In an industry-driven tussle, Hollywood is revisiting the narrative of Artificial Intelligence (AI) utilization; a scenario that has prompted the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) through its chief negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, to rally its troops towards a fierce strike delineation against a recently instated AI proposal from Hollywood studios.
The studios, under the umbrella of the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), have proposed a radical strategy designed to protect SAG-AFTRA members by scanning their digital likenesses. The proposal insists that background performers agree to a single day’s pay in exchange for granting full company ownership of scans, images, and likeness. Furthermore, the studios would reserve unrestricted rights to use these scanned attributes indefinitely on any project without procuring consent nor offering compensation.
Crabtree-Ireland, as the main champion of actor rights, shows skepticism about the so-called groundbreaking proposal and urges a thoughtful reconsideration of its implications. On the flip side, the press conference further uncovered that the proposed strategy has earned a strike order from the SAG-AFTRA in solidarity with the already existing Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike.
The two powerful unions have now for the first time in over six decades concurrently initiated strike actions. This signature development has become necessary until a fair deal has been reached with the AMPTP, an entourage invested in capitalizing on the rise of artificial intelligence.
The WGA earlier requested that Hollywood studios regulate AI utilization within their contracts, making it clear that AI must not partake in scripting or revising literary content, and should not serve as a direct source of creativity.
While the introduction of AI in crafting compelling screenplays might appeal for cost-effective scripts and reduced production timelines, there is a discernible outcry about potential job losses and the potential risks of dehumanization that an AI-dominant industry could bring. Indeed, the burgeoning narrative of AI in Hollywood is one that will continue to pose significant dilemmas regarding the future of creativity, job security, and the essence of human flare in the creation of art, but until these are adequately addressed, the stage remains set for industry-wide contention.
Source: Cointelegraph
