TCL's Next Stop Paris is an AI-generated rom-com releasing this summer, watch the trailer now

Chinese smart TV and device maker TCL wants to expand the original content found on its TCLtv+. One of the first productions, streaming this summer, is a new romantic comedy called Next Stop Paris. The title is befitting a movie on the Hallmark Channel or a new Netflix movie starring Lindsay Lohan - it screams rom-com.

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What makes this notable, and reporting on new rom-coms isn't exactly something we do here at TweakTown, is that it was created with AI. It is a generative AI film, an "AI-Powered Love Story," and the first AI production from TCLtv+ Studios. TCL calls Next Stop Paris "an early experiment bringing tech and creative together in a hybrid entertainment format" using custom AI models and technology from Stable Diffusion.

It looks, well, not great. That might be subjective, but in the case of the first AI rom-com, I'd go as far as to say that's an objective take. The main female protagonist's face changes depending on the shot, and the video has that text-to-video AI look that makes many objects look off. Check it out.

The film (the runtime is expected to be closer to that of a TV episode) wasn't entirely generated by AI, as TCL credits Chris Regina, Chief Content Officer, and Daniel Smith, Chief Creative Officer, as writers. Surprisingly, the voices in the trailer come from real-world actors.

Here's the breakdown of the story.

"Next Stop Paris opens with a young woman on a train, who despite being heartbroken that her fiancé ran off with someone in her wedding party, has decided to go to her Paris honeymoon destination solo. While on board she meets a mysterious stranger, and their love story blossoms as they explore "the city of lights" together."

The story sounds familiar for a rom-com, and TCL is serious about its move into content creation, too. Chris Regina has a long history with TV, having previously worked at NBCUniversal and Netflix. TCLtv+ Studios plans to create more generative AI content and traditional projects - i.e., those made by humans for humans.

"Story will be at the heart of everything we do, said Chris Regina, Chief Content Officer, TCL. "We are empowering creators and storytellers to use this new technology so the human experience is enriched, and we believe that Creatives with limitless imagination will drive endless innovation. We view 'Next Stop Paris' as an early experiment and we're excited to see how it's received in the town square."

Realistically, it's only a matter of time before we start seeing AI-generated or AI-assisted movies and TV shows, but based on the 60-second Next Stop Paris trailer, it might be a while before they're any good.

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