Acting : Why We Need to Think Carefully About AI by J.N. Gould

The ongoing writer's strike and upcoming SAG negotiations (sidenote: while SAG has sent out to its membership for a strike authorization vote, NEGOTIATIONS with AMPTP are what begin June 7, not a strike) have highlighted a number of issues that actors, writers, and other creatives need to be concerned with. One issue grabbing headlines is AI, or artificial intelligence. As it currently sits in development, AI is impressive but very early stage, and likely will be an excellent tool. The issue is the corporate push to develop AI in areas where we need (or frankly want) human creativity to be in charge, i.e. writing and acting. Actors, in particular, at every level need to educate themselves both on what AI can do (enabling convincing deep fakes) and how AI is put into contracts. SAG will have standard contracts, but it should still be read carefully. If you sign a contract signing over your rights to your likeness, you likely will receive only a one-time buyout (if the likeness term is in perpetuity) and then you've essentially taken yourself out of the market for that studio or company. If that contract happens to be with a studio like Disney or Paramount? That's a massive market gone.

These are my quick thoughts. I have a lot more, but just wanted to add my voice to the chorus calling out for the concerns of the deployment of AI in the creative sphere. We enjoy watching people live the stories we see on TV and streaming, or developing the stories behind the scenes. Let's keep these areas human. AI will have a place in the future. But its place is in service to what we need, not to replace us.