<p>On April 18, 2018, nearly 98 per cent of members of the WGA, or Writers Guild of America, voted to go on strike if they do not reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the entity that is representing American film and TV studios (Amazon Studios, Apple Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery), by May 1. And on the evening of May 2, they made good on their promise by declaring the strike, the first in 15 years. WGA members began picketing the next day. Around 11,500 writers stopped working, making late-night television go dark. &nbsp;The writers have said they want higher minimum pay, more writers per show, and shorter exclusive contracts, among other things.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also on the list of negotiation points are artificial intelligence and large language models like ChatGPT. Though it is quite far down the list, many claim AI may have major ramifications for the future of the industry. AI systems have actually already been a part of Hollywood filmmaking for years. Are tools like ChatGPT different?</p>

<h2><strong>Hollywood and AI — &nbsp;a love story?</strong></h2>

<p>AI has been revolutionising the entertainment industry in a variety of ways beyond just creative writing. One of the most notable examples is the use of AI in de-ageing technology. This technology involves using machine learning algorithms to analyse images of an actor at various ages and then applying that data to create a computer-generated model of what the actor would look like at any given age. De-ageing technology has been used in a number of high-profile films, including Martin Scorsese's<em> The Irishman</em>, where it was used to make actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci look decades younger (to, uh, mixed results). The technology has also been used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury being de-aged in <em>Captain Marvel </em>and Robert Downey Jr being de-aged in <em>Captain America: Civil War.</em></p>

<p>Another area where AI is already extensively being used in Hollywood is in post-production. For example, AI algorithms can be used to help colour-correct footage or to automatically add special effects. This saves time and money in the editing process and allows filmmakers to create more complex visuals.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hollywood-writers-strike-to-trigger-tv-shutdowns-588166/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Large language models or LLMs — the bones of contention</strong></h2>

<p>WGA has made it clear that they don't want AI to be involved in the creative process. Unlike other AI tools, LLMs are potentially replacing a job (there was no de-ageing job). &nbsp;Screenwriter John August, a member of the WGA negotiating committee, said he and others have two major concerns regarding AI. "We don't want our material feeding them, and we also don't want to be fixing their sloppy first drafts," he said.</p>

<p>Here, by "feeding" he refers to training AI systems with existing high-quality scripts.</p>

<p>Hypothetically, if an AI system was fed with scripts written by M Night Shyamalan, it could, given time, come up with its own twisty, suspenseful plots. If it were fed with Martin Scorsese's scripts, it could, theoretically, create its own gangster epic. Or one could make it watch thousands of "prestige" shows and maybe it can churn out <em>Succession </em>in space. Or something like that.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/ai-scams-mimicking-voices-are-on-the-rise-588152/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>

<h2><strong>Can AI write the next <em>Succession</em>, then?</strong></h2>

<p>Writers argue that AI-generated scripts lack the human touch that makes stories truly great and that allowing machines to write would be a form of plagiarism. The argument that AI-generated content is not as emotionally engaging as human-written content is not without merit. After all, machines lack the ability to understand human emotions, and storytelling often relies on conveying complex emotional experiences. And even LLMs were trained on existing content, so there will not be any originality. Many scientists believe nothing may truly be original as we all create things out of what we see, feel, hear, and experience. Even if we accept that, LLMs will not have our "diversity of thought", as a Vox piece said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>LLMs, as they stand currently, can generate copious amounts of text in a matter of seconds, which is beyond any human capability, but the words they write lack nuance and flavour. The language LLMs use is rather bland even if given specific instructions to be otherwise. We will end up with billions of words of sanitised, dry, and ultimately useless prose.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So no, AI cannot write the next <em>Succession</em>. I am not convinced AI could write a good reality show.</p>

<h2><strong>What the future holds</strong></h2>

<p>It's unlikely that machines will ever completely replace human writers, as creativity is a complex and nuanced process that involves more than just stringing words together. For writers, the answer may lie in finding a balance between human creativity and AI-generated content. Perhaps machines can be used to generate ideas or help with the writing process while leaving the final product in the hands of human writers.</p>

<p>In the end, the debate over AI and creative writing is not just about the future of Hollywood, but about the role of technology in society as a whole. As machines become more advanced, we will be forced to grapple with difficult questions about ownership, creativity, and what it means to be human. Only time will tell how we answer these questions.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


On April 18, 2018, nearly 98 per cent of members of the WGA, or Writers Guild of America, voted to go on strike if they do not reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the entity that is representing American film and TV studios (Amazon Studios, Apple Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros.

