How AI Took Center Stage In The Hollywood Writers' Strike

After failing to reach a contract resolution with the studio association, more than 11,000 film and television writers remain on strike. Of the many topics under consideration in this year's Writers Guild of America contract discussions, one nascent technology has fueled dissent among the negotiators: artificial intelligence.

Since the last writers' strike in 2007, widespread consumer adoption of video streaming has exemplified how novel technologies can upheave the entertainment industry. Now, however, the leaders in the streaming space are dealing with the ballooning costs of high-output, high-quality content.

"Today, the only one we know of that is cashflow positive is Netflix," said Dan Rayburn, a streaming media analyst. "They've estimated they'll be about $3.5 billion of free cash flow this year. Every other company out there, if you think about it, is losing money. Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery, losing billions and billions and billions of dollars a year."

As streaming companies scramble to nourish their bottom line, content is being removed from platforms, cutting off creators from being compensated.

Watch the video above for more on how AI is fueling the WGA's fight for a fair contract.

Chapters:
00:00 — Introduction
00:53 — The decision to strike
02:02 — Addressing disruption
06:51 — Creating the content of tomorrow
09:05 — What's next?

Produced and edited by: Kate Sammer
Graphics by: Andrea Schmitz
Supervising Producer: Jeff Morganteen

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