Hollywood's A.I. Dilemma and the Future of Movies

Artificial intelligence has emerged as a transformative force across various industries in recent years, and one industry in which it has made significant inroads lately is the world of motion pictures. With A.I. technology advancing rapidly, the possibilities for sparking creativity are many and it also promises to significantly increase efficiency in areas like special and visual effects. However, this technological revolution has also given rise to complex challenges concerning intellectual property rights.?

One of the primary reasons behind the ongoing SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike has been the concerns surrounding A.I.’s impact on the ownership and potential exploitation of creative works and even actor likenesses. And how the strike is ultimately resolved will almost certainly set the stage for the limits – or lack thereof – in regard to how A.I. is utilized in movies for decades to come.

Like it or not, A.I. has begun to create a paradigm shift in how films are created, ranging from scriptwriting and casting to post-production. Generative A.I., in particular, has played a crucial role in effectively automating content generation by analyzing vast amounts of ingested data and producing original works.?

While the quality and true ‘originality’ of said works is a matter of debate, this relatively sudden advancement has left both studios and their ‘employees’ (so to speak) scrambling to determine how rights, royalties, and many other considerations will be determined and handled under the law. While generative artificial intelligence certainly has the potential to streamline production and reduce costs in movie and television projects across the world, the debate rages on over who “owns” A.I.-generated or A.I.-assisted works and the revenue it generates.

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