NYU Tisch just partnered with Runway to embed its AI video tools into a new graduate virtual production course this spring. Based at the Martin Scorsese Virtual Production Center, film students will experiment with generative video across the entire workflow, from initial concepting to final thesis projects.
Runway just launched its Student Ambassador Program to get AI video tools into college classrooms. Enrolled students receive 100k free credits, a complimentary Pro plan, and direct networking access to the Runway team. The initiative is already working with universities like NYU and USC to back young creators.
Runway just launched Frames, its newest base image model designed to tackle AI's consistency problem. It lets creators lock in a specific aesthetic and reliably generate cohesive variations across different scenes, from vintage 35mm photos to 70s anime. Access is gradually rolling out inside Gen-3 Alpha and via the Runway API.
Runway just launched 'Expand Video', an AI feature that changes video aspect ratios by generating matching scenery outside the original frame using text prompts. Stacking multiple expansions lets creators fake dramatic camera pull-backs and crash zooms. It is rolling out gradually to Gen-3 Alpha Turbo users.
Runway just rolled out advanced camera controls for its Gen-3 Alpha Turbo video model, giving creators direct control over movement speed and direction. Users can combine pans, zooms, and tracking shots instead of relying purely on prompt luck to steer the camera. The feature is available now for all Gen-3 Alpha Turbo users.
Runway just launched The Hundred Film Fund to support creative professionals with AI-augmented projects. Grants range from $5K to over $1M alongside $2M in Runway credits, with advisors from Tribeca and NVIDIA backing the effort to keep storytelling artist-led.
Runway just partnered with Lionsgate to train a custom AI model on the studio's proprietary catalog. The tool generates cinematic footage designed to help filmmakers iterate during pre-production and post-production. Why it matters: Studios are officially moving from copyright disputes to actively licensing their archives to train tailor-made generative video models.
Luma AI just launched the Dream Machine API, giving developers direct programmatic access to build video generation into their own creative apps. In a spicy coincidence, rival Runway announced its own developer API on the exact same day. The generative video battle is officially moving straight into developer workflows.
LAION just re-released its flagship training dataset as Re-LAION-5B, claiming it has thoroughly scrubbed suspected child sexual abuse material. Following recommendations from watchdogs and a Stanford investigation, the group removed 2,236 flagged links and urged researchers to ditch the older LAION-5B copies.
Runway just launched image-to-video for Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, generating video clips seven times faster and for half the price of the original model while maintaining comparable quality. It is now open across all plans, with free users also getting trial access.
A federal judge just allowed a major copyright and trademark lawsuit by artists against Stability AI, Midjourney, DeviantArt, and Runway to move forward. The ruling gives artists the green light to pursue claims over Midjourney's 4,700-artist style list and Stability's alleged induced infringement. Why it matters: The case now enters the discovery phase, meaning AI image makers may soon be forced to open up their closely guarded training black boxes.
Runway just announced Gen-3 Alpha Turbo, a new video model that generates clips seven times faster than the original Gen-3 Alpha. CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela noted it can render a 10-second clip in just 11 seconds at a lower cost, rolling out to users over the coming days.
Runway just rolled out Image-to-Video capabilities for its Gen-3 Alpha model, allowing creators to anchor any static image as the first frame alongside text prompts. The update delivers much tighter artistic control and visual consistency, giving creators a reliable starting point instead of rolling the dice with pure text.
Runway just got caught in a major training data leak after 404 Media obtained an internal spreadsheet showing the company scraped thousands of YouTube channels and pirated films to train its flagship Gen-3 video model. Why it matters: Despite raising $141M from Google and Nvidia while dodging questions about data provenance, Runway now faces intense scrutiny as AI copyright tensions boil over.
Runway just announced Gen-3 Alpha, its next-generation video foundation model trained on an all-new multimodal infrastructure. It delivers major improvements in fidelity, motion, and consistency over Gen-2, enabling fine-grained temporal control and photorealistic character generation. It marks Runway's next big step toward building general world models.
Runway just opened on-demand streaming for the top 10 finalists of its second annual AI Film Festival, and the biggest takeaway is that human craft still trumps raw generative tech. While every film leaned on AI for backdrops and effects, warped physics frequently broke immersion. Instead, genuine emotional weight came down to strong scripts, raw vocal performances, and traditional cinematography.
Runway just rolled out Multi Motion Brush to all Gen-2 users, letting creators control independent movements across different parts of a static image. Users can brush several distinct zones and use sliders to tweak horizontal, vertical, and proximity motion for each layer. It gives video creators precise directional control rather than leaving the whole scene to AI guesswork.
Runway just rolled out Motion Brush for its Gen-2 video generator, letting you paint directly over any subject to command its exact motion and direction. The update also adds curated style presets, fractional camera controls in Director Mode, and sharper base image models.
Runway just rolled out a quality update for its Gen-2 video generator, boosting fidelity and consistency across both text-to-video and image-to-video modes. The upgrade specifically targets AI video warping, making generated motion look significantly smoother.
Runway just launched "Watch" on its website and iOS app, giving creators a dedicated hub to share and stream longer-form AI-generated videos. Amid ongoing Hollywood strikes over generative AI, CEO Cristóbal Valenzuela argued that the debate needs more nuance, positioning the feed as evidence that AI augments filmmakers rather than replacing them.
