Cristobal Valenzuela, CEO of RunwayML, discusses the company's tools for film and video creators, the history and current state of generative AI in the visual domain, and their recent $141m strategic raise. They explore the versatility of Runway in video production and its wide range of applications. They also discuss the challenges of accessing compute power, the intersection of engineering, filmmaking, and visual arts, and the collaboration of Runway Studios with artists and musicians.

For a long time, AI-generated images and video felt like a fun toy. Cool, but not something that would bring value to professional content creators. But now we are at the exciting moment where machine learning tools have the power to unlock more creative ideas.This week on the podcast, Sarah Guo and Elad Gil talk to Cristobal Valenzuela, a technologist, artist and software developer. He’s also the CEO and co-founder of Runway, a web-based tool that allows creatives to use machine learning to generate and edit video. You've probably already seen Runway's work in action on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert and in the feature film Everything Everywhere All at Once.Show Links: Watch Cris Valenzuela’s 2018 thesis presentation at New York University’s ITP program. Read how Runway is used on the Late Show and in Everything Everywhere All at Once on the Runway Blog. Sign up for new podcasts every week. Email feedback to show@no-priors.comFollow us on Twitter: @NoPriorsPod | @Saranormous | @EladGil | @c_valenzuelabShow Notes: [1:50] - Cris’s background and how he doesn’t see barriers between art and machine learning[6:46] - How Runway works as a tool[8:36] - The origins and early iterations of Runway[12:22] - Product sequencing and roadmapping in a fast growing space[15:43] - Runway as an applied research company[19:10] - Common pitfalls for founders to avoid[22:35] - How Runway structures teams for effective collaboration[24:22] - Learnings from how Runway built Greenscreen product[28:01] - Building a long-term and sustainable business[32:34] - Finding Product Market Fit[36:34] - The influence of AI tools in art as an artistic movement

Runway CEO Cristobal Valenzuela discusses the future of AI media, including video models, pricing strategies, and the role of human taste. They touch on Runway's collaborations with artists, advancements in AI models, and the potential for significant improvements in creative tools.