Hollywood vs. AI: Hollywood strikes back!

Author

The Pulse by DB8
July 20, 2023

Lights, camera, AI action! 🎬 It's no secret that artificial intelligence is shaking up industries like never before, and now, it's making its grand entrance into the world of entertainment. Sure, we all love 'Black Mirror' on Netflix, but are we ready for that dystopian storyline to become a reality?

The Pulse Results (36 Votes) 📈

Side A 27.78% - AI is changing every industry, Hollywood needs to adapt & embrace it like everyone else

Side B 72.22% - Actors and writers have every right to strike, just like everyone else

Poll closed: July 24, 2023

Published on: July 18, 2023
Published by: Global News

Hollywood has gone on strike – but why, you might ask? Well, it all started after negotiations between major motion picture studios and the actors & performers unions (SAG-AFTRA) failed. Following in the footsteps of over 11,000 script and TV writers on strike since early May, most of Hollywood decided to join in.

AI's impact has been felt across nearly every industry, and Hollywood is no exception. Movie studios have been exploring ways to use AI to replace human roles entirely. They aim to scan performers, creating AI models to own and use their likeness as they see fit. Sounds like a scene straight out of Black Mirror!

Another significant reason for the strikes revolves around streaming service royalties, or lack thereof. Services like Netflix, Prime, and Disney+ are re-airing older content to new audiences, but actors and crew members feel they aren't receiving their fair share of the profits.

On one side of negotiations, the studios claim that the unions dismissed their offers and the workplace protections surrounding AI. They also stress that the strike is deepening financial hardship for those relying on the industry. Meanwhile, actors and performers are resolute, fighting to get what they believe they deserve.

Obviously, this is a touchy subject and one that the public would like to see resolved so they can get back to Netflix and Chillin’.

What do you think — Should Hollywood embrace the changes brought by emerging tech, as other professions have had to do? Or do they have every right to strike back and fight for their rights?

The Debate Showdown

Side A: AI is changing every industry, Hollywood needs to adapt & embrace it like everyone else

  • The future is here, and Hollywood better embrace the inevitable changes that come with it. AI is making waves everywhere, and the entertainment industry isn’t immune to it. If every other industry has to adapt, then so should Hollywood.

  • We’re all struggling to make ends meet and there’s absolutely no reason for actors to be making the amount of money that they have been for years. They literally make more than doctors do. Bump them all down to a more reasonable wage and move on from the times of glorifying Hollywood and celebrities!

  • The strike is negatively affecting industry workers who want and need to work but don't earn much, and their livelihoods depend on it. Those striking should consider the impact on others and return to work instead of complaining.

  • Scanning actors would reduce their workload significantly while still earning a good amount of money. They won't have to prep for roles for months, change their physical appearances, or work long days. Coming in for just ONE day sounds like a dream job!

Side B: Actors and writers have every right to strike, just like everyone else

  • There's something magical about watching real actors do what they do best, ya know? AI may be cool and convenient, but it can't replace that genuine human touch. We want raw emotions, not robotic imitations! If we wanted soulless performances, we'd stick to animated movies.

  • Actors are just like us, fighting for fair pay and job security. Plus, it's not just about famous actors! The whole industry is at stake here - production designers, sound engineers, music composers, and more. This strike isn't just for the stars, it's for everyone behind the scenes too!

  • Deepfakes and AI are a real slippery slope. Once digital copies of a famous person are created, who's to say the studios won't keep using them for future movies or even something worse?… We can't expect people to just sign away their rights to their own faces and voices, that's messed up.

  • Studios are whining about going broke and losing money left and right, but at the same time they’re giving hundreds of millions of dollars to their CEOs and to the giant streaming services. People are pissed, and understandably so.

Previous Debate

Billionaire brawl: Brilliant or barbaric?

Two of the world’s most well-known billionaires, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, recently joked about the possibility of fighting each other in a cage match.

Yup, you read that right. Fighting each other in a cage match.

debates.db8.com/p/billionaire-cage-fight-brilliant-barbaric

The Pulse Results (35 Votes) 📈

Side A 45.71% - Billionaires have a responsibility to use their platforms to raise awareness to more important issues than cage matches and silly ego battles

Side B 54.29% - A tech-mogul billionaire cage match is just the sort of inverted Hunger Games battle the world needs more of… and I’m all for it!

Poll closed: July 19, 2023

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