drowning in this?
Chat. Chat makes these tools feel like your friend. Ever play Eliza? The original chatbot, 1967. Try it. It took a minute to realize it was more or less a parrot.
Chat fools are brains. Because LLMs are chat, they feel like talking to a human. One who knows everything (doesn’t), is honest (isn’t), and isn’t hallucinating (is).
This creates a Dunning-Kruger epidemic. It’s worst with Producers/Clients/C-suite execs convinced AI is the answer. They’re drinking Kool-Aid and don’t know they have diabetes.
But I Can’t Go Back
That said, I can’t go back. Not ever.
I live in Claude, ChatGPT, and Gemini. I fed NotebookLLM the entire Resolve manual (and training books.) It’s my first reference stop now.
Tools I use daily:
I’m sure I’m forgetting a ton.
Reddit: a microcosm of the Industry.
Let’s talk about people instead of tools. I moderate five subreddits (communiteis). Reddit is my secret weapon for seeing trends early. r/editors alone is 150,000+ post pros/aspiring pros. And there’s fear.
Three observations this year:
Gen Video looks good for one shot…but can’t be shaped. Hours of iteration, real money, and you might end up with nothing.
Networking Matters More
Speaking of which, thank you, Larry, for reaching out. That’s the point. A relationship led to this.
Don’t neglect yours. Yes, WFH [“Work From Home“] won. But we lost connection. It’s easy to disappear and only live virtually on Zoom and Slack.
Your network is your safety net, job pipeline, and sanity check. Talk to people. Weekly minimum. Stay visible. Stay human.
Tools change. Relationships last.
Looking Ahead to 2026
My biggest concern: the gap between what AI can do and what people believe it can do.
You’ll sit in meetings where someone is certain AI solves their problem. They saw a demo.
Your weapon: “Show me the output.”
Not the demo reel. The output from your footage, your timeline, your deadline.
Some tools deliver. Most don’t. Your job is knowing the difference.
Closing
The tools I can’t live without came from experimenting, failing, and talking to other people in post.
Not demos. The network itself.
Build yours. You know where to find me.
7 Responses to 2025 – Looking Back, Looking Ahead – Jeff Greenberg
That was very interesting. I know little about AI, but this commentary has the ring of truth about it. Thanks for sharing. I wonder how AI will impact the new era of ever more outrageous political action and disinformation/untruth that is exploding around us? There are already many fake videos of talking heads on You Tube which are clearly AI generated, but very convincing in terms of tone and content.
Peter:
That is a great – and unanswerable – question. It is one that keeps me awake a night, because the people creating these fake videos care only about views, not their impact on society. Sigh…
I’ve known Jeff for many years. I’ve always appreciated his opinions.
Larry
Thank you, Jeff. The focus on human networks and relationships is appreciated. It was a welcome emphasis in this landscape where such insight is almost always lacking.
The problem with AI right now is that people are seeing it as the “silver bullet”. Yes, it makes some things easier, but it “makes up” for it by being difficult in other areas. Some results are amazing, but it can cost 5 minutes or 5 hours – that’s real money with false promises. I guess people forget that, at the end of the day, having good tools help – but if you can’t DO THE JOB, then even top tools won’t save you. In the end, it’s real effort and an idea you can work that matter.
As with most tools, AI is great *until it isn’t*… and I’m surprised at how easy it is to miss that little issue, when it’s the same issue every tool, method, technology, and overall human venture has had since time immemoriam.
I guess we live, and have always lived, in an optimistic society? Or something. Whenever I mention issues, drawbacks, costs – all I get is “don’t be such a downer”. I don’t even waste my breath on “I told you so”-s because they’ll interrupt me to talk about the NEXT new thing that will “solve all of the problems”…
Welcome to the Human Condition, I guess.
BIG Smile. Lovely comment.
There you go, being a downer, again.
Larry
What do you all think of the prospect of a special venue/website/film festival for non-AI content. It could have content verified (somehow) to be not AI (or with strong constraints on how AI is used) and therefore creates spaces that help employ people who are continuing to develop the human side of the filmmaking craft? We could think of it like farm-to-table films vs. fast-food AI films. My hope is that there will be appetites for farm-to-table films like there are for farm-to-table foods despite their higher costs.
I also appreciate Jeff’s emphasis on relationships. That’s a helpful “north star” of sorts in a sea of slop.
Cheers,
Mark
Mark:
I think this is an interesting idea that dies in the details. For example, how do you distinguish generated AI? where does AI stop and AI tools, like filling edge of a frame, begin? Is using AI to generate a crowd scene (i.e. Lord of the Rings) acceptable or not? The list goes on.
I also think this overlooks the importance of story vs. tool. I think your idea is interesting, but defining what is and isn’t acceptable will likely drive us all nuts.
Larry