Amazon Prime Video and BuzzFeed are set to release an AI-animated series titled Cupcake & Friends, based on the “Good Advice Cupcake” character originally created by Loryn Brantz. However, Brantz has publicly condemned the project, accusing BuzzFeed of licensing the character without her consent and using artificial intelligence in ways she opposes.
What happened
Loryn Brantz developed the “Good Advice Cupcake” character in 2017, gaining viral popularity through comics that combined a cheerful cupcake with blunt motivational advice. The character, which Brantz says reflects her own “aggressively optimistic” personality, was initially created for a children’s book pitch before becoming a BuzzFeed webseries running from 2018 to 2019.
Though BuzzFeed owns the intellectual property, Brantz maintained involvement with the character’s licensing for her own content after leaving the company in 2023. Recently, BuzzFeed licensed “Good Advice Cupcake” to Amazon for an AI-driven series produced under a joint initiative between Amazon Web Services and Amazon MGM Studios.
Brantz criticized the project on Instagram, calling the use of AI to animate her creation an “assault on artists everywhere” and urged a boycott of BuzzFeed and AI-produced content. She claimed BuzzFeed executives had previously assured her that they would not continue producing Cuppy content without her involvement. Brantz also reported attempts to withhold project details unless she signed a nondisclosure agreement, which she declined.
BuzzFeed, through a spokesperson, confirmed ownership of the character and defended the use of AI as a “creation tool” supporting human creativity. Jonah Peretti, BuzzFeed AI’s president, stated that while Brantz’s opposition to AI is respected, her views cannot control BuzzFeed’s development of its own IP or impede other creatives involved in the project.
Why it matters
This dispute highlights broader tensions in the creative industry regarding the adoption of AI technologies and the rights of original content creators. It raises questions about consent, creative control, and the ethical use of AI in animation and media production. The case reflects growing unease among artists about AI potentially undermining artistic integrity and labor.
Background
BuzzFeed was once a major digital media force and still owns the “Good Advice Cupcake” IP as part of their creative library. The company recently launched the GenAI Creators’ Fund with Amazon to explore AI-assisted animation and storytelling. Meanwhile, media restructuring and new leadership—such as Byron Allen’s acquisition of BuzzFeed with ambitions to integrate AI—have set the stage for such projects.
Brantz initially worked with BuzzFeed from 2014 and produced multiple episodes of the Cuppy webseries before AI technology was widely used in animation. Her objections illustrate the challenges creators face when original contracts predate advances in AI, complicating rights and creative involvement.
Sources
This article is based on reporting and publicly available information from the following source:
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