Today, actors and writers are on strike. The last time this happened it was a really big deal. This time, not so much. Television, movies, concerts and entertainment in general has changed dramatically during the past couple of decades. And that change is only continuing. Some say with AI and Chatbot technology we may not need writers and actors eliminating the threat of strikes.
If Hollywood was to use AI to solve problems with actors or what goes on behind the scenes, could that solve the problem and eliminate strikes, or would that just create a boatload of new problems and issues to deal with? Let’s explore.
Max Headroom from the 1980’s was an AI character
You remember Max Headroom from the 1980’s. Max was an artificial character which was wildly popular in television commercials and even on movies like “Back to the Future”. It was a fictional character thought to be the first computer generated TV character.
Today, we would call Max Headroom an AI character. We have seen artificial intelligence technology already impact and transform other industries and the impact will only continue to spread, and in fact, accelerate.
In fact, we could bring Max back today as an actor and his appearance would not change at all even though he is 40 years older. That’s because he is not real. He is computer generated.
AI solves many problems, but it can also create many new ones as well.
As an example, think about walking into a McDonalds and ordering from the screen instead of a cashier. Or paying for your dinner with an app on your smartphone or the tabletop device at Olive Garden.
This new and advanced technology is creeping into our lives in more ways and deeper than ever before.
Restaurants are turning to AI and technology to replace workers
Moving forward this transformation will continue, and new technology like artificial intelligence, IoT and wireless like 5G will be the fuel.
Companies love AI for many reasons.
· One, there is no human interaction which created real problems.
· Two, machines don’t need time off.
· Three, they never call in sick.
· Four, there is no concern with pandemic related job shortages.
· Five, no bad attitudes to deal with.
· Six, no threat of worker strikes, and so much more.
AI is not perfect, but companies increasingly think it is better than dealing with human beings for these jobs.
That’s why in the long run, I believe it will increasingly take the place of the human element. I see industry after industry going down this same path.
Artificial Intelligence and technology will replace so much of the work force.
Many companies see technology as a better option. This will translate into an extremely tumultuous future.
How AI will transform movies, television, concerts and entertainment
That’s the same kind of problem the movie, television and entertainment industries are dealing with. Some of the problems come from all the backstage elements. Some problems come from actors themselves.
Example, the successful “Yellowstone” television series is going through serious issues because the star, Kevin Costner decided he wanted to work fewer days. What if Yellowstone could create a replacement for Costner using AI? True, Costner should be compensated for his involvement in the success of the show. But could that work?
Perhaps, but Hollywood sounds like they want to do this without compensating Costner. Is that fair?
We have all read many news stories about Hollywood stars continuing to act, even after they retire or die. That’s what AI can do for the world of entertainment.
Plus, we should also expect new AI driven stars to be created like Max Headroom from the 1980’s. We’ve seen it before. Viewers love the story. Even if the actors are cartoon characters.
That creates more questions than answers.
AI will impact every industry going forward
What does that mean for jobs in all industries? AI could transform industry after industry. There will be less need for these lower level or repetitive jobs at corporations.
Automation transformed our world a century ago. AI and technology are transforming our world once again today.
While that is good news for companies, what about all the workers, customers and investors who have to deal with it.
That could mean the experience will be better for the customer since the workers who are there, really want to be there and really want the customer to have a good visit.
It could also be bad news for workers who are being replaced.
We must brace for impact of AI storm that will last years
Any way we slice it, the bottom line is we should brace for an awkward and even painful transition period in which job loss will play a role.
Looking forward, when we eventually come out the other side, the best-case scenario would be new jobs, but different jobs for these workers.
The problem is this transition will take time. Years. That means we will have to wrestle with this pain for quite a long time. And that will not be pretty.
Workers need to up their game to survive in new AI world
That’s why all workers need to step up to this new challenge. Low level jobs or those which are repetitive could be the first to go.
That means if you want to be more valuable, you need to rise above those around you. Do your job better than others around you. Take better care of the customer.
Think about it. In any store you shop at or restaurant you eat at, how many workers are you impressed with? How many put themselves out for the customer?
There are always a few good workers compared to the vast majority.
So, what will our world look like tomorrow? How does AI impact actor’s rights to things like ownership and compensation? How can a company use the actor’s likeness with or without permission of the actor?
As you can see, AI is an amazing new technology which raises more questions that we need to answer.
We don’t know what the world will look like years from now. One thing we do know is it will not look like anything we have today. Just like today’s world looks nothing like a decade or two ago.
Get ready because like it or not, ready or not, the future is coming. In fact, it’s already here.
