International
China set to appeal WTO ruling
MUMBAI: China is all set to appeal against the World Trade Organisation‘s (WTO) last week ruling that could open the country‘s market for US movies, music and books.
The ruling ordered China to stop forcing US content owners to use government-controlled distribution companies. Currently all foreign movies in China are distributed by the state-owned China Film Group Corporation or a second company, Huaxia Film Distribution, which is part-owned by China Film.
However the ruling did not address China‘s import quotas including an annual quota of 20 revenue-sharing films. Chinese regulations demand that foreign films should not exceed one third of the total number of films distributed in the country. Another 30-40 foreign films a year are distributed on a flat-fee basis.
“We are preparing the necessary documents and are not ruling out the possibility of an appeal,” said Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian. He added that the Chinese cultural sector suffers from a huge trade deficit and that “our competitiveness is still pretty weak.”
“Against this backdrop, I think it is appropriate and just for
China to impose some controls that are in line with the country‘s economic development stage, and cultural and historical tradition,” Yao added.
China has 60 days from the 12 August ruling to appeal or then it will passed to a vote among WTO member countries.
International
Utopai Studios unveils 4K three-minute video generation for PAI platform
New Story Agent and editing tools aim to streamline AI-led filmmaking workflows
MUMBAI: Utopai Studios has announced a major upgrade to its PAI storytelling AI platform, introducing what it claims is an industry-first capability to generate three-minute videos in 4K resolution, alongside enhancements to its Story Agent feature.
The update, rolling out from April 15, expands the platform’s capabilities across the filmmaking process, from early concept development to post-production. The company said the new features are designed to help filmmakers maintain continuity across characters, scenes and visual styles, a key challenge in AI-driven storytelling.
At the heart of the release is a next-generation model that enables more structured narrative development, allowing creators to move more seamlessly from idea to execution. With tools such as multi-shot sequencing and multi-turn editing, the platform aims to give both studios and independent creators greater control over complex storytelling workflows.
Commenting on the launch, Utopai Studios co-founder and CTO Jie Yang said, “The next phase of AI in media will not be defined by isolated tools, but by systems that can carry story, continuity and collaboration across the full creative process.” He added that the update is a step towards enabling more practical, end-to-end narrative development at a professional level.
Echoing this, Utopai Studios co-founder and chief scientific officer Zijian He said, “Generative video is opening the door to a new production model, where creative ambition is less constrained by traditional cost and complexity.” He noted that the platform combines multimodal models with iterative editing to give creators more speed, control and consistency.
The company said PAI is already being used in professional film and television productions, particularly in Hollywood, for tasks such as pre-visualisation, scene design and post-production refinements. The latest update adds features including improved voice options, character consistency, unlimited editing and more flexible asset management.
Utopai also emphasised that its models are not trained on copyrighted material, positioning the platform as a cleaner alternative for creators and rights holders navigating the evolving AI landscape.
As AI continues to reshape content creation, Utopai’s latest push signals a shift from standalone tools to integrated systems, aiming to make high-quality filmmaking faster, more flexible and increasingly accessible.
