Unexpected perspective from a king of wishful thinking, and embracing AI as a matter of professional survival
We fear what we don’t know. Hollywood's creatives are no different when it comes to AI – nonetheless, it is the future, and they’d do well to accept that fact and adapt accordingly.
However unlikely (and unexpected), some non-hyperbolic perspective was expressed by one Chris Keyser:
‘…this isn’t a war we’re in, it’s a negotiation. It’s just a negotiation. There is no face-saving here for either side because there is no winner or loser. It’s just a deal.’
He’s exactly, right.
Everyone who thought this was a contest reminiscent of David v Goliath, or the French Revolution, is going to be awfully disappointed, though.
Then, seemingly in the same breath, he engaged in some wishful thinking:
Pointedly, he said that ‘either together or separately, as their divergent interests might suggest, they [Hollywood companies] will come back to us,’ suggesting that members of the AMPTP might break off and form their own deals with the union.
The studios probably do have some divergent interests, unique to the type of entertainment each produces. Whatever those may be, they are marginal in that they are secondary to their big-picture negotiating position vis-à-vis AI and residuals. In fact, it is entirely possible the studios, through AMPTP, may not even have an objective other than to wait out the two unions because this is a conflict not of their choosing.
The studios are not saints, here. They are not the “good guys” any more than they are the “bad guys.” They are, at least, not dishonest in their position, albeit immoral in how the end is achieved. Truth be told, the studios likely can live with whatever the unions want, as long as the demands are not unrealistic, as Bob Iger has suggested.
Regardless, when this impasse is resolved, my hope that whichever side is the “winner” (in that it got more of what it wanted), the “victory” is a Pyrrhic one, and that each side has almost destroyed the other in the process.
Job listings at almost every major entertainment company show that there is a veritable AI hiring spree going on as companies seek to understand how the technology can change their businesses.
Here, however, the studios aren’t being dishonest as much as they are acting out of self-interest and/or self-preservation. On more than one occasion, my observation has been that AI is not coming – it’s here.
In fact, nearly every studio owner seems to be thinking about AI, whether it’s for content, customer service, data analysis or other uses.
The only question now is, to what extent it will displace writers and/or actors. It has already done just that with a fair number of non-creative roles. Like it or not, it’s just the creative types’ turn.
We now know why Disney axed those 7,000 jobs – it had to be able to afford to hire those with the necessary AI skills:
One job, for an R&D Imagineer focused on generative AI, is looking for someone who has the ‘ambition to push the limits 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 ‘collaborate with third party studios, universities, organizations, and developers to evaluate, adopt, and integrate the latest generative AI.’ The job promises a base salary of up to $180,000 per year, with the possibility of bonuses or other compensation as well.
Holy crap – am I ever in the wrong bidness…
Netflix made some headlines after The Intercept noticed an AI Product Manager job that promises compensation of up to $900,000.
Were I a struggling actor that was also realistic, and had the presence of mind to put myself in a position where I could enjoy a career where my skills might provide better odds for longevity (if not a measure of relative job security), I’d find a way to learn as much as I could about AI and its applications, and seek to land one of these jobs.
No, it wouldn’t be glamourous – no walks on the red carpet at the Academy Awards or appearances on late-night talk shows; no press junkets at international film festivals like Cannes; no invitations to fashionable parties with the beautiful people; no home on the beachfront in Malibu, or one that hangs off a cliff in Laurel Canyon – it would, however, allow me to purchase a pretty nice home, marry, raise a family under normal circumstances, and keep me connected to the industry in a reality-based capacity.
Yes, it’s too late to ride this current wave, but AI is here to stay. Like information technology thirty-some years ago, there will only be opportunity in the foreseeable future.
Don’t believe me? Here is a sampling of a couple AI-related job listings:
‘Our business is driven by Machine Learning/Artificial Intelligence, which fuels innovation in content creation and acquisition, personalization, payment processing, and other revenue-centric initiatives,’ the company writes in the listing.
Or…
‘Want to define the next big thing in localizing content, enhancing content, or making it accessible using state-of-the-art Generative AI and Computer Vision tech? This is for you!’ the listing blares, promising a base salary of up to $300,000.
That’s all for now, dear reader.
The open road is calling, and I am loath to ignore it.
My wife is most supportive of this passion & hobby of mine, and I know that the day will come when I can no longer ride – additionally, there are probably few ways to better enjoy this, the day that God has made, so I’m going to count it as worship, as well.
Until next time…
It is worship. Good for you both. Life and Love is what we make it.