AI’s Threat to Film Industry Entry-Level Jobs

Notable individuals in the world of film directing and producing have often embarked on their illustrious careers by undertaking the thankless jobs that artificial intelligence (AI) might soon take over. Van Robichaux, a successful writer, attributes his career to a script assistant who appreciated his script and promoted it to the right contacts. The said assistant has since risen to produce ‘The Brutalist,’ an Oscar-nominated film. Initiated into Hollywood through the work of reviewing and recommending scripts, many executives began their careers in this exact fashion.

However, as AI continues to seep into various industry domains, these jobs may be the first casualties. Robichaux raises a critical question; had AI been prevalent at the start of the assistant’s career or if it takes away the need for assistants to review an influx of scripts, would his path to becoming a producer have ever emerged? And in that case, would the acclaimed ‘The Brutalist’ have materialized, casting doubt on not just the film’s existence, but Robichaux’s career as well?

Robichaux, notable for his work on popular productions such as ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’ and the ‘Wedding Crashers’ sequel, forms his question on a concrete foundation: AI’s potential to handle most of the introductory responsibilities in the industry. While this may initially appear like a convenience, the repercussions of eliminating such positions cannot be understated. Apart from the jobs themselves, these roles have traditionally served as a platform for developing and educating new talent on the inner workings of the business.

Indispensable institutional knowledge, particularly in an industry as intricate and politically charged as entertainment, emanates from the ground-up learning experiences these roles offer. With them gone, the industry may find itself losing a key training pipeline for future decision-makers. As Robichaux expresses, the threat is to the ‘pipeline,’ highlighting that many, if not all, influential producers in Hollywood initiated their industrious careers from these disappearing entry-level positions.

To illustrate this point, consider India, where multitudes aspire to join the household name in consumer goods, Unilever. The company recognises the value in hands-on experience and ground reality. To that end, freshly recruited hires are dispatched to rural areas to sell soap, enabling them to understand consumer behavior and price sensitivity firsthand. The aim is to gradually ascend through the ranks, gaining critical practical knowledge along the way, akin to the experience box office set or a film set offers.

However, with the advent of AI and its potential for replacing human roles, the invaluable learning drawn from such situations hangs in the balance. The absence of these jobs inhibits the progression of this tacit knowledge, which significantly influences high-level decisions. For instance, talent agencies that traditionally give newcomers a start in the mailroom, allow them to rise through administrative ranks and gradually learn the trade before ultimately qualifying for an agent’s role.

Similarly, script readers and assistants begin at the base, picking up the subtleties of the entertainment industry along the way. This interaction with the innate understanding of what clicks with audiences significantly shapes the writers and producers of tomorrow. The loss of these jobs shuts one of the genuine pathways into the entertainment industry.

Historically, Hollywood has been reserved when it comes to embracing AI. Laying off entry-level jobs to AI is a risky game using tools that may not be fully adept at understanding the human condition, facets of originality, and nuances that are deeply ingrained in the entertainment industry.

Looking at the larger scope, over 100,000 layoffs have occurred in the tech industry as AI adoption expands. The traditional conception of entry-level positions is transforming with the rise of artificial intelligence. New entrants may no longer need to undertake basic groundwork, potentially commencing their journey from more advanced creative levels.

However, procuring a sophisticated understanding of the industry through experience may become a thing of the past. It’s a risk to lose the institutional knowledge that’s often passed down from one generation of workers to the next, which, in many cases, includes wisdom beyond text-book knowledge or AI algorithms.

There lies a significant risk of dependency on AI for decision-making, especially when it comes to areas that are unpredictable, such as the famously fickle Hollywood. If we become reliant on AI, we may find ourselves in a bind when a complicated or disastrous situation arises that AI hasn’t been programmed to foresee. Chandrasekaran, a notable voice in the debate, warns of this potential danger

In essence, Hollywood represents an environment where a measure of unfoldability, sudden turns, and even catastrophic events aren’t uncommon. In such an unpredictable milieu, human experience and intuition often prove to be more reliable and adaptable than AI, especially in times of crisis.