{"id":13133,"date":"2023-08-20T10:40:05","date_gmt":"2023-08-20T10:40:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/investing\/opinion-strict-limits-on-ai-would-harm-hollywood-actors-and-writers\/"},"modified":"2023-08-20T10:40:05","modified_gmt":"2023-08-20T10:40:05","slug":"opinion-strict-limits-on-ai-would-harm-hollywood-actors-and-writers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/isafespend.com\/?p=13133","title":{"rendered":"Opinion: Strict limits on AI would harm Hollywood actors and writers"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

The Hollywood actors and writers strikes spotlight many of the difficulties that businesses and workers both face in the post-COVID economy and from the challenges of the growing\u00a0gig economy\u00a0and\u00a0artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

To understand why, you have to go back before cable, big-screen TVs and the internet. Then, just about everyone was limited to what local theaters and the three major television networks offered. Larger cities also had one or few independent stations, whose prime-time fare was mostly reruns of network shows and old movies.<\/p>\n

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In this environment, the\u00a0residual system\u00a0emerged. Actors and writers were paid both for their initial work and again for reruns, mostly by affiliates and independent stations. While production studios and major networks hardly had monopolies, consumers\u2019 limited choices brought in revenue that the owners of content could share with on- and off-screen talent.<\/p>\n

In this system, working-class actors and writers \u2014 talent who are not the big stars or show creators \u2014 generally worked steadier, earned more and enjoyed a better employment environment..<\/p>\n

More writers were present during actual filming, and participated in set and costume design, continuity and so forth. This permitted\u00a0less-experienced writers to acquire skills\u00a0to become showrunners, film editors, directors or primary creators for new movies and TV series.<\/p>\n

Show stoppers<\/h2>\n

The industry\u2019s upheaval began in the early 1980s. The proliferation of competing networks on cable opened wider employment opportunities, but the biggest change came with the fusion of big-screen digital TVs and streaming\u00a0about a decade ago.<\/p>\n

Falling prices for high-quality, big-screen TVs\u00a0challenged movie theaters,\u00a0and the number of tickets sold declined. Nowadays , releases with mega stars, high action, complex visual effects and a lot of noise \u2014 franchises like\u00a0Indiana Jones\u00a0and\u00a0comic-book superheroes \u2014 still have theater screen appeal. Yet for ordinary drama and comedy, it takes a more compelling story to get Americans away from their couches into the theaters.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

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\n \u201c<\/span>Working-class actors and writers simply have a tougher time\u00a0 earning a living.\u201d<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

There\u2019s still a lot of revenue generated from content, of course, but people have more choices \u2014 both the number of outlets for new movies and TV shows and a catalogue of content going back to the earliest motion pictures.<\/p>\n

As a result, the market is fragmented. Working-class actors and writers simply have a tougher time\u00a0earning a living. Writers\u2019 rooms are smaller, fewer work on set and streaming series have perhaps 10 episodes per season as compared to linear TV with 22.\u00a0\u00a0Working-class actors scramble more to piece together enough employment.<\/p>\n

What about residuals \u2014 so crucial to actors\u2019 and writers\u2019 long-term income? The payouts are much smaller\u00a0than they were when theaters and broadcast and cable TV dominated.<\/p>\n

With more Americans\u00a0opting out of cable\u00a0and relying on streaming, the film and television industry\u2019s problems have worsened. The big studios and other entrepreneurs have rushed into streaming, and the lake is overfished. Netflix
\n NFLX,
\n +0.38%<\/bg-quote>,<\/span>
\n owing to its first-mover advantage, earns a profit, but\u00a0Walt Disney
\n DIS,
\n +0.05%<\/bg-quote>,<\/span>
\n Comcast
\n CMCSA,
\n -1.04%<\/bg-quote>
\n and Paramount \u00a0lost a combined $8.4 billion in 2022. Subscription fees are rising\u00a0but the number of movies and shows produced must get smaller or less expensive to produce.<\/p>\n

\n

<\/p>\n

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\n \u201c<\/span>The actors\u2019 and writers\u2019 strikes pit working-class talent against highly paid star actors and creators\/writers.\u201d<\/span>\n <\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

Ultimately, the actors\u2019 and writers\u2019 strikes pit working-class talent against highly paid star actors and creators\/writers. These job actions put producers in the tough position of dividing the loss among those groups while seeking to restore their bottom lines. <\/p>\n

That is, unless some innovation comes along that dramatically raises productivity. Enter stage right:\u00a0artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

Much of what writers do is highly formulaic and a good deal of that will soon be doable in first draft by AI programs.\u00a0\u00a0Where four or eight writers worked on a movie or show, perhaps just one or two will suffice.<\/p>\n

Like actors worried their identities will be appropriated by computer recreations, writers need limits on the use of characters and the fictional worlds they create. The same problem faces\u00a0fiction writers with print and online publishing.<\/p>\n

As\u00a0Netflix\u00a0and\u00a0Amazon.com\u00a0AMZN demonstrated by becoming producers of original content and streaming services, the industry\u2019s entry barriers are not high.\u00a0If the Screen Actors Guild and Writers Guild of America win\u00a0overly strict limits on the use of AI by major studios and incumbent streaming services, new independent producers and services will emerge that employ actors and writers and offer more flexibility. Actors and writers willing to permit more liberal use of their likenesses and creative work would thrive.<\/p>\n

Peter\u00a0Morici\u00a0is an economist and emeritus business professor at the University of Maryland, and a national columnist.<\/em><\/p>\n

More:<\/strong> If Sarah Silverman wins her lawsuit, OpenAI, Meta Platforms and other AI developers could face waves of litigation<\/p>\n

Also read:<\/strong> As Hollywood strikes continue, unions call out excessive CEO pay: \u2018We need to look at what they\u2019re doing with executive compensation\u2019<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Read the full article here<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Hollywood actors and writers strikes spotlight many of the difficulties that businesses and workers both face in the post-COVID economy and from the challenges of the growing\u00a0gig economy\u00a0and\u00a0artificial intelligence. To understand why, you have to go back before cable, big-screen TVs and the internet. 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