On April 18, 2018, nearly 98 per cent of members of the WGA, or Writers Guild of America, voted to go on strike if they do not reach an agreement with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), the entity that is representing American film and TV studios (Amazon Studios, Apple Studios, NBCUniversal, Netflix, Paramount Global, Sony Pictures, the Walt Disney Company, and Warner Bros. Discovery), by May 1. And on the evening of May 2, they made good on their promise by declaring the strike, the first in 15 years. WGA members began picketing the next day. Around 11,500 writers stopped working, making late-night television go dark. The writers have said they want higher minimum pay, more writers per show, and shorter exclusive contracts, among other things. Also on the list of negotiation points are artificial intelligence and large language models like ChatGPT. Though it is quite far down the list, many claim AI may have major ramifications for the future of the industry. AI systems have actually already been a part of Hollywood filmmaking for years. Are tools like ChatGPT different? Hollywood and AI — a love story? AI has been revolutionising the entertainment industry in a variety of ways beyond just creative writing. One of the most notable examples is the use of AI in de-ageing technology. This technology involves using machine learning algorithms to analyse images of an actor at various ages and then applying that data to create a computer-generated model of what the actor would look like at any given age. De-ageing technology has been used in a number of high-profile films, including Martin Scorsese's The Irishman, where it was used to make actors Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Joe Pesci look decades younger (to, uh, mixed results). The technology has also been used in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, with Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury being de-aged in Captain Marvel and Robert Downey Jr being de-aged in Captain America: Civil War. Another area where AI is already extensively being used in Hollywood is in post-production. For example, AI algorithms can be used to help colour-correct footage or to automatically add special effects. This saves time and money in the editing process and allows filmmakers to create more complex visuals. Large language models or LLMs — the bones of contention WGA has made it clear that they don't want AI to be involved in the creative process. Unlike other AI tools, LLMs are potentially replacing a job (there was no de-ageing job). Screenwriter John August, a member of the WGA negotiating committee, said he and others have two major concerns regarding AI. "We don't want our material feeding them, and we also don't want to be fixing their sloppy first drafts," he said. Here, by "feeding" he refers to training AI systems with existing high-quality scripts. Hypothetically, if an AI system was fed with scripts written by M Night Shyamalan, it could, given time, come up with its own twisty, suspenseful plots. If it were fed with Martin Scorsese's scripts, it could, theoretically, create its own gangster epic. Or one could make it watch thousands of "prestige" shows and maybe it can churn out Succession in space. Or something like that. Can AI write the next Succession, then? Writers argue that AI-generated scripts lack the human touch that makes stories truly great and that allowing machines to write would be a form of plagiarism. The argument that AI-generated content is not as emotionally engaging as human-written content is not without merit. After all, machines lack the ability to understand human emotions, and storytelling often relies on conveying complex emotional experiences. And even LLMs were trained on existing content, so there will not be any originality. Many scientists believe nothing may truly be original as we all create things out of what we see, feel, hear, and experience. Even if we accept that, LLMs will not have our "diversity of thought", as a Vox piece said. LLMs, as they stand currently, can generate copious amounts of text in a matter of seconds, which is beyond any human capability, but the words they write lack nuance and flavour. The language LLMs use is rather bland even if given specific instructions to be otherwise. We will end up with billions of words of sanitised, dry, and ultimately useless prose. So no, AI cannot write the next Succession. I am not convinced AI could write a good reality show. What the future holds It's unlikely that machines will ever completely replace human writers, as creativity is a complex and nuanced process that involves more than just stringing words together. For writers, the answer may lie in finding a balance between human creativity and AI-generated content. Perhaps machines can be used to generate ideas or help with the writing process while leaving the final product in the hands of human writers. In the end, the debate over AI and creative writing is not just about the future of Hollywood, but about the role of technology in society as a whole. As machines become more advanced, we will be forced to grapple with difficult questions about ownership, creativity, and what it means to be human. Only time will tell how we answer these questions. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Hollywood writers vs artificial intelligence: How their strike is also a fight against AI

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Hollywood writers vs artificial intelligence: How their strike is also a fight against AI