Hollywood Actors Launch Strike Action Following Controversial AI Proposal
Introduction
The Screen Actors Guild – American Film Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced strike action following an innovation-driven proposal by the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers (AMPTP). AMPTP, which represents various Hollywood companies, described their offer as a “ground-breaking AI proposal” that uses generative tools to create digital replicas of actors.
AMPTP’s Proposal
The use of AI in the film industry does not come as a surprise. However, AMPTP’s suggested terms relating to this technology have raised concerns. In particular, SAG-AFTRA’s decision to strike was prompted by the lifetime of AI replicas. While announcing its strike action during a press conference on 13th July, the SAG-AFTRA stated that under AMPTP’s deal, studios would be allowed to use such replicas “for the rest of eternity”. Meanwhile, actors would lose the ability to consent to the use of their image in future productions in return for a one-time cheque.
The AMPTP intends to use AI primarily for background actors. Despite this, actors of various levels of fame have demonstrated support for SAG-AFTRA, including A-list stars such as George Clooney.
AMPTP’s Reasoning
AMPTP pinned its decision on the current financial state of the industry. This is largely connected to the rise of streaming platforms which disincentivise people from going to cinemas. Equally, the technology may reduce overall expenditure within production budgets.
It should be noted that recent releases such as “Avatar: The Way of Water” indicate that big-budget blockbusters are still commercially viable. The sequel to James Cameron’s 2009 film has become the third highest-grossing movie ever released. When considering the lower pay of background actors, in comparison to directors or high-profile actors, it could also be argued that budget cuts in other departments may be more impactful. Without considering the fairness of the decision, AMPTP’s proposal may not be the most economically viable solution for reducing production costs.
The WGA
The action organised by SAG-AFTRA is not the only source of disruption affecting Hollywood. Since 2nd May 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) has also been on strike in relation to the use of AI. This is the result of AMPTP’s interest in replacing writers with text generative programmes, such as ChatGPT, to cut down on production costs.
The AMPTP’s proposal is problematic for two reasons. Firstly, and certainly of more concern for writers, is how these chatbots will be trained. It is plausible that film studios could rely on machine learning by ‘feeding’ AI programmes scripts of various writers to enable them to mimic the screenplays and manufacture new storylines in seconds. It remains uncertain whether this would infringe copyright laws, or whether such laws are capable of protecting writers’ scripts from exploitation.
Secondly, computer-generated scripts may become synthetic, damaging the quality of films; affecting the overall popularity and prosperity of the industry. Concerns regard plotlines becoming predictable or algorithmic. While chatbots may be limited creatively, human writers can avoid this by exchanging ideas and collaborating.
Conclusion
As a result of both Guilds taking industrial action, the film industry is experiencing the largest walkout in over forty years. At the time of writing, neither SAG-AFTRA nor WGA have reached an agreement with the AMPTP.
The purpose of this article has been to highlight the topic and consider the various perspectives of all institutions involved, rather than providing an opinion on the subject matter.
By Alexander McLean