There’s an ongoing debate about whether AI will take your job, but have you ever considered becoming an actor?
Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings said on the April 22 episode of the Possible podcast, co-hosted by LinkedIn co-founder Reed Hoffman and Hoffman’s chief of staff Aria Finger, that entertainment jobs may be safer than other jobs from AI disruption.
In this episode, Mr. Finger asked Mr. Hastings which industries and professions he thought would be most impacted by AI. He replied: “I think the least impactful thing will be entertainment. We’re not going to watch a robot basketball game. We like human conflict and that’s what we’re drawn to.”
The entertainment industry is grappling with the potential future impact of AI on everything from job security to production technology. Disrupting AI has become a central theme of the 2023 Hollywood Strikes, with screenwriters and actors concerned that the technology could threaten their jobs.
Later in the episode, Hastings said he thinks AI will make aspects of entertainment production like special effects cheaper, but that things in the “emotional realm” won’t be so disrupted because people will continue to pay to see real actors and people they recognize.
However, he added that it remains to be seen whether young people will only consume content on TikTok and stop watching long-form content on Netflix.
In April 2026, Netflix announced that Hastings, who co-founded the company in 1997, would not seek re-election to the Netflix board and would be leaving the company. The paper said Mr Hastings would instead focus on “philanthropic and other activities”.
Ted Sarandos, one of Netflix’s CEOs, echoed Hastings’ remarks about the power of AI and human creativity in a 2024 interview with The New York Times. “I don’t think AI programs will write better scripts than great screenwriters, I don’t think they can replace great acting, and I don’t think we can’t tell the difference,” he said.