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Screenwriter Craig Mazin and CEO of Blumhouse Productions Jason Blum sat down to discuss the ongoing strikes and the perceived threat of AI in the industry.
The pair appeared alongside The Matrix co-director, Lilly Wachowski, on the Deadline Strike Talk Podcast which has been covering the writers’ strike since it began over three months ago. The three guest are all pretty experienced within the industry and they bring their own unique takes on the issue.
When asked about whether the WGA are overreaching with their demands, Blum — who’s company is known for highly praised horror films such as The Black Phone and Insidious — pointed to the use of AI. He argues it isn’t as big of an issue as it’s being made out to be. His opinion may be controversial, but he does make some good points about the WGA’s demands regarding the use of the technology:
“The AI thing is in my mind super overblown and everybody is frantic about something that we don’t really understand […] I don’t think you’re doing anyone any favors forcing people to hire people they’re not going to use, I think the worst person who suffers from that is the person who has the job because they’re in a job that no-one wants them to have”
Blum states that he supports the artists behind the strike although he seems to be more on the fence regarding the use of AI. He’s right in the sense that we don’t fully understand AI just yet, should we limit usage of it before we even know it’s full potential? Should studios favor hiring people who may not be needed in order simply to avoid the controversy of looking like they’re taking jobs from the artist?
Of course, Blum’s mindset is that of a producer. Mazin, known for the HBO series, Chernobyl and The Last of Us, has a different take on the matter which makes sense, considering he is a screenwriter, someone whose livelihood could possibly be under threat from the emergence of AI.
“If AI can do the things that I do, […] they’re just gonna get rid of us. But I would say the same thing to the companies which is, ‘guys, if in five years you can have a Craig bot then this doesn’t matter, just give them what they want because, guess what, none of us are gonna be here, there’s not gonna be a writers guild and you’re not gonna be here either.’”
Mazin’s view is more black and white, he believes that if studios continue to use AI then before long there will be no jobs at all in the industry, including the jobs of the studio executives and producers.
“My advice to the studios on that one is just shut up, shut up and just give them what they want because either this replaces us all, or we’re all gonna be laughing about it five years from now.”
Hopefully the outcome of these strikes brings about the latter of Mazin’s two scenarios.