While the writers’ and actors’ strikes are driven by multiple concerns (the big one being compensation), there is no doubt that the role of artificial intelligence in entertainment has emerged as a hot-button issue.
In an impassioned speech in Times Square on July 25, actor Bryan Cranston echoed the concerns of actors, telling a crowd of several hundred people: [Disney CEO Bob Iger]: Sir, I know you see things through a different lens. We don’t expect you to understand us. but we ask you listen us and beyond listen We mean it when we tell people that our jobs will not be taken away and given to robots. ”
Actors fear that studios will take their likenesses and voices and reuse them over and over again, with little or no compensation, and with little or no notice. The authors are concerned that studios will use large-scale language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT to write or rewrite scripts, destroying their livelihoods. The creators, also known as AMPTP, argue that the use of AI should be “a balanced approach based on prudent use, not prohibition.”
The future of AI in Hollywood is uncertain, but there’s no doubt that major studios and streaming services are interested in the technology. If you look at the job listings at almost every major entertainment company, you’ll see a real AI hiring rush happening as companies try to understand how technology will change their business.
And, fittingly given Cranston’s speech, Disney appears to be particularly interested in this technology. According to a review of open positions by , the company has a number of open positions across the country focused on AI and machine learning. hollywood reporter.
Some are members of Disney’s Imagineering team, which is responsible for turning Disneyland and Walt Disney World into world-famous attractions.
One R&D Imagineer job focused on generative AI is looking for someone with an “ambition to push the boundaries of what AI tools can create and understand the difference between the voice of data and the voice of a designer, writer, or artist.” The role will “work with third-party studios, universities, organizations, and developers to assess, adopt, and integrate the latest in generative AI.” This job promises a base salary of up to $180,000 per year, with the potential for bonuses and other compensation.
Another role is Machine Learning Engineer in the Disney Streaming Advanced Research division (“responsible for creating AI-enabled solutions for Disney+, Star+, and ESPN+,” according to the listing), which uses AI to “work on advanced personalization initiatives, including digital avatars.”
In total, THR I found about 6 jobs focused on AI at Disney. But the company isn’t the only one exploring this space.
Netflix has since made some headlines intercept One person found an AI product manager job that promised up to $900,000 in compensation.
“Our business is powered by machine learning/artificial intelligence, driving innovation in content creation and acquisition, personalization, payment processing, and other revenue-centric initiatives,” the company wrote in the listing.
But Netflix has a number of AI and machine learning-focused openings in areas such as video games, research, R&D, and customer experience.
In fact, almost every studio owner seems to be thinking about AI, whether it’s for content, customer service, data analysis, or other uses.
Of course, Amazon and Apple have a lot of AI and ML jobs. However, some of these jobs seem to be geared towards the media business, like the Prime Video senior project manager job at Amazon.
“Do you want to define the next big thing: localize, enhance, or make content accessible using cutting-edge generative AI and computer vision technology? This is for you!” The listing promises a base salary of up to $300,000.
And at Sony, which owns Sony Pictures Entertainment, its “Sony AI America” division is recruiting AI “ethics” engineers.
“We believe in the research and development of AI technologies that enhance the imagination and creativity of artists, makers, and creators around the world,” the listing reads. “Our goal is to advance AI to augment humans, work in harmony with humans, and benefit society.”
According to the company, Sony AI “works closely with Sony’s other business units, including Sony Interactive Entertainment LLC., Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Sony Music Entertainment.” The base salary for this job is up to $160,000 (ethics doesn’t seem to be as lucrative as other fields).
And the list goes on. Warner Bros. Discovery has several AI and ML openings available within its video games division and enterprise. Paramount is hiring a Machine Learning Engineer for its CBS division. Comcast, the owner of NBCUniversal, has a number of AI and ML jobs focused on research, customer service, and other areas.
And this hiring comes at a time when many of these companies are seeing significant hiring cuts. Disney just finished laying off about 7,000 employees, and Paramount, Warner Bros. Discovery, Amazon and others have all made painful layoffs in recent months. But jobs focused on AI seem to be an exception.
Of course, investing in AI is not surprising. This technology is taking all American businesses by storm, and media companies are no exception when it comes to spotting trends. But the role AI could play in the future of entertainment is causing great anxiety among the employees responsible for that content.
“It’s like, now that you have a house, you have to redo the kitchen, you really have to redo the bathroom, the master bedroom hasn’t been redone in 40 years, you want to do all of these things,” said writer, director and former actress Justine Bateman. THR’s top 5 TVs Podcast from earlier this month. “But AI is the front door. You can get all this from AMPTP, but without strong restrictions on AI, you’ve just given it the key to the front door, and the other benefits mean nothing.”
It’s also an area that Iger, the strike’s current villain, knows well. During his first town hall since returning as Disney’s CEO last November, employees asked Iger how the company plans to adapt to rapidly changing technology, referring to generative AI techniques that are becoming mainstream.
“There’s nothing that can stop technology from advancing,” he replied, adding that Disney has typically embraced new technology to tell better stories. Iger added that generative AI technology is “something that the company will adopt at some point in the future.”
The AI arms race may still be in its early stages, but the entertainment giants are all in on it. And AI seems poised to be part of that future, no matter what deal we strike with unions.
